Artists Bluff – A Short Hike In Franconia Notch State Park
What up Road Trip Warriors!? Artists Bluff is a short, but well-known hike in Franconia Notch State Park, New Hampshire. This viewing point is widely photographed during the Autumn when the colorful leaves are on display. Even during off season, this is a fun hike offering a big reward for relatively minimum effort! Check out everything you need to know about hiking to Artist’s Bluff below!
Summary of Artists bluff
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: Roughly 1 mile round trip from roadside trailhead
- Elevation: 2,340′
- Hiking Time: 1 hour or less
- Elevation Gain: 436′
- Photo Opportunities: The best spot to get photographs on this hike is from the lookout itself. The rock slab at the high point is large enough for many people to spread out without diminishing your shot.
Trailhead
This has to be the most difficult part of this hike. It can take some troubleshooting to find this trailhead if you are not familiar with the area. You are going to want to park in the Canon Mountain RV lot (see photo below). Once parked, walk out to the road and cross. Walk down a couple hundred feet and there will be the trailhead sign on your left (see photo below for the road you walk down). You can plug the Canon Mountain RV lot right into your phone and the GPS should take you there directly.
The Hike
While normally I would break out trail signs, directions, and have as much information as possible…this hike is short and is self-explanatory so I will keep it brief. The hike begins an immediate ascent up a well-marked trail. The trail markers are red lines on trees as seen below. The trail itself is rocky and has plenty of tree roots (like most hikes of the Northeast).
Artists Bluff
Artist’s Bluff is an iconic view point in New Hampshire and well-photographed during the Autumn. It has great views of Echo Lake and the near Canon Mountain with its ski trails. I recommend going in the Fall, but it is still pretty throughout the year.
Back to trailhead
The trail does loop, but it can be hiked as a short out-and-back which is the approach I took.
Dog-Friendly
This hike is dog-friendly and I took my own dog on it! Despite the winds at the lookout, he seemed to love it and had a really good time. It is short and there are no technical aspects to the hike. I am sure your furry companion would love the trail.
Fam-Friendly
Artists Bluff is a family-friendly hike. As mentioned above, it is a short trek and the views are worth the easy effort.
clothes/Gear Worn for artists bluff
- Beanie
- Long sleeve undarmour
- Athletic shirt
- Athletic shorts, joggers, winter snow pants
- Timberland waterproof hiking boots
- Eastern Mountain Sports Wool Socks
Equipment/Food Brought
- Few water bottles
- Granola bars
- Extra wool socks
- Bandana
- Emergency tent and blankets
- Knife
- Microspikes
- Waterproof matches
- Lifestraw
- First-aid kit
- Garmin InReach Satellite Device
Links to Related Hikes
- Arethusa Falls: 160 Feet Of Cascading Water
- Franconia Ridge in the White Mountains
- Mount Equinox Hike in Manchester, Vermont
RTW Note
Road Trip Warriors, thanks for taking the time to check out this post on Artists Bluff in New Hampshire! It is a gem in the White Mountains and although highly photographed in the Fall, it is a great lookout year round! If you found this post useful or liked the photos, please give it a share and leave a comment on one of your favorite hikes in the Northeast! Stay safe out there!
