First Day Hike Up to Lonesome Lake
The weather looked almost perfect this morning. Clear blue skies and temps in the 30’s. That is a recipe for a perfect winter hiking day.
The New Hampshire State Parks encourage people to take a hike on January 1st and explore the parks. This year I decided to head up to Lonesome Lake in Franconia State Park. This is a short 3 mile lollipop hike around the lake.
I got to the parking lot about 9:30 AM and the lot was almost fill. After parking I grabbed my pack and headed up the trail. The trail starts out in the Layette Campground.
| Date: | 01-01-2021 |
| Location: | Franconia Notch, NH |
| Distance: | 3 mi |
| Elevation Gain: | 994′ |
| Total Time: | 3 hr |
| Parking: | 10+ cars |
| Difficultly Rating: | Moderate |
The trail is pretty moderate and goes for about a mile before it starts to level off. After climibing for about an hour I made it to the lake.
At this point I have a choice to go left or right to the Hut on the other side of the lake. I decided to take the scenic route through the marsh. The sky was blue and clear and I could see the whole Franconia Ridge.
I continued on to the hut. There were a few people having out and having lunch. I didn’t stay long. The hut was boded up and closed due to COVID.
So I continued along the other side of the lake so I could make it a loop. This side of the lake is more in the woods and does not have as good a view as the other side.
There were a lot of people out on the trails today. But for some reason it didn’t feel crowded. I guess everyone was spaced out pretty good. Everyone did pass was in a good mood and happy to be out. Everyone also wished each other a happy new year as they passed.
This was a great way to start the year. Cheers to healthy and happy 2021!
