Epic Travel → North America → The Northeast → New Hampshire → Frankenstein Trestle

♦ Intrepid Top Pick!

Location: Crawford Notch State Park, near Bartlett, New Hampshire

Time Required: 1.5 hours for the trestle only (allowing some time to climb up to the top of the trestle); 2 hours for the loop hike with Arethusa Falls

Distance: ~3 miles roundtrip to the trestle; better done as a 5 mile loop hike with Arethusa Falls

Elevation Gain: 1400 ft (for the 5 mile loop hike)

Red Tape/Notes: Trestle is reached via the Frankenstein Cliff Trail – this trail can be icy in winter and spring; great for fall colors in the autumn. The trestle is part of an active railroad, so be aware of passing trains

What’s Nearby?: Arethusa Falls, Covered Bridges of Bath, Mount Washington, Diana’s Baths, Echo Lake State Park, Saco River Kayaking

I love hikes when there are things to see and do along the way, and this is the kind of thing I love. The Frankenstein Cliffs trail is so named because it leads to the base of the Frankenstein Cliffs, a dramatic sheer rock face in the White Mountains. The trestle, which was built to span its namesake’s cliffs, is part of the Conway Scenic Railroad. I’m not sure that there’s anything particularly monumental or earth-shattering about the trestle on the whole – it is rather large, spanning 500 feet from cliff to cliff, and quite high at 80 feet above the canyon floor, but it’s not the highest or largest. It is, however, extremely scenic, providing a nice feature of interest in photos and something fun to climb up and around during a hike. You can turn around after reaching the trestle, or continue on, which I highly recommend. After you pass the trestle, you’ll reach the cliffs, and then the hike opens out to some truly beautiful views (especially during the fall). If you’ve made it this far, you may as well continue on the loop to Arethusa Falls.

Epic Travel → North America → The Northeast → New Hampshire → Frankenstein Trestle