The BEST things to do in the White Mountains in New Hampshire (2024)

New Hampshire’s White Mountains are one of the most stunning regions of New England. In this guide we’re sharing tips, where to stay, and the best things to do in the White Mountains.

One of the areas we were most excited to visit while on our New England fall road trip was New Hampshire’s White Mountains. While we love the charming towns and coastal views that New England is known for, our favorite type of scenery and adventures always include the mountains.

And with rugged peaks, rocky gorges and notches, waterfalls, endless hiking trails, scenic drives, and mountain views all condensed into one area, the White Mountains checked every single box on our dream destination list. But for many years, we had no idea these mountains even existed and if you had shown us photos of this area, we wouldn’t have believed that it was in New Hampshire!

While we typically prefer to travel out West, mostly due to the epic mountains and abundance of national parks, our time in the White Mountains proved that the East has equally stunning scenery. During our week working and road tripping around the White Mountains, we tried to explore as much of the area as possible and fell madly in love. We never wanted to leave!

In this guide we’re not only sharing the best things to do in the White Mountains, but also helpful information to help you plan your own adventure, such as when to visit, where to stay, things to know beforehand, places to eat, and some itinerary options. We hope that you enjoy this region as much as we did.

The White Mountains cover about 25% of New Hampshire, plus part of Western Maine, and feature some of the most rugged mountains in all of New England. The range is a part of the Appalachian Mountains, with a high point of 6,288 feet, the highest point in the northeast.

In this area you can find small towns, waterfalls, ski resorts, state parks, unique activities, and tons of mountain peaks, including the majority of the state’s 48 4,000 footers, which are peaks over 4,000 feet tall and with a prominence of at least 200 feet.

While well known and loved by New Englanders, this region is an underrated gem in the United States. If you have never considered visiting New Hampshire, the White Mountains WILL have you planning a trip as soon as possible!

Before embarking on your adventure, please review theLeave No Trace principlesto ensure you leave every place better than you found it, so that others can enjoy these beautiful places for many years to come!

These seven principles include planning ahead and preparing, hiking and camping on durable surfaces, disposing of waste properly (pack out what you pack in!), understanding campfire rules and always fully extinguishing your fires, respecting wildlife, and being considerate of other visitors.

The White Mountains are located in the north-central part of New Hampshire. While not super close to any major US cities, the area isn’t too difficult to get to and once there, there are tons of smaller towns to enjoy, which all offer places to stay, restaurants, shops, and anything else you’ll need for your trip.

Here’s how to get to the White Mountains depending on if you fly or drive!

The White Mountains make for an epic New England road trip destination. If you are driving to the White Mountains, here is how long you can expect to drive to the area (using Lincoln, NH as the destination) from some various cities nearby.

Stowe, VT: 1 hour, 45 minutes (90 miles)
Portsmouth, NH: 2 hours (122 miles)
Burlington, VT: 2 hours, 15 minutes (101 miles)
Portland, ME: 2 hours, 20 minutes (95 miles)
Acadia National Park: 4 hours, 45 minutes (242 miles)

Note: some of the roads and times above include driving tolls. If you want to avoid paying for tolls, make sure to turn off tolls on your Google Maps settings.

You’ll definitely need to rent a car or drive your own to fully enjoy all of the best things to do in the White Mountains. Public transportation, outside of a couple trail shuttles (more on that below), isn’t really an option between all of the towns without hiring a tour guide.

Assuming you’re visiting in the summer or fall, any type of vehicle will work just fine on a road trip around the White Mountains, as none of these stops require 4×4 to get to.

Our Sprinter van was able to navigate New Hampshire easily and we didn’t run into many issues parking a larger vehicle, but there was one spot (the Mount Washington Auto Toll Road) where our van was too large, so keep that in mind if driving an oversized vehicle.

There are two trail shuttles in the area, one run by Franconia Notch State Park and the other run by the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC).

Franconia Notch Shuttle
If you want to hike some of the trails in Franconia Notch State Park, the park offers a hikers shuttle, which will take hikers from the “Peabody Big Lot” at Cannon Mountain to the Lafayette Campground, which is by a handful of trails.

