Fall is one of those seasons that just is awe inspiring. The trees burst into color all around you. One of the best places to view this glorious display of death is no other then the White Mountains in New Hampshire. So if you want to enjoy fall the best way possible, then here is my suggestion for the most epic fall drive through the White mountains. Depending on where you start from I’m going to give you a loop so you can jump on or off at any point you need to.
We started our trip in the south so we will kick off the tour in North Conway. North Conway is a beautiful town nestled in the White Mountains. As you pass by the shops and the beautiful down town area on route 302 west you will see a viewing stop. Take advantage of it and on a clear day you can see Mount Washington.
Next continue west on 302. When you pass route 16 on your right and that in another amazing road that will take you to the Mount Washington Auto Road. For today, however we are going to keep going west. If you have time I highly suggest it. As you continue there are plenty of turn offs and beautiful places to go. But back to 302, the first stop I want to point out is in Crawford Notch which has Silver Cascades. Silver Cascades is an amazing multi tear waterfall cascading down about 250 feet. There is a parking lot across the street from it and it’s a perfect stopping spot to see a waterfall with changing colors in the trees all around it. One quick note to be aware of though, usually there are a lot of people and the road is on a hill so drivers tend to speed. So be aware of when you cross the street so you don’t become roadkill.
Continuing on 302 there is a quick turn around on your left to a beautiful outlook of the notch. Definitely stop there and take it all in.
Next up is one of my favorite views of Mount Washington. There are two ways to do this but once you get to the Omni resort you can either go a-crossed the road for a scenic over view or pull into the resorts property for a great view of Mount Washington with the hotel right there. You will also notice a railroad track making its way up the mountain and that is the Cog railroad which takes you by train up Mount Washington.
Continue on until you reach Twin Mountains then turn towards 93. You go through a couple of remote towns and a dense forest. It will seem a little boring at first but don’t worry the best part is coming up. Once you turn on to 93 you are greeted with one of my favorite views in all of the white mountains. Franconia Notch is absolutely incredible. Everywhere you look there are huge mountains. You wind around some lakes and more amazing views. This is where you used to be able to see the famous Man on the Mountain until it fell off. There are great places to stop and hike or just enjoy right off the road, like Artist bluff, eagle lake, the Flume, and the Basin. After you have regained your breath from all of this amazing experience you’ll head off of 93 and get into Lincoln. Which by the way take the second exit to Lincoln not the first one, I made that mistake once…
Now prepare for the most famous part of the white mountains; the Kangamangus Highway! This road is like the crown on the king of the white mountains. A massive 30+ mile long road with nothing but view, turn outs, hikes, and amazing things to do. Keep in mind there are no gas stations the whole way. So prepared ahead and you won’t be stranded. Take it all in and enjoy the scenic turn outs. However one mistake many people make is to drive through it and never stop. We haven’t done all the stops but some of our favorites are Sabbday Falls, Rocky Gorge, and the Albany Covered Bridge (if you stop there is a $5 free that’s good for the day.). I will have some videos on those posted soon so keep an eye out. Once you go through the whole Kangamangus Highway you will finish the loop by coming back to 302.
That’s my fall foliage drive that I think everyone should be doing. So get out there and take in the fall colors. What is your favorite fall drive? Let me know in the comments.
Adventuring in the Moment 