Mount Flume from Lincoln Woods
At the southern end of Franconia Notch, Mount Flume (4,318') offers 360 degree views from its open summit of the Notch to the west and the Pemigewasset Wilderness to the east.
We hiked Mount Flume from the Lincoln Woods Trailhead on the Kancamangus Highway (Route 112). It was a 12.2 mile in and out hike with 3,245' of elevation gain.
We were joined on this hike by our buddy Patrick, who has been working on redlining the WMNF and usually comes up with some interesting hikes in his quest to hit every trail. We had all ascended Mount Flume via the other traditional routes (Flume Slide Trail and the Franconia Ridge Trail), so we decided that this in and out was the way to go to capture a new trail for Pat. We had a great day weather wise, practically a cloudless bluebird day, which gave us some tremendous views from the open rock summit of Mount Flume.
From the Lincoln Woods Trailhead just off the Kanamangus Highway, we followed the Lincoln Woods Trail to its intersection with the Osseo Trail. Then followed the Osseo Trail to its intersection with the Flume Slide Trail and the Franconia Ridge Trail. From that intersection, we followed the Franconia Ridge Trail a short distance to the summit of Mount Flume. We returned the same way that we came.
The Lincoln Woods Trail follows an old railroad grade is almost flat, as it follows along the edge of the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River. The Osseo Trail starts off with moderate climbing, but then climbs steeply to the shoulder of Mount Flume where it levels off a bit. Along the way there are plenty of switchbacks, then stone steps, and then wooden ladders to make it up over very steep terrain. From the upper shoulder of Mount Flume, the trail ends at the intersection with the Franconia Ridge Trail and the Flume Slide Trail. From there we followed the Franconia Ridge Trail a few tenths of a mile to the summit.
The summit of Mount Flume is rugged, open, and rocky. For those of us like Jeff who have some trepidation with heights, you might find the traverse to the summit a bit nerve-racking. For others like Pat and Moe, it was just a walk in the park. That rugged, open, rocky terrain offers some amazing views of the surrounding area, including Franconia Notch to the west and the Pemigewasset Wilderness to the east. It truly is one of our favorite views in the Whites.
We returned the same way we came, but on the way back, we took a break along the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River and enjoyed some swimming in the very cold, but incredibly refreshing water, which made the last half a mile or so of hiking out feel so much better.
A classic White Mountain hike that shouldn’t be missed!
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Gear we used on this hike:
Hydration and nutrition for this hike:
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