Franconia Notch Half Marathon

What’s the race like and where does it start? The half marathon will unfold almost entirely on the paved bike paths that run roughly parallel to Interstate 93 and the Pemigewasset River, between the race starting line and the the Mount Pemigewasset trail head. The out-and-back course for the half marathon starts at the Cannon Mountain base lodge, and then heads out onto the bike paths (shown below). Along the route, you’ll pass by scenic viewing spots like Echo Lake, Boise Rock, the Basin and the Flume Gorge, where later you can take a two-mile scenic walk into the woods, complete with covered bridges and scenic waterfalls. You’ll follow the route as it winds from north to south, all the way down to the race turnaround point near the trail head. Once you make the turn, you’ll retrace your steps in the opposite direction, heading back north along the bike paths until you get to the Cannon Mountain base lodge to cross the finish line. Pass by the “Old Man of the Mountain.” Along the route, all of which unfolds within Franconia Notch State Park, you’ll run past the spot which once attracted countless tourists: the Old Man of the Mountain, a rock formation that looked like the profile of an old man on the side of one of the mountains within the park. Records of visitors noting the “Old Man” date back to the early 1800s, but the formation is no more — it collapsed off the side of the rock back in 2003.