Trailhead and parking area are at the Basin on I-93 in Lincoln, NH. There are two parking areas available for the Basin, one for each lane of interstate 93. For the northbound lane, it is 2.1 miles past exit 34A (Rt. 3/The Flume), and for the southbound lane, it is 1.2 miles past the Lafayette Place Campground. Both sides are clearly marked with signs for The Basin. On the northbound side, you will have to walk the path under the pedestrian tunnel, which begins near the entrance. The two access points are at opposite ends of the short paved walking path which tours the cascades around The Basin. Click here for a Google map.
The Basin is one of Franconia Notch State Park's most popular tourist attractions. On a summer weekend, swarms of visitors walk its paved paths to see the circular bowl and curved waterfall on the Pemigewasset River known as The Basin. Plenty of other exciting water features await around it. Hikers have the opportunity to venture beyond the paved walkways and follow the delightful Cascade Brook to Rocky Glen Falls.
From the parking area, walk down the paved walkways into the Basin. Cross the bridge over the river, passing a powerful cascade. Follow the path past a beautiful aqua-tinted pool with a sand beach and along the river, by more cascades and smoothed rock waterways. Continue down to the main attraction, The Basin, an amazing curved waterfall through carved rock into a huge, swirling pool underneath a half-domed rock ceiling. Just past The Basin, cross a bridge and bear right off the paved path onto Basin-Cascades Trail. Pass Pemi Trail on the right and continue at easy grades through the woods, heading toward Cascade Brook. The trail quickly reaches the brook and follows it closely, passing many beautiful sets of cascades, where there are opportunities to walk out onto the rocky brook bed and explore. One notable unnamed waterfall spans the width of the brook as it tumbles and slides into a huge pool. Not far past this, 0.4 miles from the paths in the Basin, a spur on the left descends to Kinsman Falls, a straight, narrow plunge over a small cliff. The trail then passes by the top of the waterfall.
In 0.1 miles, the trail crosses the brook on medium-sized rocks and climbs a steep pitch on the other side. It continues to follow the brook closely, passing a few more exciting cascades before the trail (and the brook) levels somewhat. The trail then continues uphill to a viewpoint overlooking Rocky Glen Falls (just off the trail), whose name suits it well. Just past this, turn right and step down into a gorge to get a closer look at the waterfall. The brook is walled in above and below this picturesque waterfall. This is 0.4 miles from the brook crossing. For a longer and even more scenic hike, continue to Lonesome Lake.
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