Flume Gorge

The Flume Gorge is one of the natural wonders of New Hampshire’s White Mountains — a dramatic, narrow chasm at the base of Mount Liberty in Franconia Notch State Park, where mossy granite walls rise up to 90 feet on either side of a rushing mountain stream, just 12 to 20 feet apart. A boardwalk built through the gorge lets visitors walk right alongside the cascading water between the towering walls.

Discovered in 1808 (by a 93-year-old woman fishing, as the story goes), the gorge has drawn visitors for over two centuries. The two-mile self-guided loop leads through the chasm past waterfalls, pools, glacial boulders, covered bridges and forest, climbing beside the water through the cool, green, dramatic cleft in the granite. A beloved and spectacular gorge, the Flume is a treasured natural icon of New Hampshire.

The Flume Gorge is experienced on a roughly two-mile self-guided loop trail and boardwalk that climbs through the dramatic chasm beside the rushing stream and waterfalls, past glacial boulders, covered bridges, pools and forest, with the boardwalk clinging to the gorge wall between the towering cliffs. The walk takes one to two hours and connects to the wider Franconia Notch trails and recreation path. Walking the boardwalk through the narrow, mossy gorge beside the cascading water is the signature experience — a dramatic and accessible natural wonder in the heart of the White Mountains.

The Flume Gorge is open roughly from late spring through October, with summer bringing lush green and full flow, and fall bringing spectacular White Mountain foliage framing the gorge (and the biggest crowds). Spring brings the most thunderous water as the snow melts (though the boardwalk opens once safe). The gorge is cool and shaded even on hot days. Summer and especially fall (for the foliage) are the highlights — reserve timed tickets in peak season, come early to beat crowds, and enjoy the cool gorge on a warm day.

The Flume Gorge was, by tradition, discovered in 1808 by 93-year-old Aunt Jess Guernsey while fishing, and soon became one of the White Mountains’ celebrated attractions in the great era of mountain tourism. A huge boulder once hung suspended between the walls until a storm washed it away in 1883, deepening the gorge. Boardwalks have carried visitors through it for generations, within Franconia Notch State Park. The Flume Gorge preserves this dramatic natural chasm and its long history of wonder, a treasured icon of New Hampshire.

The Flume Gorge formed along a dike of dark basalt that intruded into the surrounding Conway granite as molten rock long ago. The basalt was softer and more easily eroded than the granite, so over time the stream wore away the dike, carving the deep, narrow chasm between the hard granite walls — a process accelerated by Ice Age glaciers and meltwater. The result is the dramatic slot with its sheer, mossy granite sides and rushing stream. The basalt dike, the harder granite walls and the eroding stream created the spectacular gorge.

The cool, moist gorge and the surrounding White Mountain forest host the wildlife of the notch — black bears, moose and deer in the woods, beavers in the streams, and a birdlife of boreal species, woodpeckers and warblers, while the shaded gorge shelters mosses, ferns and amphibians, and the stream holds trout. The gorge’s damp microclimate supports lush plant life. While visited mainly for its dramatic walls and water, the gorge and the surrounding forest of Franconia Notch offer glimpses of White Mountain wildlife in a cool, green setting.

The Flume Gorge shelters a cool, moist microclimate where the constant shade and spray nourish lush mosses, ferns, liverworts and shade-loving plants on the granite walls, within the larger spruce-fir and hardwood forest ecosystem of Franconia Notch. The gorge’s dampness and cool air support specialized plant communities. The fragile mosses and the gorge environment are sensitive to disturbance. Protecting the stream’s water, the gorge walls and the surrounding forest sustains both the ecology and the lush, dramatic beauty of the Flume Gorge.

The Flume Gorge holds a treasured place among the icons of New Hampshire — a dramatic natural chasm in Franconia Notch that has drawn visitors for over two centuries, one of the celebrated wonders of the White Mountains since the golden age of mountain tourism. Its towering mossy walls, rushing water and boardwalk make it a beloved and accessible natural spectacle. The Flume Gorge is a cherished natural icon of New Hampshire and a highlight of Franconia Notch State Park.

The Flume Gorge is at the southern end of Franconia Notch State Park in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, off the Franconia Notch Parkway (I-93), about two hours north of Concord. Access is through the Flume Gorge Visitor Center, with timed tickets and an admission fee required (reserve in advance in peak season). The self-guided loop is about two miles with stairs and boardwalks. It is open seasonally (roughly May through October). Check NH State Parks for tickets, hours, fees and conditions before visiting.

NH State Parks protects the Flume Gorge and its fragile environment. Visitors help by staying on the boardwalk and designated trail (never climbing on the gorge walls or into the stream, which damages the fragile mosses and is dangerous), not disturbing the plants and wildlife, packing out everything, and following all rules. The lush mosses and the gorge walls are easily damaged. Protecting the stream, the gorge walls and the surrounding forest sustains both the ecology and the dramatic beauty of this treasured chasm.

The Flume Gorge boardwalk is steep in places with many stairs and can be wet and slippery from spray — wear sturdy, non-slip shoes, hold the railings, take your time, and skip it if stairs or tight spaces are difficult. Stay on the boardwalk and behind railings; never climb on the wet gorge walls or enter the rushing stream (the current and rocks are dangerous). The gorge is cool; bring a layer. It can be crowded. Respect the slippery boardwalk, the stairs, the rushing water and the need to stay on the designated path.

Admission with timed tickets and a fee is required (reserve in peak season); the gorge is open seasonally. Stay on the boardwalk and designated trail; do not climb on the gorge walls or enter the stream. Pets are generally not allowed in the Flume Gorge. Drones are restricted. Do not disturb the plants, mosses or wildlife. Pack out all trash. Follow all park rules and seasonal hours. Check NH State Parks for tickets, hours, pet rules and current conditions before visiting.

The rest of Franconia Notch State Park (Cannon Mountain, Echo Lake, the Basin), the towns of Lincoln and North Woodstock, the Kancamagus Highway, and the White Mountain National Forest lie near the gorge. Franconia Notch and the White Mountains define the region. The Flume Gorge is a highlight of Franconia Notch State Park, a centerpiece of a White Mountains visit, easily combined with Cannon Mountain, the Basin, the Kancamagus Highway and the towns of Lincoln and North Woodstock.

Reserve timed tickets in advance for peak season and come early to beat the crowds, then walk the roughly two-mile self-guided loop up through the dramatic chasm beside the rushing water — wear sturdy, non-slip shoes for the wet boardwalk and stairs, and bring a layer (the gorge is cool even on hot days). Come in fall for spectacular foliage framing the gorge. Stay on the boardwalk, and combine your visit with the rest of Franconia Notch and the Kancamagus Highway.