Mount Lincoln rises to 5,080 feet along the crest of the Franconia Range, standing between Little Haystack Mountain and Mount Lafayette on one of the most celebrated ridgelines in the White Mountains. The summit sits fully above treeline in exposed alpine tundra, part of the third-largest continuous alpine zone east of the Rocky Mountains. Views open in every direction: west across Franconia Notch to the Kinsman Ridge, east deep into the heart of the Pemigewasset Wilderness, and south along the ridge toward Bondcliff and the Bonds. Lichen-crusted granite and low-growing boreal mat carpet the open summit cone, which is entirely at the mercy of mountain weather.
The standard approach is the Franconia Ridge Loop, roughly 8.6 miles with about 3,900 feet of elevation gain. The loop ascends via the Falling Waters Trail, passing Stairs Falls, Swiftwater Falls, and Cloudland Falls before reaching treeline at Little Haystack. From there the Franconia Ridge Trail traverses north along an open, rocky spine to Lincoln's summit, then continues to Mount Lafayette. The circuit is one of the most popular hikes in New Hampshire.
The ridge is fully exposed to wind and weather year-round, and afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer. Snow can linger into June. Parking at Lafayette Place fills early on summer weekends, making an early start worthwhile.
David Andre
