The Basin is a classic tourist attraction in Franconia Notch State park with multiple waterfalls and a plethora of beautiful cascades. Watch our trip and then read about it below:
Something you should keep in mind with this area is that there is often a fight for parking. We were visiting at the height of leaf season so it was a real struggle to find a spot. The lot is huge on both sides of the highway but, still, be prepared.
The Basin itself is only a short walk from the parking lot. Carved roughly 15,000 years ago, this 20 foot "pot hole" creates a beautiful pool that you cannot swim in! This is worth visiting but I believe that the surrounding features of this park are much nicer. You should make sure not to stop here ONLY for the Basin.
Just to the left of the basin is a cool little slot canyon. The path by this connects to the cycling trail along the entirety of Franconia Notch. If you follow it for less then 2 minutes you'll come upon this awesome series of falls pictured to the right. There is a bridge giving you a perfect view of the main fall, but you can also walk out along the rocks and explore. In the exact opposite direction, closer to the parking lot, you'll find a sign that leads you to the "Baby Flume". This can be viewed in our video and, if you continue further south along the path, you'll cross the stream a few times and come out on a small beach. The water here is abnormally turquoise and is a sight to behold. Be careful on all the slippery rocks... we had a few slips along the way!
The biggest treat here is the Cascade Trail located west of the basin. While you could follow this to the top of the mountain, you can enjoy the best views of the cascades and falls along the first steep mile. The path runs parallel to the cascades but many people trek directly up the cascade itself. There are some super impressive falls along the way.
Towards the top of the path, before you would cross the river to continue, there is an old wooden sign that reads "Kinsman Falls". You can view the falls well enough from this ridge but you need to climb down to get a real look. There is a small semi-hidden path along the edge of the cliff and then you can scramble across the boulders for an ideal spot. Pictured to the right is this awesome water fall and where most people end their journey.
While the biggest sights are now behind you, there is an additional waterfall if you can cross the river. This wasn't possible while I was there. Instead I was able to get a look at a few more cascades and a cool shot of a rock splitting the river in half. After this I turned around and returned to the car.
So, don't be disappointed like some tourists by stopping only at the Basin. Climb the Cascade Trail, follow the river south, explore the park and enjoy this magnificent spot even if you aren't doing an overnight hike!
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