Hi-Cannon Trail

Hi-Cannon is a strenuous summit loop from the Lonesome Lake Trailhead at Lafayette Place. Follow Lonesome Lake Trail to the Hi-Cannon junction, climb to Kinsman Ridge and Cannon Mountain, then return by Kinsman Ridge and Lonesome Lake Trail. The mapped core is 4.7 miles round trip; allow about five hours. The optional full walk around Lonesome Lake adds distance and turns this into the longer outing commonly rounded to about six miles. Choose it for a hard half-day with varied terrain and a lake payoff; skip it if steep, slippery rock or a ladder section is not for you.

The lower approach is a short walk through the campground before Hi-Cannon turns steep. Creeks and small waterfalls accompany the climb, and openings give you views over Lonesome Lake and the Notch. Blue blazes painted on rocks are weather worn and can be hard to spot. Near the ridge, the trail gets especially steep over boulders and creekbed, with a ladder at Cliff House rock. Wet rock can be slippery after rain, so take your time through the upper section.

From the Hi-Cannon junction, follow Kinsman Ridge about 0.4 mile to Cannon’s summit, then retrace that short spur and continue on Kinsman Ridge toward Lonesome Lake. The summit ridge opens east over the Notch. The return follows a creek for much of the way down; it is still steep, though a little less so than Hi-Cannon.

The main return passes Lonesome Lake. A mostly flat plank path circles the water; it can be wet underfoot and is an optional extra. The AMC Lonesome Lake Hut is on the route and, when operating, has food, restrooms and water refills. For a photo, face Cannon across the lake and keep some shoreline rock in the foreground.

Begin at the Lonesome Lake Trailhead in Lafayette Place Campground. The campground has parking on both sides of its entrance, and it fills quickly. The Falling Waters/Old Bridle Path lot across I-93 connects through an underpass. Pets are not permitted on this route from the campground access.