5 Iconic Fall Hiking Spots in New Hampshire – must visit !

New England is THE spot to chase beautiful fall foliage, and New Hampshire is one of my favorite destinations. It has the mountains, lakes, waterfalls, beaches, and more. While I was visiting family last Fall, I made time to drive up to the White Mountains. Here are 5 amazing spots you need to stop!

New Hampshire is one of the six states that make up New England (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island) which is the region of the Northeast United States (much like how the Pacific Northwest encompasses Oregon and Washington). I grew up in Massachusetts and would drive up to New Hampshire often to explore the towns, meet up with friends, and of course, to hike. I focused my trip around the White Mountains area, this is the north-central region of New Hampshire, and features breathtaking views. However, I did drive up further north for one particular hike on this list that I was excited to finally visit for the first time.

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How to Get to New Hampshire

The most popular option is to fly into Logan International Airport in Boston, MA and drive roughly 2.5 hours to the White Mountains. If you have any extra time I would definitely recommend spending some time in Boston, this is one of my favorite cities, but of course I am biased! Another option is to fly into Bradley International Airport in Hartford, CT and drive 4 hours. If you are interested in stopping in Vermont along the way to New Hampshire this may be a better option for you. The most direct way would be to fly into Portsmouth International Airport and drive 2 hours; however, this could be more costly since it is a smaller airport. Other options:

• Burlington International Airport (2.5 hour drive)
• Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (2.5 hour drive)

The Best Time to Visit for Fall

This varies from year to year depending on a number of factors, but it has been found that a stretch of warm, sunny days with cool (not freezing) nights will produce vibrant colors. You want to visit during “peak” time which can be early to late October (typically). Check on foliage reports (such as the New Hampshire Foliage Tracker) during late summer, but if you need to book your trip sooner than your best bet would be sometime in that timeframe. The photos in this blog are from the first week of October and when we left it definitely was hitting “peak” time. This particular year was not as vibrant compared to past years when I lived in New England, they experienced many freezing nights and more precipitation during the summer months than usual.

What to Wear

Packing layers is definitely key when visiting anywhere in New England during the Fall time, it can range from sunny in the 70s to chill, rainy days. As a New Englander, I recommend bringing these items:

What to Wear:

• Hiking Tops – I always start with a t shirt and I recommend not buying anything with cotton, this Patagonia t shirt is the perfect hiking top and if you’d like more coverage from the sun, this long sleeve REI Co-op shirt is cute and practical. You want to be prepared for those unexpected warm, sunny days
• New England Style – of course you need a cute flannel from LL Bean (the flagship store is in Maine!)
• Sweater – a comfy, stylish sweater is a must when visiting New Hampshire (obviously for the cute photos)
• Outer Layer – This is where your layers come in, I brought my Patagonia Nano Puff for those cold days and paired with a REI Co-op rain jacket if it was a chilly, rainy day.
• Bottoms – I wore my REI Co-op Trailmade leggings these are great because they have pockets! Or if you’d prefer pants, the REI Co-op Trailmade Pants are perfect for hiking and you can’t go wrong with Glyder leggings.
• Socks – I absolutely love socks, I truly have a problem (lol) and I have found that Smartwool and Darn Tough are my favorite hiking sock brands. Darn tough is based in Vermont!
• Footwear – I wear my Danner boots for hiking and my Blundstones for casual, cute footwear
• Beanie – You’ll need a beanie for those chilly mornings

Extras:

• Day Backpack – I have two day packs, I will use my Osprey 24L or my Gregory 28L depending on the hike and what I will need to bring. Both have a suspension system that allows more breathability that really makes a difference for me.
• Camera
• Sunscreen – as always, lather up in sunscreen and remember to re-apply!

Things to Know Before You Go

• Book early – accommodations will be limited if you wait too long, so plan to book months in advance before your trip (this includes campsites).
• Follow Leave Not Trace (LNT) Principles – Let’s keep our Forests clean and follow the seven principles of LNT
• Entrance and Park Fees – Most areas are free to explore within the White Mountain National Forest, but other areas such as the Flume Gorge and Kancamagus Highway do require a fee. Check out the White Mountain Annual Pass as well.
• Service – WiFi is spotty throughout this area so be sure to download all your maps and other information you may require during your visit.
• Eyes on the road – I know it is super tempting, but many accidents happen during the Fall season throughout New England because visitors are busy admiring the beautiful, fall foliage instead of the road.
• Weather – I want to emphasis again that the weather in New Hampshire can vary greatly, expect rain at least one of the days, and always check the weather forecast before heading out.

5 Epic Incredible Hikes in New Hampshire

Arethusa Falls

• Moderate
• 2.8 miles, roundtrip
• 885 feet of elevation gain
• Bathroom at TH
• Kid friendly
• Dogs on Leash

This is a popular waterfall hike and for good reason. We started this trail in the late afternoon, it was a comfortable temperature out as we hiked through the colorful forest. When we arrived at the waterfall there was a large group right by the falls, I managed to snap some shots while they moved into the woods. I had never been to this waterfall before and this was a rather large waterfall for New England standards. Highly recommend checking this one out.

Artist Bluff

• 1.5 miles, round-trip
• Moderate
• 436 feet of elevation gain
• Dogs on Leash

We hiked to this spot for sunset and oh boy was it busy! This was the busiest trail we hiked during our trip, but it was absolutely worth it. My friend had said after our trip that this was her favorite hike we did. The light hitting the reds, yellows, and oranges were spectacular. It was very windy this day, I carefully climbed down to this spot, safely away from the edge. I would definitely love to hike this spot in the morning as well since it was a pretty short hike through the woods!

Table Rock

• Moderate
• 1.5 miles, roundtrip
• 770 feet of elevation gain
• No bathrooms at TH
• Dogs on Leash, but I would not recommend if you are going going to the overlook

The parking lot is small and just off the main road. We arrived just before sunrise and there were already 4 cars there. This was a nice workout in the early morning and when we reaching the overlook with views of Dixville Notch and Lake Gloriette there were around 8 people. This is a small area and not for the faint of heart, I would not recommend going to the overlook if you are afraid of heights. This spot has become very popular over the years, especially during Fall time so be prepared to share this small area with many people. I spent all of 10-15 minutes taking photos and briefly talking to the other hikers.

Mount Wilard

• Moderate
• 3.1 miles, roundtrip
• 895 feet of elevation gain
• Bathrooms at TH
• Dog Friendly
• Kid Friendly

This was our last hike in New Hampshire for this trip, its a nice gradual incline the whole way to the top, definitely will get you breathing. The views were spectacular and we shared the space with around 15/20 people, but there was plenty of room. It was windy this day, my hair was wiping in my face for most of these shots, but managed to get a couple decent ones! I would definitely love to come back to this trail.

Flume Gorge

• Moderate
• 2.2 miles, round trip
• 482 feet of elevation gain
• Bathrooms at TH
• Kid Friendly
• No Dogs Allowed

You need an advanced ticket to reserve a time when you can hike this trail, it is very busy during the Fall so plan accordingly. The photo is from 4/5 years ago in mid-September when it was too early for Fall colors. The gorge is open around mid-May to mid-October, it is a natural gorge that was actually discovered by a 93 year old woman back in 1808, she was out fishing and accidentally stumbled upon the gorge. Her family didn’t believe her at first, but she eventually persuaded them – I really love this story, it must have been quite a site!

Kancamagus Highway

In addition to the above mentioned trails, hop on Route 112 to take in all the beautiful scenery. This highway stretches roughly 56 miles connecting Bath to Conway through the heart of the White Mountain National Forest.