Falling Waters Trail to Lonesome Lake

This popular loop combines the Falling Waters Trail, the Franconia Ridge, and the Lonesome Lake Trail into one of the most scenically complete hikes in New Hampshire's White Mountains. The Falling Waters Trail ascends alongside Dry Brook, passing Cloudland Falls — at 80 feet a spectacular curtain of water dropping over a smooth granite face — before climbing steeply to Shining Rock, a glacially polished slab that gleams in afternoon sunlight. The trail emerges onto Franconia Ridge above treeline and connects to the famous open ridgeline traversing the summit of Little Haystack Mountain at 4,760 feet. Descending via the AMC Lonesome Lake Trail, hikers arrive at Lonesome Lake, a 9-acre alpine tarn at 2,760 feet elevation cradled between the Cannon and Kinsman ridges. The AMC Lonesome Lake Hut, one of eight backcountry huts in the White Mountains operated by the Appalachian Mountain Club, sits on the lake shore and offers bunk lodging, family-style meals, and staffed naturalist programs. The lake surface reflects the surrounding peaks and is known for loon nesting. The complete loop traverses classic White Mountain terrain: cascading streams, open granite ridges, alpine tundra, and pristine mountain lakes, making it an excellent introduction to high-elevation hiking in the northeastern United States.