Flume Gorge

The gorge at the foot of Mount Liberty is about 240 m (800 ft) long; its walls of Conway granite rise 21 to 27 m (70 to 90 ft) and stand only 3.7 to 6 m (12 to 20 ft) apart. It was discovered in 1808 by 93-year-old "Aunt" Jess Guernsey while she was fishing. A storm in 1883 swept away a boulder wedged between the walls, and since then the 14 m (45 ft) Avalanche Falls have poured through the chasm. Along the way you pass an 1886 covered bridge and glacial boulders, some weighing more than 300 t (330 tons).

The loop is 3.2 km (2 miles) long and takes about an hour and a half. It follows gravel paths, boardwalks and stairs with a few moderate climbs; from the Sentinel Pine Bridge you look down into a pool 12 m (40 ft) deep. It starts at the visitor center in Franconia Notch State Park near Lincoln, open from about early May to late October. Booking online in advance costs less than buying at the gate.