Cannon Mountain is one of the shortest distance hikes of the NH 4000 footers, but still is absolutely gorgeous. Located in Franconia Notch, it might be most notably be known for being the home of the old man on the mountain (not anymore). Overlooking Franconia Notch with a clear view of Mount Lafayette, Little Haystack, Liberty and Flume (Franconia Ridge), Cannon has a pretty ridiculous view. To the south, the ridge connects over to North and South Kinsman, and you can see all the way to Mount Moosilauke and beyond.
Height: 4,081 feet (1243.9 meters)
Distance: 5.6 miles Round Trip(9.01 km)
Duration: 3-5 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation Gain: 2,263 feet (689.7 meters)
Trails
Hi Cannon Trail
The Hi Cannon trailhead is located at Lafayette Campground. From trailhead to summit is 2.8 miles, making the total trip 5.6 miles. The trail contains very steep sections as well as a wooden ladder and a cliff view of Lonesome Lake. Hikers can also choose to go a little out of the way on the Lonesome Lake Trail (seen below).
Kinsman Ridge Trail
This is a 2 mile trail (4 round trip) up Cannon Mountain. This is the fastest route up Cannon and can be accessed from the Cannon Mountain Tramway parking area (highlighted route below).
Cannon Trail Map
Image courtesy of 4000footers.com
Download The Full Cannon Mountain Hiking Map
Winter Hiking Cannon Mountain
In the winter, Cannon is a great shorter hiking option. Leaving from Lafayette Campground will give you a bit longer hike, with some pretty steep incline spots, a couple cliff views overlooking Lonesome Lake and Franconia notch, and even a badass ladder to climb.
Directions
To Lafayette Campground:
To Cannon Mountain Tramway
Nearby Hikes
Access to both North and South Kinsman is easy from Cannon mountain. You will also find many who choose to simply hike to Lonesome Lake, where there is also the Lonesome Lake Hut for camping.
Just across the highway lies Franconia Ridge, offering some of the best views in NH. You can park at Lafayette Campground to access the Old Bridle Path up Mount Lafayette, or the Falling Waters Trail up to Franconia Ridge.
Weather Forecast
Lincoln, NH
This Afternoon
Showers and thunderstorms likely after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 69. North wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tonight
Showers and thunderstorms before 7pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely between 7pm and 9pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. Northeast wind 10 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Saturday
A chance of rain showers before 9am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 52. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Saturday Night
Isolated rain showers after 8pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 39. Southwest wind 0 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Sunday
A chance of rain showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 54. Northeast wind 0 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Sunday Night
A chance of rain showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Monday
A chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Max DesMarais is the founder of Hiking & Fishing. He has a passion for the outdoors and making outdoor education and adventure more accessible. Max is a published author for various outdoor and marketing websites. He is an experienced hiker, backpacker, fly fisherman, trail runner, and spends his free time in the outdoors. These adventures allow him to test gear, learn new skills, and experience new places so that he can educate others. You can read more about him here: hikingandfishing/about