Is there a parking lot at rt. 3 - 93 where the AT crosses in New Hampshire?
Thanks
Slo-go'en
06-04-2013, 22:09
NO. There is parking at other near-by trail heads which can be used to access the AT.
well one could park at the Flume Visitor Center parking lot. from back of that lot theres a trail (don't recall name just now) that connects to the Liberty Spring Trail which is also the AT. I think it's 15 minute walk or so to the junction.
well one could park at the Flume Visitor Center parking lot. from back of that lot theres a trail (don't recall name just now) that connects to the Liberty Spring Trail which is also the AT. I think it's 15 minute walk or so to the junction.
As I recall its a paved bike/snow machine path. You would walk north from there. You could also park at "The Basin" and walk south to the AT. The very short trail to the Basin pol is paved, but still worth the short detour.
Just noticed that a wooded path parallels the pave one from both parking spots.
fredmugs
06-05-2013, 07:35
From where I parked it was like a 0.9m walk to the AT. Find the website for Franconia Notch and there is a really good map of the area there.
peakbagger
06-05-2013, 14:29
Its real easy to get confused. The AT goes under the parkway bridges that are over Cascade Brook. There is no access to the point from the road. The AT goes east through the woods to a paved bike path. It then coincides with the bike path and heads north for approximately 1/4 of a mile and then turns right off the bike path onto Liberty Springs trail (the AT). There is an AT parking lot north of the Flume visitor center on RT 3 (not the parkway) for the AT. If you are driving north on the parkway and take the Flume Visitor Center exit onto RT 3 and then drive north on RT 3 past the flume visitor center entrance 1000 feet and turn right into the AT parking lot. If you miss it you cant turnaround and will have to go north on the parkway to Cannon Mtn (several exits and turn around at the Tram parking lot. There is a connector trail that winds through the woods from the parking lot to the bike path and the AT junction. Do note RT 3 has numerous RT 3 exits as its laid out on top of RT3 for much of its length. If you want to hit gas and a store take the North Lincoln exit which is one exit before the flume exit on I93 (which officially turns into the Franconia parkway along this stretch).
An alternative to the AT parking lot is the Basin parking lot which is the next exit north on the parkway. You would walk south on the bike path to the Liberty Spring Trail. Its about the same distance.
The parkway gets a lot of police attention but both of these lots are somewhat out of sight of the main road. I am not aware of any significant break in issues but don't leave valuables in your car
GoldenBear
07-13-2015, 18:01
These pdfs
http://www.nhstateparks.org/uploads/pdf/FranconiaNotch_TearSheet_2011.pdf
http://www.nhstateparks.org/uploads/pdf/FranconiaHikingMapAllWeb_2010.pdf
give a vague idea of the location of parking areas and trail heads at this park. Note the ongoing vagary of hiking in New Hampshire; namely, that the A.T. travels on & off, and intersects with, a series of trails with different names; and that these names can begin to sound alike (Cascade Brook Trail or Basin Cascade Trail?). Look carefully at a map before you start, read the signs at all intersections, and watch for white blazes.
The parking area recommended for A.T. hikers is at Liberty Springs
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=61182
which is just north of the Flume Parking Area, off U.S. Highway 3, right at Exit 34A of Interstate 93.
As you drive into this parking area, you'll come to a 'Y' intersection
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=61181
that makes it clear that hikers' cars are supposed to go to the left. In this lot are dozens of places to park, a pit toilet, and a sign indicating that the way to the A.T. is walk along the Whitehouse (yes, it's one word) Trail. That path will certainly work, but it would be faster and easier to (instead) walk along the bike path.
Getting to the bike path involves walking back to the 'Y' in the road, then following the paved road with the bike sign. You'll soon come to a gate
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=61185
that seems to be saying that this is NOT the way to go. Just continue along this paved road, and within a minute you'll be at the paved bike path. Turn left there
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=61184
to head for the A.T. at Whitehouse Bridge. It's about .9 of a mile whether you walk the bike path or the Whitehouse Trail, but the former is just easier to walk.
You'll find a few signs when you get to the Whitehouse Bridge
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=61183
as it goes over the Pemigawasset River. Let's assume you've been traveling north along the bike path, from the Liberty Springs or the Flume parking areas.
1) If you want to head north on the A.T, towards Mount Lafayette and (ultimately) Highland Center and Pinkham Notch, you go over the bridge, continue along the bike path for about fifty yards, and then turn right on the Liberty Springs Trail.
2) If you want to head south on the A.T., towards Lonesome Lake and (ultimately) Kinsmans Notch and Mount Moosilauke, you get off the bike path just before you cross the bridge, and follow the Cascade Brook Trail. This part of the A.T. goes underneath I-93, intersects with the "Pemi" Trail, and then parallels the Cascade Brook and the Basin Cascade Trail. Note that there used to be a bridge over the former, but now you'll have to ford this stream. Here's what the ford looked like in early July of 2015
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=61186
It would appear that The Basin is slightly closer to Whitehouse Bridge than is the Liberty Springs Parking Area. The former has parking areas on both sides of I-93, connected by a pedestrian walkway under that road. This area is also FAR more crowded than Liberty Springs, and I could not determine if overnight parking is permitted there. As always, check with the park rangers before parking in an area at which long-term parking is not allowed.