One of our more popular trips that we offer is our Ultimate Franconia Notch Tour. During this trip we start out by hiking the Flume Gorge. It is a full day of activity. We start out hiking the Flume Gorge. Inside the Flume Gorge is the Flume itself which is a 800 foot long gorge with 90 foot high granite walls. The views are simply incredible.
As you start your hike into the Flume you are greeted by the ever impressive Table Rock. This is an enormous flat piece of granite that the Flume Brook flows over. This part of the trail starts a bit of an incline. After a couple hundred feet you cross the bridge to enter the Flume Gorge. The temperature is noticeably cooler at this point as the shade from the trees is much more dense. You are also able to hear the brook flowing rapidly through the gorge. On my hike up I decided to see how cold that water is. The water is very cold, I imagine on a hot summer day that it would be refreshing to splash some on your face, but if you go please follow the advice and do not go on the rocks.
The trail now goes into the actual Flume Gorge. When you enter the Gorge you can't help but be awe inspired by the natural beauty of the leichin covered rocks, the moss covered walls, and the sunlight just barely passing through the deep foliage up over head. The path turns into an wooden walkway that gently climbs to the top of the Gorge. You can't help but stop every few minutes to just gaze around and take it all in.
After hiking to the top of the Flume you will be able to make a decision about how much more hiking you will do. Here the path will spilt. Going left will take you back to the beginning of the Flume and the other will continue further along a trail that takes you to the Liberty Cascade. There is only one vantage point of the Cascade and that will require you hike down about 150 feet to a small overlook.
As you continue along the trail the next sight you will come to will be the Liberty Pool. This is an area where the Pemigewassett River flows and forms a pool. It is about 100 feet down to the bottom of the pool and is close to 100 feet wide. Another trip down to a over look will give you a great view of the pool.
Just a little bit further down the path is the Sentinel Covered Bridge. This is a wooden covered foot bridge that offers a view up river and also looking down towards the Pool.
The Flume is a great place to visit. It is one of the true gems of the White Mountains. I strongly suggest that you visit it while you are here. Stop by the desk of the resort to purchase discounted tickets.
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