It can be a little difficult to get from the North Eastern End of New Hampshire to the West, especially if you're passing through the White Mountains. Fortunately there is a little short cut that winds its way through the quaint little towns of Rumney, Wentworth and Orford before dumping you out on the major North - South highway 91. The small rural community of Orford has always been my favorite spot of the shortcut. It's easy to image the narrow two-laned road that runs down the center of the village as a beat dirt path out of any Currier and Ives print. Brick or white clapboard Federal and Greek homes sit along the narrow banks of the upper Connecticut river to the West. To the East, acres of grass stretch up to a gentle ridge crowned by seven large white Federal-style mansions. According to the Wiki: Author Washington Irving visited Orford in 1832 and is quoted as saying, "In all my travels in this country and in Europe, I have seen no village more beautiful than this. It is a charming place -- nature has done her utmost here."

  The towering sharp rock peak of Mt. Liberty (4460') serves as a striking landmark for anyone who is traveling through Franconia Ridge. The summit of Mt. Liberty is famous for its sharp pointy top which on the western end seems to drop off for hundreds of feet. Though often overshadowed by its towering northern neighbors of Mt. Lincoln and Mt. Lafayette, this peak gives a great 360 degree summit panorama that is only beat by its neighbors. Mt. Liberty is the easiest of Franconia Ridge to summit. Its trail approach, The Whitehorse Trail-Liberty Spring Trail-Franconia Ridge (8.0 miles) is a steady and moderate but completely Class 1 hike. For the more adventurous and loop hikers this hike can be turned into a loop hike by add the Class 3 Flume Slide trail over neighboring Mt. Flume to the hike, turning it into a 9.9 mile loop hike. The Flume Slide trail should not be used for decent nor in icy conditions. Check out Summit post for a more detailed description and trail map. http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/151121/mount-liberty.html  I think the Bridal Path Trail and Franconia Ridge (exit a few miles up 93)  is a much more satisfying trip, but there is a nice set of tent outposts near the top of the Mt. Liberty trail. No bathrooms, of course but there are a few running streams you can grab water to cook with. The flume slide trail can be very dangerous if there's been any recent wet weather.