Mount Lincoln

Mount Lincoln is a 5,089-foot (1,551 m) mountain in the Franconia Range of the White Mountains.

Prominence: 180 ft Range: Franconia Range
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Elevation: 5,089 ft

Mount Lincoln

Area Map

NH48 stylized terrain with summit marker, contours, and nearby trails.

Peak trail map

Static map preview

Mount Lincoln: summit area with linked trail context.

Summit: 44.1483, -71.6444

Trails: Falling Waters Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Old Bridle Path, Greenleaf Trail

Trails

Current Summit Weather

NOAA / NWS point forecast for this summit location.

Astronomy

Sun and moon timing for this peak.

USNO Snapshot unavailable

Astronomy timing is temporarily unavailable.

Monthly Weather Averages

NOAA/NCEI Climate Normals · USNO Solar

Winter

Spring

Summer

Fall

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Sources & method

Climate reference: Mount Washington, NH US · 6267 ft · 1991-2020

Solar reference: South Twin Mountain · 2026

Wind is not displayed: January hourly coverage is below the 80% threshold.

Climatology describes typical conditions, not a forecast.

Nearby Peaks & Connections

Real trail profiles, directional measurements, and summit-to-summit comparisons.

4 connections

Connected ridge profile

Trail-connected summits, south to north

SN
Connected ridge profileContinuous south-to-north trail terrain profile. Color indicates absolute local trail grade: blue for gentler sections and warm colors for steeper sections. Summits: Mount Flume 4,328 ft, Mount Liberty 4,459 ft, Mount Lincoln 5,089 ft, Mount Lafayette 5,249 ft, Mount Garfield 4,500 ft. Mount Flume4,328 ft Mount Liberty4,459 ft Mount Lincoln5,089 ft Mount Lafayette5,249 ft Mount Garfield4,500 ft 3.5 mi S0 mi0.2 mi N4.0 mi N
Trail gradeGentle0–8%Moderate8–15%Steep15–25%Very steep25%+

Route order: Mount Flume → Mount Liberty → Mount Lincoln → Mount Lafayette → Mount Garfield

Hover, touch, or use arrow keys for exact distance, terrain elevation, and grade. Terrain: 1 m USGS S1M DEM (NAVD88); summits: official NH48 elevations.

Mount LafayetteSame trailClosest trail link
Trail
0.87 mi
Gain
+444 ft
Loss
−284 ft
Time
31 min
Summit-to-summit route

Mount Lincoln Mount Lafayette

Via Franconia Ridge Trail

0.83 mi straight-line • low point 4,874 ft • confidence: high

Open peak guide
Mount Lincoln 5,026 ftcol / low point 4,874 ftMount Lafayette 5,192 ft
Mount LibertySame trail
Trail
2.51 mi
Gain
+572 ft
Loss
−1,153 ft
Time
1 h 7 min
Summit-to-summit route

Mount Lincoln Mount Liberty

Via Franconia Ridge Trail

2.24 mi straight-line • low point 4,010 ft • confidence: medium

Open peak guide
Mount Lincoln 5,026 ftcol / low point 4,010 ftMount Liberty 4,439 ft
Mount FlumeSame trail
Trail
3.50 mi
Gain
+973 ft
Loss
−1,685 ft
Time
1 h 39 min
Summit-to-summit route

Mount Lincoln Mount Flume

Via Franconia Ridge Trail

2.85 mi straight-line • low point 3,867 ft • confidence: medium

Open peak guide
Mount Lincoln 5,026 ftcol / low point 3,867 ftMount Flume 4,307 ft
Mount GarfieldConnected trails
Trail
3.96 mi
Gain
+1,562 ft
Loss
−2,123 ft
Time
2 h 6 min
Summit-to-summit route

Mount Lincoln Mount Garfield

Via Garfield Ridge Trail / Franconia Ridge Trail

3.17 mi straight-line • low point 3,645 ft • confidence: medium

Open peak guide
Mount Lincoln 5,026 ftcol / low point 3,645 ftMount Garfield 4,460 ft

Parking & Access

Lafayette Place - same as Mount Lafayette, Franconia Notch.

Access roads & trailheads

No WMNF seasonal road listing

Primary trailheads are linked, but no WMNF seasonal access-road dependency is currently linked to this route. This is common for state highways, AMC lots, ski-area lots, or year-round paved road access.

Verify official sources and posted signs before driving to a trailhead.

Difficulty Metrics

Risk & Preparation

Wilderness Safety

Trail & Terrain

Mount Lincoln Route & Conditions

Route
Mount Lincoln's standard hiking options include Franconia Ridge Loop - via Falling Waters Trail at 8.9 miles with 3,900 feet of gain and Falling Waters Trail - direct up-and-back to ridge at 7.8 miles with 3,400 feet of gain. A typical completion time is 6–8 hours - loop including Lafayette.
Terrain and exposure
This is a very difficult Franconia Range hike. Expect steep ascent next to waterfalls, then rocky alpine ridge trail. Scrambling is minor, with some hands-needed sections along ridge, class 2. Upper-mountain terrain includes mixed forest at base; dense spruce-fir approaching treeline; alpine scrub and bare rock along ridge and 360°, exposed alpine ridge summit views. Weather and exposure are defining planning concerns here: high, ridge highly exposed to wind, lightning in storms.
Weather window
The best normal hiking window is summer and fall, clear weather for ridge views. In September, average summit conditions are about 43 F. Check a summit forecast and carry windproof/warm layers; turn back if visibility or lightning risk increases.
Water, signal, and bailout
Water is available: waterfalls on Falling Waters Trail in lower section. Cell reception is spotty, some signal on ridge; unreliable in valley. Bailout options include Greenleaf Hut, north, via Lafayette. or backtrack down Falling Waters Trail if weather turns.
Trailhead and access
The most common trailhead is Lafayette Place Campground Trailhead, with room for about 200 vehicles. Shared parking with Lafayette loop; plan for early arrival or use shuttle/overflow lots. Other linked starts include Lafayette Place / Greenleaf Trail Access and Falling Waters / Franconia Ridge South Trailhead.
Connected route context
Major linked trails include Falling Waters Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Old Bridle Path, and Greenleaf Trail. Nearby 4,000-footer connections include Mount Lafayette, Mount Liberty, Mount Flume, and Mount Garfield.