There are four shuttle vans that run on Saturdays and Sundays 8:30 AM to 8 PM. The shuttle costs $5 roundtrip per hiker, cash only, and you’ll pay the driver and they will give you a ticket. Be sure to hang on to this ticket during your hike because you will need it for your return trip.

The last shuttle leaves at 8 PM, so don’t miss it! You can use your ticket the next day if you’re staying overnight, but only if the shuttle is running. You can also take your well mannered dog onto the shuttle. For more information about the shuttle, check out the state park website.

AMC Shuttle
AMC offers a shuttle that can take you to a wider variety of trailheads in the White Mountains, but it’s more intended for those who plan to do long hikes in the area and need a way back to their car. It costs $20 (AMC members) or $24 (non members) for a one way ride and you can see the stops and schedule here.

The White Mountains receive on average 70+ inches of snow per year, with Mount Washington, the highest point in the state receiving 23 FEET! If you enjoy snowy adventures, you’ll love the White Mountains.

In the winter there are multiple ski resorts to enjoy and you can even hike the many 4,000 footers, with some people hiking all 4,000 footers in the winter. Just make sure to pack the right winter gear, like snowshoes or microspikes!

We visited the White Mountains in early October, close to peak foliage for the area, and it was incredible to see the fall colors everywhere! Fall foliage varies year to year and we found this website to be helpful to find out about the current conditions.

While the summer is the busiest season overall, peak foliage in the fall can be insanely busy, especially on the weekends, with many visitors trying to capture the colorful leaves. If you plan to visit for the fall foliage, be prepared to encounter more people.

As for weather in the fall, during our visit it varied a bit. We had a few days of nonstop rain, followed by some sunny days, so be prepared to experience a variety of conditions and pack layers.

Activities and attractions can get VERY busy, especially during the summer, peak fall foliage, and on the weekends. We suggest hiking and sightseeing on weekdays if possible and starting before sunrise or hiking close to sunset.

We were able to beat most crowds by doing everything during the week and early in the morning or late in the day. By 9 or 10 AM, trails and attractions start to get very crowded.

There are many options when it comes to where to stay in the White Mountains, including the type of lodging, as well as location. The area has multiple smaller towns, which range from very tiny to more bustling and there truly isn’t a bad spot to pick.

For this guide, we recommend looking into the following towns, which we have marked on the map above and will provide lodging suggestions for below!

Littleton, New Hampshire is close to the Vermont border and has a historic downtown area, both local and chain restaurants, a small Walmart (it doesn’t have produce, just FYI), and is close to many spots on the west side of the White Mountains.

For the lodging suggestions below, we are including the small towns of Bethlehem and Franconia too, which are all under 10 minutes away from Littleton.

Dream A-Frame (1 bedroom, 1 bathroom): This dreamy A-frame is nestled in the New Hampshire woods, beautifully decorated, has an equipped kitchen, fireplace, and a cozy upstairs loft.

Bear Ridge Lodge (3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms): This epic log cabin lodge sleeps 8, so it would be perfect for a group or big family. It has everything you’ll need for a comfortable stay, especially the beautiful fireplace in the large living area and covered front and back patio with beautiful mountain views.

Lafayette Place Campground
This campground is located across the street from the Franconia Ridge Loop hike. It is open mid May to early October with 97 tent sites, 88 of them can be reserved, and 7 are first-come, first-served. All sites are $25/night and pets are not allowed.

Twin Mountain/Mt. Washington KOA
We stayed here for a few nights during some nonstop rain when first reaching the White Mountains, since we knew having enough power would be a struggle. This campground is super nice, although pricey, and we really enjoyed it!

During our time in the White Mountains we found two FREE camping areas near Littleton, one along Haystack Road and one along Gale River Road. For both of these areas you must camp in designated sites, so you cannot just pull off and find a spot.

We had tried Gale River Road first and had no luck, but thankfully found a spot on Haystack Road. We camped in one of the first spots and had a tiny bit of cell service to work, but be prepared to be mostly off grid here.

You can also sleep overnight at the Walmart in Littleton, which we did for a night or two as well! This Walmart is small and doesn’t offer produce, but it’s right next to a grocery store.

The Lil’ Red Caboose (1 bedroom, 1 bathroom): How can you pass up a stay in a caboose?! It has a bathroom inside, which isn’t something you always see in unique stays like this, and you can even sleep in the cupola!

