Lonesome Lake, Kinsman Pond & North Kinsman day hike

This day hike involved taking the Lonesome Lake Trail, Fishin' Jimmy Trail and Kinsman Ridge Trail to North Kinsman peak and and returning via the same route.

Parking area, Layfayette Campground - 1,780' Lonesome Lake Hut - 1.2 miles - 2,780' Kinsman Pond Shelter - 3.1 miles - 3,740' North Kinsman - 3.7 miles - 4,293' Kinsman Pond Shelter - 4.25 miles - 3,740' Lonesome Lake Hut - 6.2 miles - 2,780' Parking area, Layfayette Campground - 7.3 miles - 1,780' Total distance round-trip - 7.3 miles Total elevation change - 2,513' Trail map - 700 x 403 - 248K Trail map - 1324 x 763 - 804K

The starting point for this hike was the Lafayette Campground on the west side of the Franconia Notch Parkway (Interstate 93) a few miles north of Lincoln.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Lonesome Lake trailhead

I was up a little after 5:00 on Sunday to go hiking. It was a very cool morning and although it was clear in Meredith the clouds increased as I drove north and when I arrived at Franconia Notch it was completely socked in with clouds. It was supposed to be only partly cloudy during the day so I hoped it was all going to burn off as the morning progressed. Still it did not look promising so I decided to bring my rain jacket along just in case.

The hike out to Lonesome Lake was easy and uneventful. It was a quiet morning and not a lot of people were on the trail yet. It only took about 40 minutes to get out there. There was just the hint of a breeze causing the water on the lake to ripple from time to time.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Lonesome Lake 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Flowers at Lonesome Lake 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Dew on leaves

The hike around the lake to the Lonesome Lake AMC Hut was equally as quiet. There were some people hanging out at the beach in front of the hut when I arrived there but that was about it.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Boardwalk section of Lonesome Lake Trail 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Dedictation 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Dedictation 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Lonesome Lake AMC hut 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Lonesome Lake AMC hut 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Lonesome Lake AMC hut

I saw not another soul in the almost 2 miles along the Fishin' Jimmy Trail going out to Kinsman Pond.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Trail signage and dedication 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mossy rocks and dripping water 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mossy rocks and dripping water 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Tiny mushrooms 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Clouds blowing across the ridge 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Clouds blowing across the ridge 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Boardwalk 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Ladder 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Trail signage

There were a few people hanging around near Kinsman Pond. A couple of guys heading the other direction had come in on the Kinsman Pond Trail and they stopped to talk to a couple of people who were camped out near the pond. There were lots of clouds spilling over the ridge and down into the pond and it was an incredible scene. I could not resist staying there and watching for a while, it didn't seem like there was going to be much of a view from the top of North Kinsman with its head stuck in the clouds anyway.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Kinsman Pond shelter 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Kinsman Pond shelter 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Water bugs - Kinsman Pond 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Water lily bud 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Lily pads and water lilies 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Clouds spilling over the ridge 600 x 400   1024 x 683 North Kinsman peak

After watching a while and shooting some photos at Kinsman Pond I decided to go for the summit. I really didn't expect to see much but the summit was the final goal for the day. I had already been up there once before and I didn't need it for the list but I was so close anyway that it didn't make sense not to go... view or no view.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 View back down the trail 600 x 400   1024 x 683 High point of North Kinsman peak 600 x 400   1024 x 683 High point of North Kinsman peak, Mighty Moose 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Clouds blowing across the ridge 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Kinsman Pond, clouds 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Kinsman Pond, Cannon Mountain, clearing skies 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Lonesome Lake 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mount Lincoln, clouds 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Franconia Ridge, clouds 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Kinsman Pond, Cannon Mountain 600 x 400   1024 x 683 South Kinsman peak 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mighty Moose, Franconia Ridge

I could not have been more wrong about the view from the top of North Kinsman. The clouds continued to break apart while I was up there and by the time I left there was plenty of sunshine. The views of the clouds breaking up were pretty magnificent alone. I found some really awesome views from the top of North Kinsman on some legdes that were lower down from the ones most people hang out on. While I was taking some photos from the upper ledges I noticed what look like a little trail heading off throuh the trees off to one side. It was a bit of a downclimb to get to it but it was definitely a trail, and it lead to the most magnificent views where you could see practically straight down into Kinsman Pond.

I stayed on top for a while shooting some photos and taking a little rest and just soaking in the views. I decided to go back down and have my lunch at the pond though. Once the sun finally came out it looked a lot more inviting.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Moss, leaves & granite 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Moss, leaves & granite 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Some shale among the granite 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Franconia Ridge: Mounts Lafayette, Lincoln and Little Haystack 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mount Lafayette

It was very nice down at the pond, plenty of sunshine and a view to die for. I took a longish break of about 45 minutes, took lots more photos, had my lunch and just kicked back and relished in the solitude.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Lily pads, North Kinsman 600 x 400   1024 x 683 North Kinsman 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Lily pads 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Lily pads 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Sail plane 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Sail plane 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Lunch break 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Cedar waxwing 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Another sail plane being towed aloft 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mighty Moose at Kinsman Pond 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Bob at Kinsman Pond 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mighty Moose at Kinsman Pond 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Lily pads and flowers

The hike back to Lonesome Lake after lunch and a long rest was pretty easy. There was a lot more sunlight than there had been during the trip out and I stopped a few times along the way for more photos.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Wooden steps on a cliff face 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Wooden steps on a cliff face 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Wooden steps on a cliff face 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Shadows on a rock 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mossy rocks and dripping water 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mossy rocks and dripping water

When I arrived back at Lonesome Lake it did not seem very lonesome. There were lots of people hanging out at the beach and it felt very crowded. I stopped a short while to take some photos and eat a Clif bar and then took off. I did find a little spot on the other side of the lake that was considerably more relaxing and took another little break over there.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Franconia Ridge & Lonesome Lake 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Ferns & shadows 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mighty Moose at Lonesome Lake 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Lonesome Lake, Cannon Mountain 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Lonesome Lake, Cannon Mountain 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Lonesome Lake, North Kinsman peak 600 x 400   1024 x 683 North Kinsman peak

The total hiking distance for the day was still about 7.5 miles but I spent a lot more time sitting, looking and doing nothing than on most trips. I started at 7:15 and finished just a little after 3:15. I probably spent close to two hours just sitting around and/or taking photos so at best guess I covered those 7.5 miles in about 6 hours which is not too bad. The only real hard portion of this hike was the western end of the Fishin' Jimmy Trail which climbs very steeply up to Kinsman Pond. The climb from there up to North Kinsman was not bad at all. The eastern end of the Lonesome Lake Trail is also pretty steep but also well maintained because so many people use it to get up to Lonesome Lake.

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