Bald Mountain, Franconia Notch State Park – Located a short distance from Echo Lake in Franconia, New Hampshire is another great location where photographers will have no problem creating images. Even though some hiking has to be done to reach the summit of Bald Mountain the views of Franconia Notch are worth the short hike.

Back in the 1800s, a carriage road led to just below the summit of Bald Mountain. The 1859 second edition of “The White Mountain Guide Book” (Eastman's White Mountain Guide) references that a carriage road had been built the “present season” from the highway, north of the Profile House, to the summit of Bald Mountain. The same description also states that the mountain had been little visited up until that point.

Sometime before 1876 the carriage road fell into disrepair and became a path. The 1876 guidebook “The White Mountains: A Handbook for Travellers by Moses Foster Sweetser references that the carriage road had fallen into neglect, and the path follows it. Sweetser’s description also mentions a short steep line of rocks along the path, near the summit, where a stone stairway once was.

Parking for Bald Mountain is in a small roadside lot, in front of the large dirt parking lot, directly across from the entrance of Cannon Mountain on Route 18. The trail to Bald Mountain starts in the back of the large dirt parking lot. The official name of the trail is the Veterans Trail, but many use the old name Bald Mtn – Artist's Bluff Path. As for parking in the large dirt lot, sometimes the cable gate is open, sometimes it is not.

Bald Mountain is also another great location to watch the weather patterns. Watching and photographing the clouds and fog blow through Franconia Notch early in the morning during the summer months is a real treat. Echo Lake (above) can also be seen from the summit.

Because of its easy access, Bald Mountain is often visited by photographers and visitors to the region. If you are looking for solitude, you may not find it on this mountain, but if you do find yourself alone on the summit late in the afternoon when the sun is setting, enjoy the serenity while you can.

The view of Mount Lafayette (above) and Cannon Mountain from Bald Mountain is excellent any time of year, but I prefer the winter months when the mountains are snow covered. The snowcapped mountains make for a picture perfect scene. Word of caution, if you plan to visit Bald Mountain during the winter months, the trail to the summit can be very icy.

I will end with a panoramic (above) of Franconia Notch State Park from Bald Mountain. The state park system is what makes New Hampshire special, and the unique beauty of Franconia Notch is irreplaceable. Unfortunately, privatizing Cannon Mountain is once again being talked about (April 2016 article). Privatizing Cannon will forever change Franconia Notch State Park. We have to ensure nothing ever happens to this one of a kind state park.

To license any of the above images for usage in publications, click on the image. And you can view more scenes of Franconia Notch State Park here.

Happy image making..

© Erin Paul Donovan. All rights reserved | Historic Information Disclaimer | White Mountains History

Bibliography:
Sweetser, Moses Foster. The White mountains: A Handbook for Travellers. Boston, MA: James R. Osgood and Company, 1876.

Eastman, Samuel Coffin. The White Mountain Guide Book, 2nd Edition. Concord, NH: Edson C. Eastman, 1859.

Erin Paul Donovan

Owner of ScenicNH Photography LLC

Erin Paul is a professional photographer, writer, and author who specializes in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the New Hampshire White Mountains. His work is published worldwide, and publication credits include: Appalachian Mountain Club, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Backpacker Magazine, and The Wilderness Society. He has written two photo history books about the White Mountains: the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad (2018) and Franconia Notch (2024).