Luxury Riverside White Mountains Resort (Studio, 1 bathroom): This condo is located right by the town of Lincoln and the Kancamagus Highway, making it a great homebase to some of the best spots the area has to offer!

Relaxing Resort Getaway (Studio, 1 bathroom): This bright and airy studio has everything you need for a comfortable stay in a perfect location.

Hanco*ck Campground
This campground is located at the western end of the Kancamagus Highway, just east of Lincoln, NH. The campground offers 56 tent sites at $25/night and are first-come, first served.

Big Rock Campground
This campground is also located at the western end of the Kancamagus Highway, just east of Lincoln, NH. The campground offers 28 tent sites at $25/night and some are first-come, first served.

North Conway Cabin (2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom): This cabin sleeps 4 and is a great location to Conway and North Conway’s shops and restaurants.

The Overlook (2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms): This house would be perfect for a group or family, with plenty of space to hang out inside and outdoors, with a great kitchen, a fire pit, and a hot tub. It also has the perfect wooden, modern cabin vibe!

Mountain Chic New Hampshire Family Getaway (3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom): This gorgeous house is super bright and well designed, with huge windows!

Covered Bridge Campground
This campground is located on the eastern end of the Kancamagus Highway, near Conway, and has 49 sites, which cost $25/night.

Crawford Notch State Park
This park offers 36 wooded sites, including some tent only sites, as well as lean-tos. These sites do not have hookups and cost $25/night.

You could spend months in the White Mountains and not hike every trail or visit every attraction, but for those looking to experience the major highlights of the area, we suggest at least 3-5 days. This will give you enough time to do scenic drives, go for shorter and longer hikes, and visit some of the paid attractions.

We will include a few itinerary options at the end of this guide to help you figure out how to organize your time in the area!

Want to get 30% off an AllTrails+ membership? Use our code aplusk30 (you must redeem this code on the website, not the app)!

We use AllTrails+ on every single hike and it is the most helpful hiking tool out there! Some of the features we love are offline maps (so we can navigate even without cell service), wrong-turn alerts, and its 3D maps feature, so we can get a feel for trails before we hike.

Some areas in the White Mountains have day use fees, including specific areas of the state parks, as well as in the National Forest. Make sure to bring some cash just in case you find yourself needing to pay for parking.

For any fees in the National Forest areas, the America the Beautiful pass, which is $80 per year, will get you in for free.

New Hampshire has stricter drone laws than other states we visited and we ended up not flying ours while in the state. According to the Forest Service, drones are allowed in the White Mountain National Forest “as long as the landing of the drone does not occur within 1/4 miles of a Forest Protection Area, alpine zone, or area otherwise listed in Exhibit B of Forest Order R9-22-19-01.”

Additionally, drones are not allowed in state parks, wilderness areas, or within ¼ of a mile of the Kancamagus Highway. You have likely seen many fall drone shots from the Kanc, but there are signs all over the Kanc saying no drones within ¼ mile of the road. Unfortunately people are constantly breaking this rule…please don’t be one of those people. 🙂

Artist Bluff is a short, 1.5 mile trail that takes you to an overlook of Echo Lake and part of Franconia Notch. Because of its short distance (although it is pretty steep and rocky at the end) and beautiful view, it is a very popular spot. We suggest arriving around sunrise for the best chance of some solitude, however, don’t expect to be alone.

We went for sunrise on a cloudy weekday morning and there were many more people than we are used to seeing so early, but there is thankfully a good amount of space to spread out, as well as a huge parking lot. When we saw the overlook mid-day while driving by another day, it was packed.

Flume Gorge is a natural gorge that extends 800 feet and has Conway granite walls that are between 70-90 ft tall and 12-20 feet apart. You take a 2 mile loop trail, including some stairs and boardwalks, around and through the gorge, seeing a covered bridge, waterfalls, the river, and mountain views along the way.

It is one of our absolute favorite things we did in the White Mountains, but we almost skipped it! And a big reason why was the price. At the time of our visit in October 2021, it was $18 per adult, which seemed a bit steep for an activity out in nature.

However, we are so glad we splurged on this. The gorge is magical and feels like walking in a fairytale, with tall, mossy rock walls towering over you.

