Finding the Falling Water's Trailhead

Hi there...

Hoping to do some of the Franconia Ridge on Saturday...here's the delimma:

Hubby works on Friday until 7:30 pm. Due to how far Franconia is from us (about 4 hrs) we want to go the night before, sleep somewhere cheap, and find the trail head early (5:30 am or so) to start hiking. HOWEVER...we are concerned (with our history of finding trailheads) with finding an unknown trailhead in the dark. We'd either be trying to find it at about 11:30 pm BEFORE hitting the sack...or 5:00 am is before hiking.

How difficult is it to find the Falling Water's/Brindle path trailhead in the dark? Also...with all the moose/bear/deer and other wildlife spottings lately, we are concerned with doing Kangamangus either late at night or early am...

You won't have any trouble. Giant trailhead parking sign on the Franconia parkway, which will get to to the lot. From the lot, the path is paved up from the parking lot... and after passing the restrooms it splits.... right for Falling Waters, left for OBP. Can't miss it.

- Ivy

As stated before, no problem as long as you can find the Franconia Parkway. You actually have two trys at finding it. If you are staying north of Franconia Notch, you will drive south on the parkway. Take the Lafayette Place exit and take a right past the wooden building, there is a small parking lot and a pedestrian tunnel under the parkway that brings you to the trailhead. If for some strange reason you miss the turnoff, you have to go down to the Flume exit and take the to reverse direction route and head back up the parkway. If you did this or are heading from the south on the Parkway, look for the Lafayette Place exit and park here.

About the only other way to go wrong is to miss the cut off to falling waters trail, if you wanted to ascend it. In order to go up via Falling waters, cross the bridge abotu 10 minutes into the woods.

Old Bridle Path (Left), Falling Waters (Right)

Tim

And fortunately, the Franconia Notch Parkway is now officially considered I-93 (it wasn't always).

You always have to be cautious about moose crossing the roadways here; lowering your speed and "scanning" both sides of the road is essential. But be especially careful between Exits 34 and 38 on I-93, from the Notch up to Franconia. This is known locally as "Moose Alley." Due to some clearcuts in the vicinity a few years back and the resultant browse that's filling in, 34-38 has been a particularly tasty area for moose. Someone managed to collide with a bear at 38 the other morning. That's far less common.

Finding the cheap sleeps may be harder. From North you park at Lafayatte Place as mentioned. From south (driving North) the sign says trailhead parking & is very close (right before, right after or right there) to where the parkway (I-93) goes from two lanes to one. As others said the OPB & FW junction is pretty well signed.

Parker's motel

http://www.parkersmotel.com/motel_accomodations.php

We have stayed here at a unit with a kitchenette - good for making breakfast in the room and getting an early start.

You should be able to get a good off season rate. They are on Rte 3 in North Lincoln, as close as you can get to the trailhead.

Enjoy the ridge!

Mike P. said:

From south (driving North) the sign says trailhead parking & is very close (right before, right after or right there) to where the parkway (I-93) goes from two lanes to one.

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It's the first off ramp after the lane drop, with a big "Trailhead Parking" sign.

Indian Head or Woodards - affordable, nice pools/amenities

I've never stayed at Parkers but both the Indian Head Resort and Woodard's on the same stretch of Rt 3 N toward the Flume visitor center are great. They're not super cheap (somewhere around $100/night for two I believe) but have nice amenities, although your departure time may preclude this. For whenever you visit there, Indian Head has a heated (90 degree) outdoor pool that's open year round and it's blast to swim in it when it's 5 degrees out and your hair freezes. (literally) Plus a game room if that's your thing. - Woodards has great steaks for dinner and also a nice indoor pool plus racquetball, and ice skating in season (they'll lend you skates). - if you're up for spending that level of $$.


Wish it were me!

The price is right to just sleep at the trailhead in your car. I do this often and it means my "drive" in the morning is less than one second so I can therefore sleep until the other people actually arrive for the hike. The second best option is Haystack road (free camping if you have your sticker). You are wicked close to the TH and also the mountain bean is a short drive as well. I know Haystack closes, but that should not be for another ... month .. or so.

If they're still open (they close in the winter) try the Mt Coolidge Motel. http://www.mtcoolidgemotel.com/ They're on Rt 3 just north of Clark's Trading Post (only about 10 minutes from the trailhead). They're the cheapest place in the area and the rooms are immaculate and the owners are very nice. We've stayed there several times and always been very happy. As everyone else said, finding the parking for the trailhead is easy. You have to pay a bit of attention going into the woods where the Old Bridle Path and Falling Waters split but you should be fine. Good luck with your plans and have a great hike!

If you park on the campground side of the highway (west), there’s a path that runs out the end of a little parking lot next to the ranger cabin which passes through a tunnel under the highway and leads up to the parking lot on the east side of the highway and continues up past the toilets.



I second the recommendation of the Mt. Coolidge Motel.

Speaking of that sign ... the trailhead does have a pair of year-round pit toilets, just out of sight about 50' up the trail.

YEA!!! Thanks so much for all the info...I LOVE the help.

Looks like this weekend is going to be good too. We MAY be able to head up early on Sat...spend the night and then hike on Sunday...

I *think* Lafayette Place CG is now free or pretty cheap (self serve) right at the trailhead...

As everyone else has mentioned, you won't have any problem finding the parking area for Falling Water's Trailhead.

Another place you may want to consider is The Franconia Notch Motel. We've been staying there for many years when we hike on that side. It's a bit on the older side; clean, comfortable and affordable ($59.95/night).

After your hike, check out Woodstock Station for dinner........

Donna

andrewb said:

The price is right to just sleep at the trailhead in your car. I do this often and it means my "drive" in the morning is less than one second so I can therefore sleep until the other people actually arrive for the hike.

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Note that sleeping in your car at trailheads is illegal both in the state park and in the National Forest, I know people who have been rousted in the middle of the night from both. That doesn't mean that people don't do it all the time