Flume-Liberty Loop

Trip Summary:
Mt. Flume Elevation: 4,328 ft
Mt. Liberty Elevation: 4,459 ft
Views: Excellent; 180° views from Flume, 360° views from Liberty
Total Distance: 10.1 miles
Difficulty: Moderate, but Difficult on the slides

Estimated Time: 6-7hrs

From I-93, take exit 34A to US-3N toward the Flume Gorge. Stay to the right to merge onto US-3N. Go past the Flume Gorge Visitor's Center entrance and take the next right for the Whitehouse Trail Parking (although it's called Liberty Spring Trailhead Parking on Google Maps). Parking here is free and there is an outhouse toilet available.

Via Liberty Spring/Flume Slide Trail

You begin by heading north on the Whitehouse Trail following the blue rectangles.

Whitehouse Trail trailhead

This is an easy path just under 1 mile, and even joins up with a paved bike path at one point. Just after crossing over the bridge, you will see the sign for the Liberty Spring Trail to your right.

Turn right onto the Liberty Spring Trail

Follow the Liberty Spring Trail for a fairly gradual climb uphill following the white rectangles. After about 0.6mi you will come to a fork in the trail. If you go left then you will ascend the Liberty Spring Trail up to Mt. Liberty. However, if you are doing the whole loop, then I (and most other hikers) would recommend staying to the right for the Flume Slide Trail. It is much easier and likely safer to go up the slides rather than down them.

Stay right onto the Flume Slide Trail

Mount Flume

Following the blue rectangles, this begins as a lovely trail through the woods, not too steep, with a few brook crossings.

But do not be deceived by the relative ease of the trail so far. The worst is yet to come. After about 2 more miles, the trail begins to incline significantly. It begins with some rock stairs, then you hit the slides, steep rock faces where you are climbing with hands and feet. Behind you the views are just starting to peek through the trees.

Rock stairs...	...turn into steep slides.

At what seems like the top of the slides, the trail veers off to the right for a short switchback (easy to miss if you're not watching), then there are more steep slides which gradually turn back into rock stairs again.

Finally, the blue skies will peak through the trees, the trail will flatten out and T into the Franconia Ridge Trail.

Go left at the intersection with Franconia Ridge Trail

Go left for 0.1mi to a long stretching section of the ridge trail which drops off steeply to the left giving lovely views to the west. This is a nice spot for a lunch break. Continue up to the highest point on the trail for the summit.

Flume peak

Views to the south-west-northwest (click to enlarge)

Peeking over the trees to the east (click to enlarge)

Mount Liberty

From the summit, continue down the Franconia Ridge Trail for 1 mile. It drops fairly steeply down the other side of the peak, but then becomes more of a gradual decline down to what feels like a dried up river bed, which is the low point in the prominence. It is a much more gradual incline up to Mt. Liberty. At the top, the summit is a short rock scramble up to beautiful 360 degree views.

Views to the north-east-south (click to enlarge)

Views to the south-west-north (click to enlarge)

To descend, go back down the rocks to the Franconia Ridge Trail that you came up, but now continue going north along the rocks for a bit.

Ridge trail atop Liberty

View over to Lincoln

The ridge trail will descend sharply down some rock stairs to a flatter section below. After 0.3mi you will see the Liberty Spring Trail turn off to the left.

Turn left off the ridge trail to descend	Beginning the descent

In only 0.3mi you will find the Liberty Spring campsite which has platforms for tenting on one side, and a kitchen area on the other side. If you need a water refill, there is a spring funneled into a water jug for public use, but make sure you filter it first.

Public water jug	Beware of bears!

Continue down the rock stairs, then the decline will get shallower. You will cross over a bigger brook near the bottom if you prefer to drink from running water, though you should still filter it. Back at the Flume Slide Trail intersection, stay straight on down the Liberty Spring Trail the way you came up. After 0.6mi turn left onto the Whitehouse Trail and go straight back the way you came.

Official Trail Map: (click to enlarge)

Alternative Route: There is the option to take the Lincoln Woods Trail to the Osseo Trail. This is a bit longer, and the first segment of the Pemi Loop.