Lonesome Lake

More photos of Lonesome Lake

It's only Wednesday but after a two weekend hiatus from hiking I was experiencing serious withdrawal. A weekend of driving followed by one of rain in a new town with new mountains to climb creates anxiety that can only be alleviated on the trail.

Franconia Mountains, as seen from the highway while waiting for traffic -- Not a bad view!

Actually, today is not my first hike here. Friday I hiked a few miles through some woods close by but it was flat and there were no views unless you like trees. Trees can be nice, but the hike did not satiate me in the least. So when I woke up to pouring rain on Saturday, and then again on Sunday, and then again on Monday, and then again on Tuesday ... well you can see why I needed an afternoon outdoors playing hooky.

From the Lafayette Campground

Lonesome Lake is in the Franconia range near Lincoln, NH, about 20 miles North of Campton. This is where the mountains really start on the Western side of the Whites. It's a short, steady climb (950 ft and about 3 miles round trip), a nice trail for mid-afternoon. The trail starts at Lafayette Campground in Franconia Notch State Park, and is part of the Appalachian Trail.

Lonesome Lake, at the end of the trail

One of the things that has fascinated me about the AT is the trail support and maintenance provided by volunteer AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club) members. AMC huts are scattered along the entire 2000 miles of trail from Maine to Georgia for thru hikers or section hikers to sleep in or seek shelter. One of these huts is located at the end of the Lonesome Lake trail, but I wasn't able to see it.

From the other side of the lake, on Around-the-Lake Trail

They say weather can change in an instant in the mountains but today was the first time I experienced it. The sky was blue with big, puffy clouds from sunrise, and driving up through the mountains this did not change. My view of the sky was sheltered on the trail so I was surprised to hear thunder when I reached the lake. Then I heard a light sprinkling of rain, though I couldn't feel it through the trees.

Around-the-Lake Trail, all planks built up over the swamp

At the lake the trail ends, but others begin, and another trail rounds the lake to the AMC shelter, which I was interested to see. Despite the gloom and doom threatening above, I started the Around-the-Lake-Trail (as the sign indicated) in route to the hut, but thought better of it after the trees cleared and I felt the rain and heard more thunder.

From the swamp, facing the other direction (away from the lake)

On all the hikes I did in North Carolina, only one or twice did I see a women hiking alone. I was warned by many about the dangers of this, not because of wildlife which is what I feared, but other humans. On my first two hikes here, I've already seen several, one a backpacker in her early twenties. Now she is brave; I would not sleep alone in the woods. 

I missed these