Backpack Trail Guide

Trails / New Hampshire / Franconia and Kinsman

Appalachian Trail: Kinsman Ridge (Kinsman Notch to Franconia Notch)

White Mountain National Forest and Franconia Notch State Park (NH 112 to Franconia Notch)

South of Franconia Notch, the Appalachian Trail follows the Kinsman Ridge Trail over Mount Wolf and the two Kinsman peaks, then drops past Kinsman Pond and Lonesome Lake. Backpacker called the full Kinsman Ridge Trail “one of the longest, toughest, but most rewarding hikes in the White Mountains” in 1997.

The MIT Outing Club runs it as a two-day trip: about 7.5 miles to Eliza Brook Shelter, then over both Kinsmans and down to Franconia Notch, 16.3 miles in all.

The hike

From NH 112 in Kinsman Notch, the Kinsman Ridge Trail climbs moderately toward Mount Wolf (about 3,478 feet), roughly 4 miles in according to Hiking Project; a 2010 trip log mentions a view of Franconia Ridge from Mount Wolf. Backpacker notes boggy areas around Gordon, Harrington, and Kinsman Ponds that attract moose. The trail then drops nearly 1,000 feet to Eliza Brook Shelter, which MITOC says has a water source nearby. The same trip log mentions the Eliza Brook cascades.

Day two is the hard one. The trail climbs steeply to South Kinsman (4,358 feet), the highest point on the ridge, with views of Franconia Ridge, Moosilauke, and Vermont in Hiking Project’s description. North Kinsman (4,293 feet) is about a mile farther; SectionHiker points to a large open ledge just below its summit facing Franconia Ridge. Kinsman Pond sits below, and Backpacker describes its “icy water” with views of Flume, Liberty, Lincoln, and Lafayette.

From the pond, the AT follows the Fishin’ Jimmy Trail down to Lonesome Lake. Backpacker’s 1997 article says the trail descends about 1,300 vertical feet in two miles over granite slabs, boulders, and roots, and a 2013 Backpacker trip warns it is wet and muddy in spring. At Lonesome Lake Hut, Backpacker’s 2013 trip suggests stopping for a swim and water refill. The Cascade Brook Trail completes the descent to Franconia Notch.

Across the notch, the AT climbs the Liberty Spring Trail to Franconia Ridge. South of Kinsman Notch, it continues over Mount Moosilauke; see Glencliff to Kinsman Notch.

Tips

Camping

No permit is needed. The Forest Service bans camping in the alpine zone unless there are two feet of snow and, in its Forest Protection Areas, within a quarter mile of huts, shelters, and developed tentsites except at the designated sites. Backpacker’s 1997 article says camping in Franconia Notch State Park, which includes the Cascade Brook Trail and Lonesome Lake, is limited to designated campsites.

AMC lists two campsites on the ridge, both first come, first served with metal food boxes. Eliza Brook, on the AT between Mount Wolf and South Kinsman, has 4 hardened tent pads and an Adirondack shelter, with water from Eliza Brook and a roving caretaker but no fee. Kinsman Pond, on the Kinsman Pond Trail near the Fishin’ Jimmy junction, has one group platform, three small platforms, and an Adirondack shelter, with water from the pond and a fee. Lonesome Lake Hut takes reservations; AMC lists its 2026 full-service season as June 4 to Oct. 17 and a self-service season from Oct. 21, 2026, to May 30, 2027, and Trail Finder says pets aren’t permitted overnight at the hut.

Inside Intel: SectionHiker describes the Kinsman Pond shelter as a newer AT lean-to close to the pond’s shore. Backpacker’s 2013 Kinsman Pond trip recommends lunch on the pond’s rocky shore and notes the tent platforms, shelter, and outhouse just before the pond.

Trail facts

The Lowdown

Down Fishin' Jimmy to Lonesome Lake:

The Fishin' Jimmy Trail drops about 1,300 vertical feet in two miles over granite slabs, boulders, and roots. Our pole guide covers longer poles for descents, choking down on steep pitches, and rubber tips on rock.

Get the trekking pole tips →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.