New Hampshire: Mountains, Lakes, Waterfalls and History

New Hampshire combines striking mountain landscapes with lakes, waterfalls, historic sites and special winter experiences. A defining focus is the area around Mount Washington and the White Mountains: the Mount Washington Cog Railway offers a three-hour round trip with a one-hour stay at the summit. From late October to early May, it operates in winter as far as Waumbek Station at an elevation of 4,000 feet.

Mountains and Winter Experiences on Mount Washington

Mount Washington State Park is located on a 58.8-acre summit area on the highest mountain in the Northeast. In clear conditions, the views from the 6,288-foot summit extend up to 130 miles toward Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, Maine, Québec and the Atlantic Ocean.

There are various ways to visit: Visitors can reach Mount Washington State Park by Cog Railway, via the Auto Road or along one of the numerous hiking trails to the summit. The Mount Washington Auto Road is 7.6 miles long, passes through four different ecological zones and gains more than 4,000 feet in elevation. These differences make the journey itself a distinct part of planning the day, without requiring the same route to be used for both directions.

The Sherman Adams Building houses the Sherman Adams Visitor Center, a cafeteria, restrooms, gift shops, as well as the Mount Washington Observatory and its museum. At Waumbek Station, there are elevated viewing platforms, heated huts, a fire pit and free hot refreshments.

Franconia Notch, Lakeshores and Waterfalls

Franconia Notch is an eight-mile-long mountain pass between the Kinsman and Franconia mountain ranges. A parkway runs through the pass from Flume Gorge in the south to Echo Lake in the north. A separate route running alongside the Franconia Notch Parkway crosses the entire Franconia Notch and provides access to the park facilities and natural features.

At Echo Lake in Franconia Notch, swimming, fishing and boating are possible; kayaks and pedal boats can also be rented. Flume Gorge, in turn, is an 800-foot-long natural gorge at the foot of Mount Liberty. The Flume Trail is a two-mile-long loop trail and begins at the ticket booths in front of the Flume Building.

At the upper end of Flume Gorge lies Avalanche Falls, a waterfall that is 45 feet, or 13.6 meters, high. For children and families, Flume Gorge offers a scavenger hunt that can be used during the walk through the gorge. At Arethusa Falls, you will find an almost 200-foot-high waterfall, considered the highest waterfall in the state of New Hampshire. The access road to the 1.4-mile-long hiking trail branches off Route 302, about half a mile south of Dry River Campground.

Ripley Falls also adds to the waterfall destinations: The cascade is 100 feet high and is reached after a half-mile walk. In Cathedral Ledge State Park, a one-mile-long Auto Road leads to the top of the 700-foot-high Cathedral Ledge. The different combinations of loop trail, walking path and Auto Road help you organize day trips according to your preferred distance and type of experience.

Historic Sites and Museums

In addition to its mountain landscapes, New Hampshire offers numerous historical themes. Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park was once the home of sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens and an unofficial center of the Cornish artists' colony. At the Willey House Historic Site, there is a museum about the natural disaster in which the Willey family and two hired men disappeared while their house remained undamaged.

Canterbury Shaker Village comprises 25 original and 4 reconstructed Shaker buildings. The Village is a National Historic Landmark and museum offering tours, programs, exhibitions, research services and publications. The site also includes nearly 700 acres of forests, nature trails, gardens and ponds. This makes it possible to combine architecture, history and landscape in one place.

At the Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth, more than 350 years of history are presented in the Puddle Dock neighborhood. The historic houses open to visitors include elegant mansions, workers' family homes, a colonial tavern and a 1940s shop; most stand in their original locations. The museum therefore focuses on a different subject than the Shaker and artists' history of the interior.

Lakes, Scenic Roads and Maple Syrup

The Lakes Region Tour travels around Lake Winnipesaukee and offers opportunities to stop for hiking, visit historic museums, stroll through town centers and take a ride on the MS Mount Washington. Outdoor activities such as boating, fishing and hiking are also possible as part of the tour. On the western side of Lake Winnipesaukee, the route offers views of the lake and the Ossipee Mountain Range.

Roads cross all regions of New Hampshire and lead, among other places, through the White Mountains, along major New England rivers and to scenic and cultural destinations. More than 1,000 miles in New Hampshire are designated as driving routes for viewing the fall foliage and as scenic byways.

The regional food culture includes sugarhouses throughout New Hampshire. There, visitors can watch maple syrup production and sample the products; maple syrups and maple candies are available year-round. New Hampshire Maple Weekend takes place every year in March, when more than 90 sugarhouses open their doors to visitors.

For regional orientation, you can also consider Carroll, Grafton, Merrimack County and Sullivan County.

For the overarching travel overview: USA.

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