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Hike Mount Lafayette

 
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Mount Lafayette Information

Elevation: 5,260 feet (1,603.2 meters)
Prominence: What is Prominence? 3,350 feet (1,021.1 meters)
Location: Lincoln, NH (Grafton County, New Hampshire, USA)
Range: Franconia Range
Coordinates: 44°09'38.54" North     71°38'39.70" West
Rating: How do the ratings work? Difficult
Features: Cascades, Shining Rock, Brooks, Greenleaf Hut, 360 Degree Views, Peak Bagging What is Peak Bagging?, Falling Waters Trail Waterfalls
Distance of highlighted hike below: 9 miles with Mt. Lincoln and
Little Haystack Mountain

Mount Lafayette is a 5,260 foot mountain in the Franconia Range of the White Mountains. You can hike this mountain by itself, or do a loop hike including Mount Lincoln (5,089 feet, another New Hampshire 4,000 footer) and Little Haystack Mountain (4,800 feet, but not considered a 4,000 footer because of it's less than 200 foot prominence.) Mount Lafayette is one of the most hiked mountains in the White Mountains because of its amazing 360 degree views and easy accessibility to the parking lot.

The quickest trail up to the summit of Mount Lafayette is Old Bridle Path, which passes the Greenleaf Hut and Eagle Lake. The more popular trail up to the summit is Falling Waters Trail, also part of the Appalachian Trail.

There are also several Waterfalls along Falling Waters Trail including Cloudland Waterfall, Stairs Fall and Swiftwater Falls.

For peak-baggers:
Mount Lincoln is 0.9 miles from the summit of Mount Lafayette
Little Haystack Mountain is 1.6 miles from the summit of Mount Lafayette
Mount Garfield is 3.5 miles from the summit of Mount Lafayette

Lists Mount Lafayette are on: = A patch is available for this list

New Hampshire 4,000 footers
New Hampshire 4,000 footers in Winter season
New England 4,000 footers
New England 4,000 footers in Winter season
     New Hampshire Hundred Highest
New England Hundred highest
New England Hundred highest in Winter season
Northeast 111
Trailwrights 72 summit club
48x12 "The Grid"
     New England Fifty Finest


 


photo mount lafayette nh 4000 footers
Mount Lafayette. Photo taken by hiker Abhijeet Kumar.

 

 
Mount Lafayette Trail Maps - Directions from the parking lot to the summit Top

The map below shows how to get to the summit of Mount Lafayette, as well as Mount Lincoln and Little Haystack Mountain by a loop hike, but you could also hike Mount Lafayette by itself and retrace your steps back to the parking lot, eliminating Mount Lincoln and Little Haystack Mountain for a shorter hike.

This loop hike begins and ends on Old Bridle Path from the Lafayette Place parking lot. You begin hiking on Old Bridle Path for 0.2 miles until you reach a fork where you will want to stay right onto Falling Waters Trail. There are several Waterfalls along Falling Waters Trail to view. Follow for 3 miles where you will find yourself on the summit of Little Haystack Mountain. (If you would like to get a great view of Franconia Notch before reaching any summits, turn right down a 100 yard spur trail leading to Shining Rock after being on Falling Waters Trail for 2.6 miles. This ledge provides excellent views, but also be careful on a rainy day, it can be very slippery.) From Little Haystack Mountains's summit, turn left to Franconia Ridge Trail (which is also part of the Appalachian Trail) and continue along for 0.7 miles until you reach the summit of Mount Lincoln. (here you can decide whether to continue the loop hike by heading over to Mount Lafayette, or by retracing your steps back to the parking lot to end your hike.) To continue the loop hike, you will keep following the Franconia Ridge Trail for 0.9 miles until you reach the summit of Mount Lafayette. To start your descent down to the parking lot, turn left onto the Greenleaf Trail. After 1.1 miles you will reach Eagle Lake and the Greenleaf Hut (where you can grab some food and drink, as well as use the restrooms). Turn left to get onto Old Bridle Path and continue your hike down for 3.1 miles until you reach the parking lot you began at.

Mount Lafayette Map, Mount Lafayette, Little Haystack Mountain Map, Trail Guide, Trail Map, Crawford Cliff, Lafayette Place Parking Lot, Greenleaf Hut, Appalachian Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Old Bridle Path, Falling Waters Trail, Shinging Rock, Profile Lake, Eagle Lake
Click to download PDF Trail Map of Mount Lafayette

 
 
 
Mount Lafayette Photos Top


photo mount lafayette eagle lake mount lincoln nh 4000 footers
Eagle Lake, Mount Lafayette and Mount Lincoln. Photo taken by hiker Abhijeet Kumar. June 2013.

 

Mount Lincoln, Mt Lincoln, Hiking NH 4000 Footers, Franconia Range, Lincoln NH, White Mountains
Photo taken along Falling Waters Trail on June 26, 2010.

 

foggy mount lafayette photo www.4000footers.com
Near the top of Mount Lafayette on a very windy, rainy, foggy day. Photo taken on June 26, 2010.


Mount Lafayette Driving Directions Top

The parking lot for this hike is located in Franconia Notch on I-93. You can park on either side of the Interstate, because there is a foot tunnel connecting the two.

If you are traveling North on I-93
Take the first exit after The Basin. After passing The Basin's parking lot, you will see a sign for Trail head parking 1/4 mile, this is where you should park.

If you are traveling South on I-93
Take the first exit after 34B called Lafayette Place Campground Trail head Parking. To begin the hike, follow the foot tunnel under I-93 to the parking lot on the opposite side of the highway.


On this page: Information | Trail maps | View Photos | Driving Directions | Top


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