Sight · Franconia Notch State Park
An 80-foot fan of water is the payoff on an uphill hike.
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Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Franconia Notch Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Franconia Notch State Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Franconia Notch audio tourRecorded for this place
Mount Lafayette and Franconia Ridge“Up ahead is the trailhead for Mount Lafayette and Franconia Ridge, a demanding hike with long, open views across the White Mountains.”
Plays as you drive up to Cloudland Falls in the Parkwolf Franconia Notch Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
Cloudland Falls is an 80-foot waterfall on Dry Brook and the largest of the named falls on Falling Waters Trail. Its stream spreads into a fan over the rock face, widening to about 25 feet at the bottom in high water. If you’re choosing a waterfall stop on this hike, this is the one to aim for.
This is a hiking destination, not a roadside pullout. Falling Waters Trail was rerouted in 2026; follow the current signs to the marked spur for the falls instead of relying on older route directions or mileage. Trailhead parking can fill early, so plan the stop as part of a hike rather than a quick detour from the car.
From the signed spur, frame the full fall with some of the rocks below it. That shows how the water spreads across the face; a tight crop loses the fan shape. The rocks beside the water can be slick, so take care on the established path.
Wildlife
66 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
38 sightingsMooseMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
19 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
19 sightingsGreat Blue HeronMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
13 sightingsTurkey VultureMost seen around noonSighting map
23 sightingsRavenMost seen around 11 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Franconia Notch. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ChallengingFranconia Ridge Trail Loop8.1 mi · 8.5 hr · 0.7 mi awayA full-day loop over three exposed summits above Franconia Notch.
ChallengingFalling Waters Trail5.9 mi · 5.5 hr · 0.7 mi awayWaterfalls up front; Little Haystack is the hard part.
ChallengingOld Bridle Path to Greenleaf Hut5.8 mi · 6 hr · 0.8 mi awayA steep hut climb with two open ledges and Franconia Notch views.
ModerateLonesome Lake Trail3 mi · 2.5 hr · 1 mi awayA climb to a glacial lake with Franconia Ridge across the water.
ChallengingHi-Cannon Trail4.7 mi · 5.5 hr · 1 mi awayA steep Cannon climb with a ladder and a Lonesome Lake finish.
ChallengingNorth and South Kinsman via Fishin’ Jimmy Trail9.8 mi · 9 hr · 1 mi awayA long, rough climb links two Kinsman summits above Franconia Notch.
ModerateBasin Cascade Trail2 mi · 2 hr · 1.6 mi awayCascade Brook's granite ledges and small falls earn the extra walk.
ChallengingFishin’ Jimmy Trail1.8 mi · 1.6 hr · 1.9 mi awayLadders, slick ledges and a pond-side shelter make this AT leg count.
Sight · 1 mi awayLittle Haystack MountainThe waterfall climb ends at an open summit on the Franconia Ridge.
Campground · 1 mi awayLafayette Place CampgroundA wooded base camp for hiking, biking, fishing and swimming.
Sight · 1.2 mi awayBoise RockA glacial erratic paired with a wintry survival legend.Sight · 1.2 mi awayMount LincolnA high Franconia Ridge summit reached only by a strenuous alpine hike.
Lodging · 1.5 mi awayGreenleaf HutWarm drinks and water refills soften the climb to Lafayette.
Sight · 1.5 mi awayThe BasinA river-carved granite bowl and waterfall, reached by a short paved walk.
Sight · 1.6 mi awayProfile LakeA fly-fishing lake beneath the vanished Old Man profile.Sight · 1.6 mi awayNotch Viewing AreaOn calm days, Eagle Cliff doubles in Profile Lake.Parkwolf’s Franconia Notch ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
