Distance: 2 Mile Loop
Difficulty: Easy
When it comes to hiking I tend to stay away from "Tourist Traps" because if I am going to be outside hiking, I want to enjoy the peace and quiet that nature offers, not be hiking with a large group of people. On a recent mini vacation to the White Mountains, I was interested in The Flume. My husband says we went when we were dating, but I do not remember, must have been because I was so much in love that I do not remember.
We decided to arrive early and I am glad we did as there were not a lot of people there. There is a fee to enter this facility. Despite it being a big tourist destination it had some magical feeling to it. Once you leave the entrance, you walk up a path and pass a series of waterfalls before you reach the start of the flume.
Once you reach the flume where you are hit with a cool feeling from the falls and are surrounded by beautiful rocks and plant life. Due to all the rain and humidity we have had this summer there was an abundance of green.
I felt like I could have stood beside the falls forever. I love the sound of a waterfall.
After you leave the flume you can loop back to the Visitors Center or you can complete a two miles loop, which I highly recommend doing as you do not want to miss out of views like below.
This pool looked very inviting, unfortunately you are not able to get down to it and there is now swimming at the Flume.
The nice thing about the Flume is there is something for everyone to keep them entertain from the boardwalks, covered bridges, various waterfalls and views and my daughters favorite, the cave you can climb though. Or for the kids at heart like my husband and I who also like crawling through the cave.
The two mile loop is very doable for all abilities. The paths are free of roots and was well maintained. There are stairs and a narrow boardwalk on the flume so it is not stroller or wheelchair accessible. There are benches and huts along the way for resting if needed.
Once you reach the Visitors Center you are brought back through the gift shop, which I know can be a challenge if you have kids with you.
When we reached the Visitors Center the parking lot was full and there as a long line to get into the Flume. If you do want to check out this magical place I recommend you go early to beat the rush of the tourists. Even though this is a popular tourist destination, I am glad that I went and feel everyone who visits this area should check it out at least once.
