Franconia Notch: Where autumn leaves you speechless

Driving I-93 through Franconia Notch is a sublime experience. The road bends and slims to two lanes. Kinsman and Franconia ridges close in as you wind through, each slope lit in scarlet, orange, and gold. Every turn wows you, and the next one wows you again. Words fall short of what your eyes take in.

It could have been four wide lanes. Conservationists fought to keep it narrow. Now the road bows to the notch instead of cutting through it.

Drive on and on until you lose the sunlight. The colors linger in the mind and memory.

Points of interest

• Franconia Notch Parkway (I-93): Nine scenic miles at 45 mph. Use the pullouts, not the shoulder.
• Flume Gorge: A 2-mile boardwalk loop through an 800-foot granite gorge. Book tickets ahead; open through late October.
• Artists Bluff: Short but steep and rocky. Wear shoes with real grip and bring a headlamp for sunset.
• Echo Lake & Gallen Bridge: Exit 34C. Mirror-still water, plus a view of 5,249-foot Mount Lafayette from the bridge.

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