A few things to know before you visit:

Cannon Mountain was the site of the first passenger aerial tramway in North America, which opened in 1938 and served over 7 million passengers, before being replaced.

Today, the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway can hold up to 80 people per car and goes 2,180 feet up to the top of Cannon Mountain, where you can walk around and enjoy the views from the top. It costs $25 per adult and is open late May to mid October for the summer season, but is also used in the winter for skiing.

Echo Lake is a gorgeous lake surrounded by mountains and is a great place to lay out in the summer, swim, fish, or go kayaking or paddle boating (they have rentals at the park).

It costs $4 per adult to visit the lake and parking can fill up, so it’s recommended that you book your spot in advance.

However, in our opinion, the best hike to do in Franconia Notch State Park is the Franconia Ridge Loop, which is 9.3 miles and gains 3,809 feet of elevation as it takes you to the top of Little Haystack, Mount Lincoln, and Mount Lafayette.

This hike has been rated the #1 trail on AllTrails for New Hampshire and is said to have some of the best views in New England. While we still need to hike more in New England to confirm that, we can say that the views on this hike are INCREDIBLE!

In addition to the hikes in the state parks in the White Mountains, the White Mountain National Forest has tons of trails too! It would be hard to list every single trail in the national forest, but here are some popular ones to check out.

Welch-Dickey Loop Trail
4.4 miles | 1,778 feet of elevation gain

This hike takes you to the top of Welch Mountain (2,605 feet) and Dickey Mountain (2,733 feet), with views of the Waterville Valley. It’s a great shorter hike option in the area!

Beaver Brook Trail to Mount Moosilauke
7.9 miles | 3,185 feet of elevation gain

Mount Moosilauke is one of New Hampshire’s 4,000 footers and while there are a handful of ways to get to the top, this route has a gorgeous waterfall along the way.

Hanco*ck Trail
9.1 miles | 2,631 feet of elevation gain

The Hanco*ck Trail starts on the Kancamagus Highway (more on that in a bit!) and offers views from two summits, although there are some trees, so you’ll need to walk down a bit to a more open view. Parts of the trail have a lot of loose rock, so make sure that you have sturdy shoes!

Mount Garfield Trail
9.6 miles | 2,988 feet of elevation gain

The hike up to Mount Garfield is a steady climb and once at the top, you’ll have sweeping views of the surrounding peaks!

For backpackers, the Presidential Traverse, which is 20.4 miles and has 8,211 feet of elevation gain, is an epic White Mountains experience! This trail takes you to the top of 10 summits in the Presidential Range, with most named after US presidents, including the highest point in New Hampshire, Mount Washington.

This hike is NOT for the inexperienced hiker. It is TOUGH, steep, and rugged, with sometimes unpredictable weather. This route is typically hiked from North to South and is suggested as a 2-3 day backpacking trip, with different camping areas along the way, as well as huts you can stop at for snacks and drinks (or stay the night in).

To complete this, you will need to either take the AMC Shuttle back to your car, as it is not a loop trail, or have someone drop you off and pick you up.

Driving the scenic Kancamagus Highway (Kanc-ah-mah-gus), also known as the Kanc, is one of the top things to do in the White Mountains. This 34.5 mile scenic drive is named after Chief Kancamagus, who was a Native American known as the “Fearless One” and ruled Southern New Hampshire in the 17th century.

The road started as two separate, unconnected roads, one road from Lincoln and one in Conway, and in the 30s, the CCC worked to connect the two roads, which took 25 years to finish.

Along the drive there are overlooks, waterfalls, trailheads, and more! We share more stops and things to know about the road in this guide, but some of our must-visit stops are:

Back in the fall of 1825, the Willey family moved to the area and moved into a small house in Crawford Notch. The family expanded and renovated the house to turn it into an inn for guests driving through the area. But in June, heavy rains tore through the area and caused a landslide across the valley from the house, causing the Willeys to build a cave above the house just in case their side of the valley ever had danger.

In August, the area flooded and after the storm, and while the house itself was hardly touched and stayed in good condition due to being sheltered by a ledge, the bodies of the majority of the Willey family were found crushed by a landslide (three children were never found). It isn’t fully known what happened to the Willeys, but the story brought many more tourists to the area.

