Follow signs to The Basin, where the now benign Pemigewasset River still continues the process begun 10,000 years ago. When the mile-high sheet of ice that formed the notch melted, torrents of water raged down this valley, carving a 20-foot smooth-bottomed depression into the solid granite of the mountain. Its walls rise 70 to 80 feet above the brook that flows through it, and you can follow it on a boardwalk just feet above the water. The Flume Gorge, in Franconia Notch State Park, is an 800-foot-long crack in the rock at the base of Mount Liberty. The Flume Gorge and Franconia Notch The Flume Gorge, Franconia Notch State Park There you can enjoy the sweeping views, and sip hot chocolate in the warming huts or around a fire pit.Īddress: 3168 Base Station Road, Marshfield Station, New HampshireĢ. The Cog Railway only ascends to the summit between May and October, but in the winter, you can ride as far as the Waumbek Station, an Alpine meadow at 4,000 feet elevation. In 1934, the world record wind speed was recorded here.
The mountain is notorious for its weather in 1934, the world record wind speed was recorded here.Īt the top, the Sherman Adams Visitors Center houses a small museum a cafeteria and the Mount Washington Observatory, a research station that studies extreme weather conditions, for which the mountain is notorious. Once there, you can visit the Sherman Adams Visitors Center, which houses a small museum a cafeteria and the Mount Washington Observatory, a research station that studies extreme weather conditions. The trip to the summit is about 45 minutes (an hour on the steam-powered train) and the round-trip is about 3 hours, including the layover at the top. Beware of falling soot, though - I once wore a white sweater on the morning run and returned looking like a Dalmatian. Those who long for the nostalgia of an authentic coal-fired steam engine train, can reserve the steamer special departures, twice daily from late May through early October. The easiest way to reach the top of Mount Washington, the highest elevation in the northern Appalachians at more than 6,000 feet, is on the steep Cog Railway that has been carrying tourists since it opened, the first of its kind in the world, in 1869. On a clear day, the view from the summit of Mount Washington spans four states on a cloudy day, you may be able to look down on the tops of clouds while the summit is in sunlight. Join me in exploring this state I love, with this guide to the top attractions in New Hampshire.ġ. And I still enjoy the adventures and outdoor sports here that were my favorite things to do as a child. Wherever else I've lived and wherever I travel, I always come back. I live in New Hampshire and grew up camping, hiking and skiing in the White Mountains. To be sure of seeing the highlights of this small but varied state, use our handy list of the top attractions in New Hampshire. Whether it's challenging hikes, sailing, foliage viewing in the fall, tax-free shopping, skiing in the winter, covered bridges, or colonial history, you'll find it – and plenty more – in New Hampshire.
The attractions that draw tourists to this part of New England include beautiful ocean and lake beaches, miles of kayaking waters, above-timberline hiking on the Appalachian Trail, sailing on mountain-ringed lakes, fun-filled theme and water parks for kids, exciting rides to mountaintops, and tours of historic houses. Along with the many places to visit, New Hampshire's natural attractions offer plenty of things to do in the great outdoors, many of them free. From its 18 miles of seacoast – the shortest of any coastal state in the US – to the summit of the Northeast's highest peak, New Hampshire packs plenty of variety into an easy-to-reach area.