The main features are Franconia Notch (pass,
or gap) itself, the Flume,
the Basin, several lakes,
and—formerly—the rock outcrop
in the shape of a man's profile which became
the state symbol of New
Hampshire, the famous Old
Man of the Mountains.
State
Park Visitor Center & Flume Gorge
Four miles north of North
Woodstock is the Visitor Center for Franconia
Notch State Park, next to the Flume Gorge,
a natural cleft in the granite. The Visitor Center
can tell you all about the park, its sights, picnic
and camping areas, and hiking trails. A boardwalk has
been erected along the 800-foot length of the Flume,
and for admission fee you can walk through its cool
depths.
The Basin
North of the Visitor Center and Flume Gorge
along
US Route 3, signs will point to a side road and the Basin,
a huge glacial pothole in the native granite, 20 feet
in diameter. The hole is at the foot of a waterfall,
and was presumably made by the action of small rocks
and stones whirled around by the force of the water.
It's a cool spot, good for contemplation.
The Old Man
North of The Basin, the Old Man of
the Mountains,
also called the Great
Stone Face, was one of New Hampshire's
most famous features. Now he's gone! (sob) More...
Cannon
Mountain
At the northern end of Franconia
Notch is access to Cannon
Mountain. An impressive
view of Franconia
Notch and
the mountains is yours if you take the
Cannon Mountain
Aerial
Tramway to the summit of the mountain
(4100 feet/1250 meters). The tramway operates
in the summer from the end of May to
mid-October.
More...
Robert Frost's Farm
North of Franconia
Notch, only a mile or two from the
town of Franconia is The Frost
Place, the
farm that the great poet bought in the early
part of this century. He lived here with his
wife and
children during some of the most productive and
inspired years of his life, and wrote many of
his best and
most famous poems to describe life on this farm
and the scenery surrounding it. Among these are "The
Road Not Taken" and "Stopping by Woods
on a Snowy Evening." More...
The Lost River
As you travel through New Hampshire, you'll
see many bumper stickers proclaiming "I
found the Lost River." You can find
it too, 6 miles west of North
Woodstock on
Route 112 in Kinsman Notch. Explore
the narrow gorge and caverns with the help
of walkways, ladders, and bridges. Like most
of the attractions
in this neck of the woods, it's open mid-May to
mid-October. There's a small entrance
fee.
Clark's Trading Post
Clark's on US Route 3 just north of Lincoln has
been a traditional stop for families traveling
in the
White Mountains since 1928. In addition
to an old-fashioned photo parlor, water-bumper
boats,
a magic house,
a narrow-gauge steam locomotive, and a
gift
shop selling moccasins, a family of native
black bears performs daily. It's a bit on the campy
side, but it's also part of many people's
childhood.
