Overnight parking in Franconia Notch

[Cosmo Rules]

Where can I leave a car parked in Franconia Notch, to pick up the AMC shuttle to Pinkham?

[7Sisters]

http://www.outdoors.org/lodging/lodging-shuttle.cfm

Try this link. I've parked there several times and never had any issues. Enjoy the hiking. It's just beautiful up there.

Also, make sure you read the information about the dates and times as the shuttle doesn't run all the time.

[GoldenBear]

If you're taking the AMC Shuttle from Franconia Notch to Pinkham Notch, you'll have to swap shuttle buses at the Highland Center, as noted in the link given by 7Sisters.

Note this vagary about the exits on Interstate 93 as it goes through Franconia: between Lincoln (Exit 33) and Exit 34B, the exits do not allow you to change direction. For example, if you are in a vehicle going north on I-93, you can NOT exit at Lafayette Campground -- you can only exit at the trail head on the opposite side of the interstate. Thus, it is very important to keep track of whether Shuttle #2 is going north or south at this part of the expressway. There's nothing wrong with getting on the bus at Lafayette Camp and riding into Lincoln, and then returning to (pretty much) the same spot two hours later, but there's also no reason to do so.

This pdf of the Lafayette Place Campground
http://www.nhstateparks.org/uploads/pdf/Lafayette-Place_Campground-Map.pdf
gives the basic idea of the exits, the camp parking, the trail head parking, and pedestrian access between the latter two. When Shuttle #2 is coming from Highland Center, its stops at Lafayette Camp; when going to Highland, it stops at the Old Bridle Path Trailhead.

PLEASE NOTE that the following times are based on the schedule as published for 2015. If you miss the bus by five minutes because the AMC changed the schedule and you failed to double-check, don't blame me for bad info!

The earliest bus, that will allow you to go to Pinkham from the Franconia area, leaves the Old Bridle Path Trailhead (which also happens to be the Falling Waters Trailhead)
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=61179
at 12 noon. If you take this bus, you arrive at Highland Center at 1:25, at which you will transfer to the Shuttle Route #1, and arrive at Pinkham Notch at 3pm.

The next (and last!) time Shuttle #2 is going to Pinkham Notch, it leave the Old Bridle Path Trailhead at 2:45p and arrives at Highland at 3:45p. You would then get on Shuttle #2 at 4pm, and arrive at Pinkham at 5pm.


BTW, if you ARE going from Lafayette Camp into Lincoln, Shuttle #2 stops near the Hiker Information Building.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=61180

[peakbagger]

To further confuse things, the AT crosses the Franconia parkway at a unsigned crossing under a couple of bridges, it then connects up with the bike path and then runs coincident with the bike path a short distance prior to turning right onto Liberty Springs trail. There is a spur path at the bike path that goes to a designated AT parking area on RT3 (not the parkway) RT3 in this area runs parallel to I93 just south of the parkway where they join. Normally folks driving North on I93 would take the exit for the Flume Gorge and then head a short distance to this parking lot but the exit is closed so you now need to take the prior exit of I93 in North Lincoln and follow Rt 3 past the Flume state park. The AMC shuttle stops at this parking lot. This is the logical spot for an AT section hiker to get on and off the AT as the Cascade Brook trail (the AT) runs under the highway. This parking lot is somewhat remote.

The parking at Lafayette place previously described is a few miles up the parkway and is nice way to access Greenleaf and Lonesome lake hut via blue blazes. If you take those blue blazes you will miss the entire Cascade Brook section of the AT, Liberty Springs trail and the wooded half of Franconia Ridge.

There is a tunnel under the parkway for pedestrians so park at which ever Lafayette place parking lot you want. If you are paranoid about car breakins (very rare at either lot) park at the southbound side as there is a NH parks employee stationed at the campground. Ultimately the parking lot on the northbound side is larger and is the one you want to avoid the trip to Lincoln which meets a Concord Trailways bus.

[Jeff]

Check out a new hostel near Kinsman Notch. www.NotchHostel.com

I believe they can offer safe parking and shuttle you where you need to go for a fee.

[GoldenBear]

Just read my description of how the Liberty Springs Parking Lot connects with the A.T.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/95780-Franconia-Notch?p=1987906&highlight=#post1987906

Peakbagger is 100% correct -- if you want to hike The Trail itself (ie, go up the Cascade Brook Trail instead of the blue-blazed Lonesome Lake Trail), then park at Liberty Springs instead of Lafayette Campground. Just read the schedule at the link 7Sisters provided, and make the time adjustments for getting picked up there instead of Lafayette.

[jj_dubs]

Check out a new hostel near Kinsman Notch. www.NotchHostel.com (http://www.NotchHostel.com)

I believe they can offer safe parking and shuttle you where you need to go for a fee.


Hey Jeff,

Parking here is possible only if we have room. Generally leaving cars over the weekend is not possible but if it's mid-week or short duration it should be okay - call to arrange. Our shuttling policy is somewhat fluid at the moment - Serena is running the place solo at the moment so anything beyond the morning TH dropoffs is not currently guaranteed. We have been working with the local hiker shuttle to get people around though, he's very responsive and we've got good reviews so far.