From Lafayette summit

    Mt Lincoln - 5089'

    The second highest peak in NH outside of the Presidentials, Lincoln sits on Franconia Ridge just south of Mt Lafayette and just north of Little Haystack. The summit is open with 360 degree views, and is also suject to the full force of the weather. The closest hut is Greenleaf Hut on Mt Lafayette. The nearest camping spot is Liberty Springs Campsite. The trail going across the summit is part of the Appalachian Trail. The mountain was named after President Abraham Lincoln. The bump just north of Lincoln is called Mt Truman or North Lincoln.

    The Franconia Ridge Loop is the classic dayhike in the White Mountains. It starts in the heart of Franconia Notch and goes through deep forest, waterfalls, ledges with views, an AMC hut, a long stretch on a perfect above treeline ridge, and 2 4000'ers. Mt Lincoln is almost exactly halfway on this loop, so if you are going to hike Mt Lincoln, you might as well do the whole loop.

    Hiking Trails

    • Old Bridle Path - The standard route to Greenleaf Hut and Mt Lafayette, OBP makes a good route to Lincoln, especially as part of the full Franconia Loop. The route is a fairly steady climb with a small amount of scrambling along the way. The hut makes a good waypoint to fill water bottles and grab a snack, or get out of the nasty weather. This trail starts at Lafayette Place Campground in Franconia Notch and ends at Greenleaf Hut.
    • Greenleaf Trail - The section of this trail of interest goes from Greenleaf Hut to the summit of Mt Lafayette. From the hut it drops to the outlet of Eagle Lake, then climbs to treeline shortly thereafter. From there the trail is exposed all the way to the summit.
    • Falling Waters Trail - The other leg of the Franconia Loop, Falling Waters starts at Lafayette Place and heads slightly south before begining the ascent. It travels along a stream, passing several large waterfalls, giving the trail its name. It also passes Shining Rock, a neat slab of wet rock that can been seen from all over the area. This route is a little rougher then OBP and is often recommended for ascent if you are doing the full Franconia Loop.
    • Franconia Ridge Trail - This is the trail along the ridge top. It is exposed from Little Haystack to Lafayette so make sure you have full bad weather gear and keep an eye on sky before starting across the ridge. There are no good descent routes off the ridge besides the trails

    Trailheads

    • Lafayette Place - Located in the center of Franconia Notch State Park, there are parking areas on either side of the Parkway with a foot travel tunnel running underneath.  Both the Old Bridle Path and Falling Waters start from the east side.  There are restrooms and a pay phone at the trailhead, and no WMNF parking pass is required.

    Additional Photos

    • Lincoln from Little Haystack in late Fall
    • Lincoln summit in late Fall
    • Lafayette from Lincoln
    • Looking south from Lincoln
    • from Old Bridle Path
    • Ridge between Lincoln and Little Haystack
    • Truman and Lincoln from Lafayette in Winter
    • from Little Haystack
    • From Lafayette
    • from Liberty in early spring
    • From Lafayette

    Trip Reports

    • Fall Franconia Loop
    • Franconia Ridge Loop
    • Another Franconia Ridge Loop
    • Overnight at Greenleaf
    • Winter Loop

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