White Mountain Range : Part 1 : Now it's green.... (May-Sept) 

White Mountain national forest

White Mountains are really awesome place which I visited ever. In this range there are two scenic route. I covered first one and writing about this in detail. Generally people used to go in this region during fall time (from 15 Sept to Oct end) as the trees are changing colors and becomes yellow-orange shade. 

How to Reach :
From Boston : which is nearest airport. Take I-93 North from Boston and drive the scenic route by 134 miles (approx 3 hr to reach.)

Places We covered in this Range.
All the listed places are the part of Franconia notch State park (New Hampshire : White mountain region). 
1. Flume Gorge : The Mind boggling  Waterfall with awesome trail (Trail distance 2 miles loop).

It was very sunny day while starting and bit cloudy near to the place of our interest. We started around 10 Am from our home and we reached by 1 pm (one break of 15 min on the way in between). The I-93 was very awesome and almost you drive the route for which Pemigewasset river is flowing just beside you. We prepared the food at home and took it with us because that is must, as there is nothing to eat (flume gorge has small cafeteria but won't expect much. You can get the snacks items if you want) We were hungry by the time we reach there so we took lunch before going inside. Near flume gorge visiting center they established the benches in the middle of the forest and near to the stream of water. 

Flume Gorge Visiting center.

Some facts: 

•  The Visiting center has small cafeteria, ticket counter for trail, Rest room, Information desk and Gift shop. 
•  For flume gorge trail $16/adult is ticket, $14 (for 6-12 yrs kids) and free for kids below 5 yrs.  
•  Also flume gorge provide the Discovery pass $30/adult children ages 6-12 yrs $24 and free for kids below 5 yrs. I would like to suggest to take the discovery park if you want to cover 2-3 points in one day which will save your few bucks. This pass is valid till 21 Oct.
•  The flume gorge will open from 12 May till 21 Oct. from 8:30 am till 5pm.
•  To reach near to the fall they provide the bus services which is included in the ticket.
•  Bus has 2 stop short in the middle of the trail and long at the top of the trail. But I will suggests all of you to complete the trail by walk except those who has problem in walking which is so much awesome and scenic. (2 miles loop from Visiting center to Visiting center.) 
• Prams for kids and pets are not allowed in the trail. 

We took the bus only for the short route and you can take this choice because you will save quarter mile walking  :) The trail is awesome which covers following points. We started the trail around 2:30pm and completed it by 4pm. But I would like to suggest you all that you can start the trail bit early than me so you will cover up next points in time.

1.  The Flume covered bridge.
2. Table Rock
3. The Flume (actual Waterfall)
4. Avalanche Falls
5. Liberty Gorge
6. Sentinel pine bridge and pool
7. Wolf Den
8. Glacial boulder  

Actual trail

Me with my son on the way to trail

The Flume

The trail is really awesome I am confident that you will all enjoy every moment of the trail and take some snacks items and water with you to get some energy. 

The Flume for other side

Sentinel Pine bridge 

You will get all the listed points when you follow the trail. So we came back around 4 pm at the visiting center. And started towards next points. 

2. The basin : This is large pothole in the Pemigewasset River, 30 feet in diameter and 15 feet deep, had its beginning some 25,000 years ago as the Ice Age came to a close. Water flowing from the melting glacier that filled Franconia Notch eroded the solid granite bedrock. (source: https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/notchs-natural-wonders.aspx .) 

From flume gorge if you started towards north 2 mile from flume gorge you will reach to the basin. There is nothing as such to see apart from the The basin point. 

The Basin

3. Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway :  The first passenger aerial tramway in North America began operation on this site in 1938. Almost seven million passengers were carried to the top by the first tram. Take a scenic eight minute ride in one of two enclosed cable cars to the 4,080 foot summit of Cannon Mountain and enjoy panoramic views of the distant valleys and mountains. Each tram car has a capacity of 80 persons and ascends 2,180 feet vertically. Walking trails to a summit observation tower leave from the tram station.

(source : https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/aerial-tramway.aspx) 

Cannon Mountain Areal Tram Way

This is around 5 miles away from the Flume gorge towards north on Same I-93. The last tram from the top of the notch is at 5pm so don't miss the last tram if you are taking trail be aware to come at 4:50pm at the tram station. 

If you have discovery pass which you have taken it from the flume gorge you can go directly to the queue of the tram. If not you need to bought the tickets at the base station the rates are same as of flume gorge ticket. 

The base station has.

1. New England Ski museum.

2. Cafeteria 

3. Gift shoppy

4. Restrooms

5. And Tram station.

When you reach at the top there are 2 types of trail 

1. Short trail

2. Long trail 

As we have less time so took short trail which will complete in 15 min. In this you can go till observatory point of the white mountain. Long trail is about the 2-3 hrs and you need to follow the directions other wise you may loss in middle. I don't have much information on the long trail at cannon mountain. So please check at the information desk. 

Near the base station of the tramway there is old man head observatory point. You can go inside and see the pictures but now that actual picture doesn't exist. The old mans head looks like:

Old Mans head (history now)

4. Echo Point Lake :  photogenic lake which gives you excellent scenic photos and you can spend some time on lake beach.

 After we visited the cannon mountain tramway we started towards the lake which is just one mile away from the tramway station. But for going to lake beach you have to take out the car and come on I-93 head towards north and take the next exit.  The entry for this beach is $4/adult $2/kids (6-12 yrs) As we have discovery pass we didn't paid here.

Echo point lake beach

Scenic view from Echo lake

This lake has restroom and change room facility. Also beside the beach the is boat station. You can take boat to roam in the lake. But make sure you will be here to get the boat before 4 pm otherwise they will close by 4:30 pm. Beach is open till dark. So we spent 1-2 hrs at the beach it was very good. You can swim in this lake as well. And it deserve. 

We started from there around 7:30 pm we took the dinner @ Manchester which is in between to our home. We reached our home @11 pm.

This is the experience of mine which I spent my whole with nature. Please do comment about my experience and the way of putting all this into the blog. After all...

                                            " Keep Reading As I am Exploring"

Happy Reading.................