Dubbed the best hike in the northeast by many guidebooks, I could easily agree. This is a great hike to take fresh scouts on and get them bitten by the scouting/outdoorsmen bug. Spectacular views, the ability to get above the tree line, a great hike up past numerous waterfalls (take the Falling Water Trail up). I love it.  It is also nice because from Boston, it is one of the closer hikes in the Whites. It is right up Rt.93 in Franconia Notch. 

I highly recommend this hike to all scouts. You have to do this one.

Here is a nice handout someone has done on the hike (from “NHvacationhomes” all I can tell to credit properly) as well as a park map with trails:

mountlafayette.pdf

franconiahikingfinal.pdf

Here’s another copy of the basic map with the traditional route (from Dartmouth Outing Club). This is where the kids also learn that what looks like a short distance on a map is actually quite long when you factor in the contour lines! What goes up must come down. The last 1/3 of this hike from the hut down is nice but very long. Note also the trail across the top ridge is the AT. The picture above is actually Mt. Lincoln, I have yet to take a good dramatic picture of Lafayette.