Although it detached from the cliff face back in 2003, the park has provided informative signage and a viewing platform that re-creates the appearance of the stone face on the cliff for visitors. The Great Stone Face, which appeared on a cliff as a person’s profile, was mentioned in the 19th-century writings of Daniel Webster and Nathaniel Hawthorne and still appears in silhouette on state highway markers. The Old Man of the Mountain Historic Site is the next stop, about 0.4 mile down the trail. The cable car carries riders up to the 4,080-foot summit, where you can get beer and food at a café, and enjoy views of the Adirondack Mountains on clear days. The trail follows the lake 0.5 mile before you reach the legendary Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway. In 2.1 miles you will arrive at Echo Lake Beach, where there’s a store, restrooms, and boat rentals in season. Bring your camera because, in addition to the major sites along the route, you soon will be treated to dazzling vistas at the Sunset Bridge. The route is often shaded as you reach these locations, thanks to the steep mountainsides and trees lining the path. The main attractions are marked with walking-only signs for trail users, and they are wheelchair accessible. As satisfying as it will be to descend the hills you crest, observe the 20-mile-per-hour speed limit on the trail. The elevation changes are also a reminder, as the trail gains about 340 feet to the foot of Cannon Mountain, then drops 750 feet to the terminus at Mt. Heading south from the Skookumchuck trailhead, the spectacular views of peaks and forests will remind you that the Notch is indeed a mountain pass between the Kinsman and Franconia Ranges. The paved path roughly follows I-93 through the pass. Commonly called the Recreation Path, the 8.7-mile trail visits most of the park’s attractions, such as the Old Man of the Mountain Historic Site, Echo Lake, and Flume Gorge. The smoke from the forest fires creates a haze over the peaks making it look more like islands you would see in the Caribbean than a mountain lake.The Franconia Notch Recreation Path runs the length of the Franconia Notch State Park in the White Mountain National Forest. We stare at the spectacle before us for a moment. It wasn’t until we made a tight 90-degree turn, exposing us to the deep blue body of water known as Lake Tahoe, did we understand the thousands of feet below us that existed. On our left we can see it falls steeply away, but the thick vegetation hides just how steep it is. Quickly snaking our way down through some tight trees and a boulder-strewn corridor, we pop out the other side onto another thin singletrack. A Little Bit Of Fun Before The Views Pausing to take in the views of Lake Tahoe – Photo by: Local Freshies® “Are we going the right way?” Unaware of other options, we continue onward. Towards the other side, the wide path suddenly narrows to a tiny singletrack barely discernible from the granite outcroppings. Throwing our packs back on, we continue pedaling our way around the lake. We could stay here for hours enjoying the serenity but alas, this isn’t our final destination. Wisps of clouds float along the sky making us all smile. The water looks like a sheet of glass with only a few ripples. A sense of calm comes over us as we attempt to absorb the sight. Propping our bikes against the rocks, we walk over to the beach and sit down on a massive piece of granite. But from there, it’s a fun-filled ride back to the shop.” Hopping onto our trusty steeds, we begin our adventure. A warning is given… “The first 4 miles are the toughest so take it easy as it’s a steep continuous climb all the way to the highest point.

From here, we’re given a quick intro of what to expect this morning. After a 15 minute drive, we arrive at Spooner Lake State Park and unload our bikes. Throwing our backpacks and ourselves into the shuttle van, we pull out of the parking lot. Spooner Lake – Entrance to Flume Trail The 1st leg of the journey on the Flume Trail begins at Spooner Lake – Photo by: Local Freshies® Arriving thirty minutes before the shuttle, we put our names on the list and eagerly awaited the drive up to the start of the route. And then take a shuttle to the beginning of the Flume Trail Lake Tahoe. On the southern edge of town lies the END of the path and a company named Flume Trail Bikes. On a cool morning, we pulled out of South Lake Tahoe and headed north to Incline Village.

Flume trail