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The Lincoln Woods Trail follows what was once the main line of the East Branch and Lincoln Railroad (1893-1948) up the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River to Franconia Brook and the boundary of the Congressionally-designated Pemigewasset Wilderness. It is one of the easiest backcountry trails in the White Mountain National Forest, as it is wide and straight with little gradient and with all significant stream crossings bridged. The only stumbling blocks are the remaining railroad ties, some with a few spikes remaining. Even these are not a problem in mid-winter, when the Forest Service grooms two tracks for cross-country skiing with a path for hikers between.
In the 1970's, this was one of the most heavily-used camping areas in the White Mountains. On weekends, throngs of people carrying sleeping bags on their shoulders would hike up the trail to camp near the river. Some of these people went fishing but consuming beer was also a popular sport. Only a few would make it nearly three miles to Franconia Brook Campsite, where a ranger and an outhouse kept things somewhat under control. The Forest Service finally decided that this use was inappropriate and banned all camping within a quarter-mile of the trail, and has even closed the Franconia Brook Campsite due to sanitation problems. A log cabin visitor center at the trailhead is staffed at busy periods and provides information on regulations and good hiking practices. After 50 years of logging with trains and nearly 50 years of indiscriminate camping, the area is finally growing back.
Should you wonder why you have never heard of this trail, for the first half-century of its existence it was part of the Wilderness Trail, which led up the old railroad grade to the headwaters of the East Branch which were commonly called the "Pemigewasset Wilderness". It was much later that Congress applied this name officially, and the Forest Service tried to differentiate the trail standards inside and outside the official Wilderness by using different names for the trails.
It remains to be seen whether it will require three generations of hikers to die off before the name change sticks. Most hikers and the 2003 AMC White Mountain Guide still call it the Wilderness Trail, just as many people still refer to Mount Pierce (renamed by the New Hampshire Legislature in 1913) as Mount Clinton. On the other hand, Mount Eisenhower was renamed after the former president's death and has been almost universally accepted.
Distance: Parking lot to Franconia Brook Trail, about 2.9 miles one-way
Elevation gain: About 300 feet on the ascent, minor on descent
Maps:
USGS Mount Osceola
AMC Franconia-Pemigewasset or Moosilauke-Kinsman
Location: White Mountains Region
NH 2003-2004 map H-6/7
DeLorme NHA&G 43-G/H14 - Lincoln
Lincoln is located at Exit 32 of I-93
Trailhead: Lincoln Woods visitor information center, off NH Route 112 just E of bridge over East Branch of the Pemigewasset River, elevation about 1180 feet
44.0638°N, 71.5884°W (WGS84)
WMNF fee site
Take I-93 Exit 32 at Lincoln and go E on NH Route 112 (Kancamagus Highway) about 5.7 miles to sign and parking lot on L
Far End: Junction with Franconia Brook Trail, elevation about 1440 feet
Owner: White Mountain NF
Maintainer: White Mountain NF
Special regulations: No fires or camping within 1/4 mile of trail
From the parking lot, the trail passes in front of the log cabin and turns L to descend wood stairs. (The East Side Trail continues ahead here.) It then turns L on the gravel road and almost immediately R to cross a suspension footbridge over the East Branch. Turn R on the old railroad grade on the far bank, which crosses several small brooks on culverts and one on a wood bridge before crossing an unnamed brook on a large culvert. The second time this brook is close to the trail above here, the Osseo Trail to Mount Flume leaves L at 1.4 miles. The railroad grade crosses Birch Island Brook on a wood bridge, and at 2.6 miles the Black Pond Trail leaves L. The railroad grade soon passes through the now-closed Franconia Brook Campsite, and the path to Franconia Falls leaves L at 2.8 miles, just before the long bridge over Franconia Brook. On the far side, the route to the East Branch crossing leaves R. The trail climbs a steep bank and enters the Pemigewasset Wilderness where the named Lincoln Woods Trail ends at the junction with the Franconia Brook Trail at 2.9 miles. The main railroad grade continues ahead, still called the Wilderness Trail.
Lincoln Woods Trail/Wilderness Trail groomed for skiing and hiking up to bridge.
Map Notes: The USGS map does not show the new parking lot on the E side, and shows the shelter which has been removed. And of course it calls this trail the Wilderness Trail.
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