Today, the house is a visitor center and gift shop that you can visit to learn more of its history.

Similar to other areas of the White Mountains, there are many great hikes that start in Crawford Notch State Park!

Mount Willard
3.1 miles | 895 feet of elevation gain

This hike is a MUST, especially during fall foliage and at sunset. While the hike itself is just through the forest, the views at the top are incredible, with views of the valley below and mountains off in the distance. It was one of the best surprises of our time in the area! We started the hike before sunset and saw many people coming down, but had the top to ourselves (or shared with one other person), which was unexpected!

Arethusa Falls and Frankenstein Cliffs
4.9 miles | 1,637 feet of elevation gain

This hike takes you to some smaller waterfalls, as well as the tallest waterfall in New Hampshire (Arethusa Falls) at 140 feet tall. While you can do this hike as an out and back trail, if you do the loop linked above you’ll get to hike to Frankenstein Cliffs for a great view too!

Mount Eisenhower, Pierce, Jackson, and Webster
12.1 miles | 4,104 feet of elevation gain

This is a long hike, but gives you the chance to summit four of the Presidential peaks in the White Mountains, three of which are 4,000 footers. You can also do one or two of these summits by themselves instead of in this large loop for a shorter hike.

If you want to see some of the White Mountains in a unique way, ride a train! The White Mountains are home to two trains, the Conway Scenic Railway and the Hobo Railroad. Both offer a variety of excursions any time of year.

While we haven’t been on either, we rode a historic train in Durango, Colorado and loved the experience! If we had to pick between the two, we’d suggest doing the Mountaineer trip on the Conway Scenic Railroad, which takes you into the mountains in Crawford Notch. This excursion runs from mid June-early November.

Mount Washington is the tallest mountain in New Hampshire at 6,288 ft tall. It is known for having some of the most insane wind at the top, with the highest recorded being 231 MPH in 1934, the second highest wind speed ever recorded on earth. And it still has hurricane force winds about once every three days, which means you never really know what you’ll get at the top!

There are a few ways to visit Mount Washington, ranging in price and difficulty.

The easiest way to get to the top of Mount Washington is to drive the Mount Washington Auto Road. This 7.6 mile road has pull outs to enjoy the views, before reaching the summit, where you can stay for as long as you’d like.

The road costs between $39-$45 for the car and driver, with additional fees for passengers ($14-$20), children ($9), and motorcycles ($45). So while not a cheap experience, it makes for a memorable drive!

There are vehicle restrictions though and our van was not allowed to drive this road. Make sure you know the rules beforehand so you don’t have to find out the hard way when arriving.

If you don’t feel comfortable driving yourself or have the wrong vehicle, you can take a 2 hour guided tour where you can sit back and enjoy the views, without being behind the wheel.

The Cog Railway is a unique way to get to the top of the Mount Washington summit! This was the world’s first mountain cog railway, created in the 1860s, and on the 3 hour ride you will get to experience history and see amazing views. There is also a museum at the base, where you can learn more about the history of the cog railway.

This experience is not cheap, which is why we skipped it, although it did look like a blast. Pricing does vary based on the type of train and you can see rates and the schedule here.

The cheapest way, but most difficult way to get to the top of Mount Washington is to hike! However, if you plan to attempt this, make sure you have some hiking experience and plan for a clear day, as the weather can be dangerous at the top.

There are multiple ways to get to the top, but when we originally hoped to hike to the summit, we planned to hike Mount Washington via Jewell Trail, Gulfside Trail, and Crawford Path, which is 9.3 miles and 4,235 feet of elevation gain. This route takes you to the Lake of the Clouds hut, which has bunks if you want to stay overnight, meals for overnight guests, and snacks to buy for day hikers. This route also summits Mount Monroe too!

Skiing is popular in the White Mountains and while this guide is focused on visiting in the summer and fall, the ski resorts in the area do offer things to do during the non-snowy seasons as well!

The major ski areas in the White Mountains are Cannon Mountain Ski Area, Loon Mountain, Bretton Woods Mountain Resort, and Attitash Mountain Resort. Each one offers scenic gondola or chairlift rides in the summer, with some offering additional activities, like Loon Mountain’s zipline and Attitash’s alpine slide, which is the longest in North America.