The Best Hiking in New Hampshire

Monadnock State Park is located in and around the 3,165-ft. Mount Monadnock. Mount Monadnock is criss-crossed by many miles of well-maintained hiking trails. The popular White Dot Trail (2.2 miles) is the shortest but steepest ascent to summit, accessible from the Monadnock State Park headquarters on the southeast side of the mountain.Another popular option is the White Arrow Trail (2.3 miles),...

While this trail is open year round with winter hiking/skiing down the ravine walls, this entry will focus on hiking in the warmer months.Your hike starts behind the Pinkham Notch AMC Center in Jackson, NH at an elevation of approximately 2050 ft. There is plenty of parking at the visitors center, as well as bathrooms and access to load up on food / water before you being.The first 2.4 miles o...

The Franconia Notch area of New Hampshire has many roadside adventures to go on, bringing in thousands of visitors every year, but my favorite place in the notch is Lonesome Lake.At 1.6 miles, the hike is easy enough for the whole family, but most people visiting the notch stick to the roadside attractions, keeping the crowds at Lonesome down. The views around the lake are incredible, looking o...

Starting from the parking lot, the two trails initially begin together. Less than a mile in the trails split into Old Bridle Path to the left, and Falling Waters Trail to the right. Most people choose to go up and down on the same trail. To those doing to loop, most choose to hike up Falling Waters, and down Old Bridle. (I recommend the opposite.) Old Bridle has magnificent views which start at...

The Flume Gorge in Franconia State Park is beautiful year round and every season has it's unique benefits. During the summer, the Flume is a highly frequented tourist destination and is usually crowded with groups of kids and families. Technically, the Gorge is closed during the winter and there are no shuttle buses from the entrance to where the trail begins, but it's a perfect opportunity for...

This is a multi-day backpacking loop in Franconia Notch State Park, New Hampshire (located in the the White Mountains).Leave the car at the Lafayette Place Campground, (about 1700' elevation), then head up 1.4mi to Lonesome Lake. If you start hiking in the evening, as the sun is setting, you can stop here to set up hammocks a couple hundred feet off the trail, and hunker in for the night.In the...

This awesome waterfall is located right off of the Kancamagus Highway (rt 112) that runs from Lincoln to North Conway, NH. The highway itself is a very scenic drive through the White Mountains that has pull off spots every couple of miles.From I93 take exit 32 for Lincoln. Drive straight through the town and onto rt 112 for just about 20 miles and the parking lot will be on your right hand side...

Don't let the relatively short 2.5 mile hike up Mt. Crawford fool you, you certainly work for the amazing views from the summit. Located in Crawford Notch, park in the Davis Path lot almost directly across from the Notchland Inn on Rt. 302. The trail starts by going over a footbridge crossing the Saco River, and passes fairly closely to a few houses before entering the woods. The moderate incli...

We began our hike at Kennard Trailhead, which is easy to miss if you aren’t looking for it.  The approximate GPS address is 596 New Boston Road, Bedford, NH, though in reality the parking area is about 0.2 miles west of the junction of New Boston Rd and Esther Drive.These trails are very well maintained and labeled, with color coded arrows on the trees to keep you on the correct path.The first ...

The Kancamagus Highway is designated an American Scenic Byway. It cuts through the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The highest point along the drive is 3000 feet. It is known as one of the best fall viewing areas in the country. If your interested there is also several campgrounds along this route. You can choose to start it at either end near Lincoln or Conway. Be aware there is no gas ...

This hike begins at the trailhead behind Crawford Depot. The first 1/4 mile of the trail is relatively level. You will cross two small streams before the trail begins to steepen. For much of the trek up to the top of the mountain you will be following an abandoned carriage road. Along the side of the trail you will come across a small waterfall that makes for a good photo opportunity. The ...

Park at the Lincoln Woods Visitors Center off the Kancamagus Highway where the Lincoln Woods Trailhead begins. Because of such a long hike, it's best to start at daybreak, or as early as possible to make it back before dark. The trail starts at the beginning of a suspension bridge crossing the East Branch Pemigewasset River. Follow this for 2.9 miles of relatively flat terrain until you reach t...

The White Mountains offer some of the most prime foliage sightseeing (aka 'leaf peeping') in New England. Tourists flock to the Franconia Notch State Park area and surrounding parts of the White Mountains every October, but camping is generally less common. October can be a cold month in New Hampshire, with an average low of about 36 degrees Fahrenheit, but if you have the right gear, the foggy...

The Frankenstein Cliff trailhead is located in Crawford Notch State Park directly off of Route 302. If you're traveling from the south (Bartlett/North Conway) the parking lot for the trailhead is on your left hand side about 12 miles from Bartlett. There are signs for Arethusa Falls/Frankenstein Cliffs right before the turnout for the parking lot. If you are traveling from the north from US-3, ...

Falling Waters Trail takes you up to the summit of Little Haystack Mountain, and Mount Lincoln and Mount Lafayette if you continue to the Franconia Ridge Trail / Appalachian Trail, then over to Old Bridle Path.Also along Falling Waters Trail are stunning waterfalls. The most popular one is Cloudland Waterfall at an 80 foot height, this waterfall is a fan-type horsetail. The beauty of this water...

As hiking in the White Mountain area goes, this is a pretty easy one. This is a family friendly hike along a rail trail and well maintained forest trails. The main attraction here isn't the difficultly. The main attraction here is the spectacular views and the abundant wildlife.This trail begins on Airport Road in Jefferson, NH. If you are coming from Rt 116, the trailhead parking lot is ac...