Little Haystack Mountain

Little Haystack Mountain (4,760 ft) anchors the southern end of the Franconia Ridge in the White Mountains, flanked by Mount Lincoln to the north and Mount Liberty to the southwest. The Appalachian Trail crosses its summit, and despite rising well above 4,000 feet, the peak sits less than 200 feet above the col connecting it to Lincoln, which excludes it from the AMC's NH 4,000-footer list while still making it a substantial and rewarding objective.

The Falling Waters Trail is the standard approach, gaining roughly 3,050 feet over 3.2 miles from the Lafayette Place trailhead. The lower half is rewarding in its own right, passing Stairs Falls, Swiftwater Falls, and the tall curtain of Cloudland Falls before the trail steepens sharply for a demanding final mile to the ridge. The summit sits at tree line with broad views south toward Mount Liberty and Mount Flume. Most hikers continue north along the open ridge to Mount Lincoln and Mount Lafayette on the Franconia Ridge Loop, an 8.9-mile circuit with nearly 3,900 feet of total gain that ranks among the most traveled routes in the Northeast.

The ridge above tree line is fully exposed and can experience severe weather at any time of year. Winter conditions arrive early and linger well into spring; crampons and an ice axe are commonly needed from November through April. Summer afternoons bring frequent thunderstorms, so an early start is advisable.