Season Dates:

Full Service Season
June 2, 2022 – October 15, 2022
June 1, 2023 – October 21, 2023

Self-Service Season
October 19, 2022 – December 31, 2022
January 1, 2023 – May 28, 2023
October 25, 2023 – January 1, 2024

Lonesome Lake Hut is just 1.6 miles from the trailhead, making it an ideal first-time backcountry experience and a great intro to AMC’s hut system. More experienced adventurers will find a base camp, with Cannon Mountain, the Kinsman Ridge, and miles of Appalachian Trail nearby.

Lonesome Lake Hut offers co-ed bunkrooms and separate washrooms with composting toilets. AMC Huts are in backcountry locations and are “off the grid,” meaning they are only accessible by hiking. Bunkhouses are not heated, have no lighting, and no electrical outlets. Rooms stay cold, so bring an appropriately rated sleeping bag and a headlamp or flashlight for your overnight visit.

The legendary AMC hut “croo” or caretakers are available to assist you with trip planning, trail information, and weather reports while our Hut Naturalist offers daily programs about the local flora and fauna, geology, and hut history before and after dinner in full-service season.

Full-Service

Cold running water is available in the washrooms. Blankets and pillows will no longer be provided but sleeping bag, pillows, and gear rentals are available through Effortless Adventures. Dinner and breakfast are included with your stay. Breakfast is served family-style at 7 a.m. sharp and includes eggs with pancakes or a baked good, plus hot cereal, fruit, and breakfast meat, such as bacon or sausage, with coffee, cocoa, or tea. Dinner is served family-style at 6 p.m. sharp and includes fresh bread, soup, salad, a hearty entrée, and dessert. Please notify AMC Contact Service Center if you have food allergies or other dietary restrictions. Bring your own lunch – otherwise soup and baked goods are available for purchase from 10am to 5pm during the day. Please carry in/carry out all personal trash and recyclables, in accordance with Leave No Trace protocol.

Self-Service

Open for self-service from late fall through the end of May a caretaker is available from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. and from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. The caretaker may light a fire in the main building after 4 p.m. Guests pack in their own food and have full use of the hut’s kitchen including stove, oven, cookware, and service ware. There is cold running potable water in the kitchen year-round from a drilled well. There is no running water in bathrooms during self-service season. Please carry in/carry out all personal trash and recyclables, in accordance with Leave No Trace protocol. For more details on staying at the hut during the winter season, read here.

Cancellation Policies

Learn more about AMC’s cancellation policies for lodging and programs.

Getting Around

AMC’s Hiker Shuttle connects the Highland Center, Pinkham Notch Visitor Center, and the towns of Lincoln and Gorham with major trails to the huts, allowing hikers to start and end their trip at different points. The stop in the town of Lincoln is coordinated with Concord Coach bus service. Hiker Shuttle runs daily for most of the full-service hut season, from early June to mid-September. The shuttle operates on weekends only from mid-September to mid-October. Reservations are strongly recommended.

Trail Access

Lonesome Lake Trail to Lonesome Lake Hut is considered easier because the distance is only 1.2 miles from the trailhead. While it is short, the climb to the hut is a steady uphill grade gaining 1,000 feet of elevation. Hikers should plan on 1 to 2 hours to get to Lonesome Lake. The trailhead is accessible from the southbound lane of I-93 Franconia Notch Parkway in Franconia Notch State Park with parking at Lafayette Campground. Park at the picnic area at the end of the south parking lot. Parking along either side of I-93 is illegal. Overflow parking during peak season is located off Exit 34-C off of I-93, by Cannon Mountain ski area, and the U.S. Forest Service provides a shuttle to and from the trailhead.   

Weather

The right clothing and gear are essential in the unpredictable weather of the Northeast’s mountains. Even if it feels like summer in the valleys, it can be cold and winter-like on the high peaks. Be prepared for severe weather regardless of season, dress in layers (including synthetic or wool base and insulating layers, and a windproof/waterproof outer shell), eat high energy foods, and stay hydrated.

Our Commitment to Sustainable Operations

AMC has a long-standing commitment to using its huts, lodges, and sporting camps as models for sustainable operations and environmental stewardship. At Lonesome Lake Hut we use solar panels and battery banks to run electricity and use LED lighting. The hut has solar heaters to improve the effectiveness of the composting toilet system and we are committed to recycling and composting food.