A Day in New Hampshire’s White Mountains

Located in Northern New Hampshire just over two hours north of Boston, the White Mountains region offers breathtaking mountainous views, scenic drives, historic walking areas, moose tours, shopping, and more.  This area is popular year-round. Spring and summer are popular times for hiking and swimming while the winters bring people to the mountainside for downhill skiing. But autumn is the time when tourists flock to the White Mountains to catch the natural beauty and breathtaking views that make New Hampshire’s foliage famous around the world.

 If you only have a day to spend in the White Mountains, then a great way to start your trip is by driving along the area’s scenic Kancamagus Highway. Built with a number of look-out points, hiking trails, areas to swim, and camping grounds, you could spend over a day driving on this 34.5 mile highway if you wanted to. But you can also just as easily do it within a day without getting out at every stopping point. If you don’t have a lot of time, make sure you don’t miss out on seeing Sabbaday Falls. It’s a great place for a short hike and to see one of New Hampshire’s most popular falls. Try packing a lunch and having a picnic while listening to the roaring thunder of the falls. 

Just a short drive away are Cathedral Ledge and Echo Lake. Cathedral ledge is a hot spot for rock climbers. Expect to see at least one or two climbers during the summer months. You can easily drive up to the top of the ledge and take a couple minutes’ walk to the edge of the rock for spectacular scenic views. While on Cathedral Ledge you’ll see Echo Lake where you can drive to next. Not surprisingly, the lake gets its name because of the echo you hear. Try calling out your name loudly and you’ll hear it again and again. The lake is also a great spot for swimming. It’s lined with picnic tables if you want to relax and have a snack.

A day in the White Mountains will go by quickly, but if you have time into the night and have never seen a moose before, you may want to book a moose tour. Moose tours are always at night and take roughly three hours. You’ll have the best chance of seeing a moose if you go between April and September. 

These are just a few of the many things to do in the White Mountains. While the area can be visited in a day, there is much more to see and hopefully you’ll be able to come back one day and see more of the beauty that makes up New Hampshire .