Appalachian Trail - New Hampshire Active and Adventure Travel Guide

Trail Stats: 160.9 Trail Miles, 16 Hiker Shelters, 8 AMC Huts
One of the Appalachian Trail’s crown jewels, New Hampshire sports some of the toughest hiking along the entire trail, but it’s worth every ounce of your blood, sweat, and tears. The White Mountains are among the most popular on the east coast, and for good reason. It takes serious effort to tag some of these peaks, but you get what you pay for: You’re rewarded with panoramic views on windswept summits—many above timberline—that are not easily forgotten.
The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) manages a series of eight huts that bring a little civilization to the White Mountains. Each hut is run by seasonal volunteer staffers who make breakfasts and dinners, and entertain visitors with fun (perhaps goofy) skits and educational presentations. These simple accommodations make the rugged terrain a little less foreboding. They also offer a “civilized camping” experience that allows anyone willing to put in some effort the opportunity to enjoy this amazing landscape without having to lug a ton of camping gear. Huts are only staffed and offer full service during the summer months and range from $75 to $95 per night. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Though the Presidential Range gets most of the press, it’s possible to experience the White Mountains without the crowds. Challenging and rewarding mountains like Mount Moosilauke, South and North Kinsman, Mount Lincoln, Mount Lafayette, Mount Guyot, the Wildcat peaks, and the Carters all see far less traffic and are no less spectacular.
Recommended 3- to 4-Day Trip: This strenuous 26-mile hike is the real deal. To start, you ascend 2,700 feet to Mount Webster, during which all but the hardiest of hikers will be wondering why they wanted to tackle this route. Once the ridgeline is reached your purpose becomes clear: to enjoy the next 15 awe-inspiring miles above treeline as the trail snakes its way up the Presidential Range, with panoramic views nearly every step of the way. There are three AMC-operated huts located over this stretch of trail, offering rustic accommodations and hot meals between days of trail bliss. The high point of the trip, 6,288-foot Mount Washington is the highest point in the northeast and offers amazing views for hundreds of miles around. However, it is often overrun with tourists, as it is not only accessible by car, but a cog railroad runs to the top. Don’t let this dissuade you, for this hike you don’t need to be on the highest peak to be utterly floored by the views. The last peak, 5,367-foot Mount Madison, offers the final vista before you descend very steeply to Pinkham Notch. Directions: U.S. 302 (Crawford Notch) near Bartlett, north to New Hampshire 16 (Pinkham Notch) at the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center.

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Appalachian Trail - New Hampshire Active and Adventure Travel Guide

Appalachian Trail - New Hampshire Active and Adventure Travel Guide

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