The Flume Gorge Trail

The gorge is open from May 12 - October 21 5/5-6/30 8:30am-5pm 7/1-9/4 8:30am-5:30pm 9/5-10/22 8:30am-5pm Adults: $16 Children (6-12): $14 Ages 5 and under: Free The Flume Gorge trail is New Hampshire beauty, up close and personal. Waterfalls, mosses, wild flowers, and trees line this beautiful boardwalk. This is a relaxing must-see while hiking the more difficult trails around New Hampshire's White Mountains. The Flume is a natural gorge extending 800 feet at the base of Mount Liberty. The walls of Conway granite rise to a height of 70 to 90 feet and are 12 to 20 feet apart. A trip into the Flume begins and ends at the Flume Visitor's Center. Guests can choose to walk through just the Gorge or do a two mile loop. The walk includes uphill walking and lots of stairs. The boardwalk allows you to look closely at the growth of flowers, ferns and mosses found here. Framed by a spectacular vista of Mount Liberty and Mount Flume, the Visitor Center houses the Flume ticket office, information center, cafeteria, gift shop, and the state park system's historic Concord Coach. A 20-minute movie showcasing beautiful Franconia Notch State Park is available for viewing. The Flume was discovered in 1808 by 93-year-old Aunt Jess Guernsey when she accidently came upon it while fishing. She had trouble convincing her family of the marvelous discovery, but eventually persuaded others to come and see for themselves. At that time, a huge egg-shaped boulder hung suspended between the walls. The rock was 10 feet (3m) high and 12 feet (3.6m) long. A heavy rainstorm in June of 1883 started a landslide that swept the boulder from its place. It has never been found. The same storm deepened the gorge and formed Avalanche Falls.