Lonesome Lake Trail

Lonesome Lake Trail is a 3-mile loop from Lafayette Place Campground: climb out of the notch, circle a glacial lake, then descend to the campground. Allow 2–3 hours. You gain about 1,000 feet before reaching the lake at 2,730 feet, so most of the effort comes before the water. It is a moderate hike that can feel steeper than its mileage suggests, especially on the rocky, rooty upper climb. Go for Franconia Ridge across the lake and the change from forest trail to boardwalk, not for a summit. Keep the shoreline circuit in your plan; the walk to the lake alone is only the approach.

Dogs are not allowed on this route. Franconia Notch permits pets only on designated dog walks near the Tramway and Flume lots, not in the Lafayette Place campground.

Start at Lafayette Place and follow the yellow-blazed Lonesome Lake Trail. It passes through the campground, then rises through open hardwoods on a well-marked path. The grade stays uphill and gets steeper toward the lake; expect uneven roots and rocks underfoot. When the Hi-Cannon Trail branches off, stay with Lonesome Lake. Hi-Cannon is a separate, steeper mountain route and can turn this short outing into a much longer day. The published 1.6-mile figure is the one-way walk to the hut; the park’s 3-mile figure describes the full loop.

At the lake, continue around the full shoreline instead of turning back at the first glimpse of water. A wooden boardwalk crosses wet ground, and the lake circuit uses the Cascade Brook side of the shore before reconnecting with the main trail for the descent. The change from climbing to walking beside the water is the best part of the route. Take your time through the loop: Franconia Ridge shifts across the view as the path follows the shore.

Lonesome Lake is a glacial basin left behind by retreating ice, with Franconia Ridge rising across the water. The Appalachian Mountain Club’s hut and dock are on the shore. Walk out to the dock and frame the ridge across the lake, with the rocks and water in the foreground. Day hikers can use the hut’s bathrooms and refill water in both its staffed and caretaker seasons. Soup and bread are sold during full-service season; food service varies, so check before planning lunch around it.

Lafayette Place has two small hiker lots that fill early. Hikers may not park in campground sites, and parking along I-93 is illegal. When the lots are full, overflow is at the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway; the park runs a paid seasonal shuttle on selected busy days. Check its current schedule before relying on the shuttle, and allow time for the return ride.