Lonesome Lake

Franconia, New Hampshire

4.5/5

based on 4 reviews

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Distance

3.05 miles

Elevation Gain

1027 ft

Route Type

Loop

Description

Added by Jon Secord

Take this loop hike for incredible views of Lonesome Lake especially at sunset. Head off the tourist path and avoid the crowds on this hike.

The Franconia Notch area of New Hampshire has many roadside adventures to go on, bringing in thousands of visitors every year, but my favorite place in the notch is Lonesome Lake.

At 3 miles, the hike is easy enough for the whole family, but most people visiting the notch stick to the roadside attractions, keeping the crowds at Lonesome down. The views around the lake are incredible, looking out toward Franconia Ridge and Cannon Mountain. There are also many trails connecting to the Lonesome Lake trail, but are generally more difficult. My favorite time to go up is for sunset, but it's also an amazing place for photographing the night sky with very little light pollution.

To get there, drive to Lafayette Place Campground on interstate 93. From the parking lot, you cross over a small footbridge and through the campground to start up the Lonesome Lake trail, which is clearly marked.

If you want to camp and hit the trail as a day hike, you can make a reservation at Reserve America.

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Lonesome Lake Reviews

Jamie Elder

Lonesome Lake

04/20/16

We hiked this trail the end of April, still a bit chilly so there was ice and snow on the trail! Although we weren't expecting that at had no crampons my wife and I made it fairly easily! One of the most epic hikes I've ever attempted to date and worth the steep climb to get there!

5.0

Explorer

Sara Sheehy

Explorer

Lonesome Lake

01/20/16

There is also an Appalachian Mountain Club hut nearby (reservations at outdoors.org) which is great for a family adventure.

Christian Colomb

Lonesome Lake

04/24/15

To add to this, hiking this in late fall is really exciting. The lake is most often completely frozen with thick ice by mid November. We went last November and continued on to summit Cannon Mountain. There was a lot of ice so if anyone does this make sure you bring crampons and watch the weather. Dress warm and its amazing.

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Snowshoe to Lonesome Lake

The best place to park when doing this hike in the winter is at the Lafayette Campground. The campground and parking lot are typically empty in the cold winter months, aside from occasional cross-country skiers on the Pemigewasset bike path. The Lafayette campground parking lot is directly accessible by I-93 north and south. To start the hike, walk through the campground and follow the signs th...

Hike the Franconia Ridge Loop

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Backpack the Franconia Ridge Loop

This is a multi-day backpacking loop in Franconia Notch State Park, New Hampshire (located in the the White Mountains).Leave the car at the Lafayette Place Campground, (about 1700' elevation), then head up 1.4mi to Lonesome Lake. If you start hiking in the evening, as the sun is setting, you can stop here to set up hammocks a couple hundred feet off the trail, and hunker in for the night.In the...

Winter Hike North Kinsman

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Camp at Lafayette Campground, White Mountains

The White Mountains offer some of the most prime foliage sightseeing (aka 'leaf peeping') in New England. Tourists flock to the Franconia Notch State Park area and surrounding parts of the White Mountains every October, but camping is generally less common. October can be a cold month in New Hampshire, with an average low of about 36 degrees Fahrenheit, but if you have the right gear, the foggy...

Hike Falling Waters Trail

Falling Waters Trail takes you up to the summit of Little Haystack Mountain, and Mount Lincoln and Mount Lafayette if you continue to the Franconia Ridge Trail / Appalachian Trail, then over to Old Bridle Path.Also along Falling Waters Trail are stunning waterfalls. The most popular one is Cloudland Waterfall at an 80 foot height, this waterfall is a fan-type horsetail. The beauty of this water...

Lonesome Lake

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Lonesome Lake Reviews

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Nearby

Snowshoe to Lonesome Lake

Hike the Franconia Ridge Loop

Backpack the Franconia Ridge Loop

Winter Hike North Kinsman

Camp at Lafayette Campground, White Mountains

Hike Falling Waters Trail

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