Mount Lafayette and Franconia Ridge Trail Loop

very challenging, but awesome

Amazing views,360 degrees. Long hike but well worth it.

Went today and did the loop. It was very difficult. Started on the falling rocks trail which was 3 miles and the hardest part of the whole hike. You climb up parts of the waterfall. Make sure you have good shoes. All 3 summits were really cool. Last summit was actual mount Lafayette. Went down the green hut trail which is really steep with a lot of loose rocks so just be careful. At the hut you can go to the bathroom and get water and get food which someone makes. They only take cash. From there we went down the bridle path which was 3.3 miles. Parts of it were steep with a lot of rocks as well. Some rocks were slippery. We brought our dog who has been on hikes before and he did well. Only bring experienced dog hikers. Overall the trail was awesome. Very challenging but with awesome views.

Fantastic hike! Amazing views stellar weather!

Worth the hype. Total mileage was exactly 9 miles, and took just over 8 hours. Could have done it much quicker, but we took our sweet time. View are unparalleled, 360 degrees the whole time you're on the ridge. Summits were obscured by clouds intermittently, but so what. Bring plenty of water, I kicked my 3L pack before I was even down..oops. Views from the Greenleaf hut are just fantastic.

This hike took my breath away, literally and metaphorically! The climb up the Falling Waters Trail is tough but the waterfalls are lovely. The last 400' of elevation gain to get to the ridge is brutal--straight up, some scrambling--but oh man is it worth it. This was my first time in the Whites and the views along the ridge were absolutely unbelievable. I was in a bit of a hurry to catch a flight, so I pushed through it in about 6.5 hours with a few pretty short breaks by jog-hiking down Old Bridle (hard on the knees and ankles no matter what pace). I went through 3L of water, so I'd bring at least that much and plan to resupply at Greenleaf if you run out. Worth it to bring a fleece if you plan on taking breaks on the ridge. If you want some solitude, start at 6am on a Thursday; I didn't see anyone until halfway across the ridge. Overall one of my favorite hikes; can't wait to come back to this area.

Amazing hike

Had the pleasure of starting this jaunt early on a Sunday morning. Total moving time hiking up Little Haystack was 2 hours 10 minutes. Descending from The Hut was 1.5 hours. It was a beautiful day and not very busy. Total hike time was 6 hours. Recommendations: pack as light as possible, wear sturdy shoes with ankle support as there are lots of loose and large rocks. You can refill your water (I didn't and 3L was plenty for me) and carb up at the hut. It was a great view but dang it's a tiring hike if you're hauling booty. Gotta love the Whites.

Absolutely loved the views! The hike going up to little haystack was very difficult, but it was so worth it once you hit that first peak. 10/10 would recommend!

Fantasic hike yesterday! The weather was absolutely perfect. Trail got tough in some spots on the way up the Falling Waters Trail but was excellent in so many ways! The descent after the hut time wise is quick. This hike leaves you wanting more!