The Franconia region of the White Mountains is the central region of the White Mountains within New Hampshire. This region has no through-highways and is bordered by the Franconia Range and Mount Bond. While the mountains in this region aren’t as rugged as the presidential range, they are by no means easy and a large number of the New Hampshire 4000’ers are located in this region. The very popular “Pemi Loop” runs along the entirety of this region. Franconia is arguably the most popular region of the White Mountain National Forest. According to the White Mountain Guidebook, 30st edition, “this region is bordered on the west and northwest by US 3 and I-93, on the northeast by US 302, on the east by NH 16, and on the south by the Kangamangus Highway (NH 112)” (p.143).

In total, it took me 22 individual days of hiking to complete the 161.5 miles of trail in this section. My total elevation gain and total miles to complete this section of the guidebook were: 276.43 miles and 67,236’ of elevation. This region of the White Mountains is one of my favorite sections partly because it is rife with history and partly because of the forest itself. It’s definitely one of the busiest regions of the Whites and for the most part all of the trails in this region are easily navigable with a few exceptions (Shoal Pond Trail is very overgrown).

Easiest/Hardest Days

One of the more difficult days that I completed in this region was when I did the inner pemi loop which entailed hiking over 21 miles during mid-September when the weather was less than ideal. Perhaps what made this day all the more difficult was that I was just not in the right headspace to take on such a long day. Having done this hike two other times in the past I knew what I was in for, but attitude and mood can make a huge difference and I was just not having a good day when I did the inner pemi loop in September, 2022.

The easiest day that I had in this region was when I completed just a short out and back during the winter to Franconia Falls and Black Pond. This was a bonus hiking day that was supposed to be combined with my hardest day in this region doing the inner pemi loop. Doing these two short out and backs separately ended up saving me a few extra miles of hiking on an already long day and ended up being a nice day to try out the snowshoes for the first time in a year.

Navigation/Trail Conditions

This region of the White Mountains contains some of the most popular trails. Navigation is not an issue with only a small number of exceptions, specifically the overgrown Shoal Pond Trail. The trails that line the Pemi Loop, which encircles the Pemigewasset Wilderness with Owl’s Head at its center, are rugged with many ups and downs as you ascend and descend eleven individual peaks. Trail conditions vary from steep and rocky to flat former railroad beds.

Places of Note

The views found along the Pemi Loop are hard to rival. The uber-popular Franconia Loop along with Mount Bond and Bondcliff are perhaps some of the most breathtaking places to visit in all of New Hampshire. However, if you’re a fan of woods walks then there are plenty of places to visit in the Pemigewasset Wilderness, some more popular than others. Thirteen Falls and Thoreau Falls are two very popular sites where you can camp out for a wilderness experience.

Hidden Gems in the Franconia Region

Stillwater Junction

Locating a few places within the Pemigewasset region that qualify as hidden gems is tough but if you’re looking for a pretty place tucked way back into the middle of the wilderness, Stillwater Junction might be a great spot to check out. Found where Shoal Pond, Carrigain Notch, and Wilderness Trails meet, the East Branch Pemigewasset River is a great spot with a few flat sites just large enough for a tent or two. Be aware that you are required to camp at least 200’ away from any water source.

Zeacliff Trail

This trail branches off of the uber-popular Twinway and Ethan Pond Trails, both of which make up portions of the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire. Zeacliff Trail is actually really underrated and runs through a stunning birch glade. Both times I hiked this trail I descended it and prefer to do this loop that way as Zeacliff can be a bit steep and exhausting.

Zeacliff Pond

The short spur path leading from Twinway to a boggy pond is absolutely worth a visit. Perhaps you’re looking for a quiet place to have a snack with a nice view, or you’re just working on hiking all of the trails in the guidebook. Either way, this short spur path is definitely worth taking and is easy to navigate down the tenth of a mile trail to the pond.

Shoal Pond Loop

This long loop hike is one of my favorite hikes. At over 20 miles but under 4,000’ of climbing, this loop hike takes you directly through the Pemigewasset Wilderness along old logging railroads and on one of the most overgrown trails in the White Mountains. Be aware that Shoal Pond Trail is boggy and difficult to follow at times. This loop can be done as a single day hike or overnight. It starts and ends at the Ethan Pond Trailhead, taking Ethan Pond Trail to Shoal Pond Trail, Wilderness Trail to Thoreau Falls back to Ethan Pond Trail.

Popular Hikes in The Franconia Region

Franconia Loop Hike

The Franconia Loop is perhaps one of the most popular hikes in the Northeast. Starting and ending at the Old Bridle Path/Falling Waters Trailhead, this hike is directly off of I-93. We recommend doing this loop counterclockwise, ascending Falling Waters Trail and descending Old Bridle Path, especially in winter. This trail runs above treeline for over 2 miles and views in every direction will take your breath away.

Twins/Bonds Traverse Hike

Coming in at over 20 miles, this traverse hike is also a super popular route that takes you directly across the Pemigewasset Wilderness. I recommend doing this traverse north to south. Be sure to take the spur path to the summit of West Bond for a unique view of Bondcliff and Mount Bond.

Mount Garfield Trail

This ten mile hike is one of the best hikes to do as a beginner peakbagger looking to get into hiking the New Hampshire 48 4000’ers. This actually was my first 4000’er back in 2010 and although the hike is 10 miles long, it is also one of the few trails that has some switchbacks on it and makes a gradual ascent up Mount Garfield. Furthermore, you get views from the summit making it worth the hike.

Mount Liberty

Mount Liberty is another super popular summit located on the Franconia Ridge. This summit is often hiked a lot in winter and is a great hike to do in winter if you’re just getting into winter hiking. The views from the top are stunning and although it is by no means an easy hike, it falls in the more moderate range and is a great hike to challenge yourself as you continue working on your 4000’er list.

Final Thoughts

The Franconia region of the White Mountains is perhaps the most popular region of the White Mountains and for good reason. If you’re looking for a region that has a variety of hiking trails this is the one for you. Furthermore, it is not super far away from southern New Hampshire and most of the trails are easily accessible and well maintained. In an attempt to quantitatively rank the 12 sections of the guidebook, I will give it a score out of 10 in three categories:

Variety of Hiking Trails: 8/10

This region of the White Mountains is very diverse. From long woods walks to rugged slide trails, there really is a variety of different types of trails in this region.

Accessibility from South-Central NH: 9/10

This region is highly accessible to southern New Hampshire. In fact, it takes almost the same amount of time to get to the Franconia Ridge as it takes to get to some of the trails in the Sandwich region, which is further south.

Overall Enjoyment on WMG Journey: 9/10

With the exception of being heavily used and at times overcrowded, this region really does have it all. Not only is it easy to get to, but the diversity of the trails means that there truly is something for everyone.

Hiker's Guide to the Franconia Region