Parking
Use the south side of Flume Gorge Visitor Center’s parking area; the loop lies just beyond the lot.
Overview
About Roaring River Memorial Nature Trail
Why go
- The gazebo gives a very short loop a clear destination.
Heads up
- The Pemigewasset is audible but mostly hidden from view.
Roaring River Memorial Nature Trail is a 0.27-mile loop (about 0.3 mile) just south of the Flume Visitor Center parking area. It is an easy add-on for a little time in the woods, with a gazebo to walk toward; allow about 30 minutes if you stop there.
Parkwolf’s verdictA short loop worth a quick stopMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Franconia Notch map
Full mapElevation1,245–1,287 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
2 active Franconia Notch alerts
- ClosureFlume Gorge Short Trail closed; seasonal closure Oct 26The Flume Gorge Short Trail/Rim Path is closed; before the seasonal closure, visitors must use the full 2-mile loop.Official details
- ClosureCannon Mountain Aerial Tramway closed and retiredThe Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway (Tram II) is closed and retired; do not plan on a tram ride.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Franconia Notch Tour Guide
Your drive to Roaring River Memorial Nature Trail, narrated.
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 trailhead
Flume Gorge and the Full Loop0:00 / 0:33
“You're coming up on the entrance to Flume Gorge, where boardwalks take you between high granite walls beside rushing water. I'd stop if you have about an hour and a half to two hours for the full two-mile circuit.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Franconia Notch Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Mount Pemigewasset and the Indian Head Profile
- The Frog That Freezes
- The Storm That Changed the Flume
- Mount Liberty via Liberty Spring Trail
- 32 audio storiesacross Franconia Notch’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Moose, Wild Turkey, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 29 trails, 33 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“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!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Roaring River Memorial Nature Trail
The memorial gazeboBuilt in 1988 in memory of Kirschner and Dowse, the gazebo is dedicated to people who love the…
Built in 1988 in memory of Kirschner and Dowse, the gazebo is dedicated to people who love the White Mountains and the North Country. Walkers have described views toward Mount Flume and Mount Liberty from the gazebo, framed by hardwoods. The wooden structure gives this short walk a clear destination.
The riverThe loop runs above the Pemigewasset River.
The loop runs above the Pemigewasset River. You can hear it nearby, but the trees mostly screen it from view, so come for the quiet woods and memorial rather than a river overlook.
Start hereUse the south side of Flume Gorge Visitor Center’s parking area; the loop lies just beyond the…
Use the south side of Flume Gorge Visitor Center’s parking area; the loop lies just beyond the lot. The visitor center has restrooms, a cafeteria, and a gift shop nearby, separate from the trail itself.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Franconia Notch
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.
