Adventure up the Kancamagus Pass, 2855 feet up, in December

 Hasn't snowed much this winter up here in the White Mountains. To see snow, I traveled up the Kancamagus Pass this past week to see the a few inches of snow that had fallen on the mountains.

There are a few places to stop and check out  the views on both sides of the Pass when traveling through. The areas are still plowed which is great. These are a few of the pictures I took while visiting. The Temp at the bottom was 45 degrees while at the top it was near 34 degrees.

A fun fact below:

Lincoln NH : Second on the Left Peepers Trail

Lincoln NH is such a lovely town. 

They are shopping, great places to eat, lots of activities to do and trails to be hiked! Lincoln is great because it's between the Kancamagus Highway and Franconia Notch. There are so many hiking trails when you head to both places that it will be hard to pick from them all. Kancamagus has Mt. Hancock, Mt. Kancamagus, Mt. Osceola, Mt. Chocotua and many more. There are also some lovely waterfalls to view, like Sabbaday and Champney. This area is a great place for looking at the leaves in the fall. There are views along the highway to stop and take pictures as well. 

If you head up Franconia Notch there are some more lovely mountains to hike and see beautiful fall views. Hike up Mt. Liberty, Mt. Lafayette, Mt. Lincoln and so on. There is also the Flumes to visit and you can take the tram up Cannon Mountain for some nice views. You can also make a stop at the Basin and hang out at Echo Lake.

When you are staying in Lincoln there is also the Loon Mountain to visit and the Alpine Adventures' Zipline tour. Also enjoy a train ride on the Hobo Railroad which will give you a tour of some lovely views through the white mountains! Lodging in Lincoln is a great idea for those who want to be Leaf Peepers this year! There are campgrounds, hotels, Inns and cottages that are found all over Lincoln! So, if you are up for some fun this fall, head over to Lincoln for some Color Changing Fun in the White Mountains of New Hampshire!

Leaf Peeper Season is coming...great places to stay!

This is a great time of year to be hiking up in the White Mountains. The trees are turning colors, the air is cool and there is so much "ah" around! I love this time of year to get outdoors and get hiking, biking and taking walks on the paths. So when you come from other areas of New England or even further away, you might not know the best places to stay at and what are around them. Here are a few great spots that I have enjoyed over the years and places around them you might love to see!

Our first Stop:

Jackson NH : This is a great town to stay in when you are up here in the Whites. There are some beautiful hotels and lodges to stay at such as Inn at Thorn Hill and Spa (which is award winning), Whitney's Inn at Jackson which has been around since 1840's,  Glen Oaks Inn, Inn at Ellis River and much more! When you stay around here there are so many places to hike and see! Pinkham Notch is just a hop down Route 16! There are tons of places to explore in Pinkham Notch, which as Auto Road up to Mt. Washington, Bike Trails at Great Glen Trails, hike up Tuckerman Ravine, visit the Lost Pond, see Glen Ellis Falls, go up Mt. Wildcat (Four Peaks) one is also the ski resort and zipline! There is so much to see on that road!
Plus if you want to head another direction, go over to Crawford Notch on route 302! There are lots of trails to hike, mountains to see lovely views from, stop by & see the Mt. Washington Hotel! So beautiful. Also on this road is the Cog Railway up to Mt. Washington, and two trails if hiking is your style! There is also Bretton Woods is near by!
If you want to head over to North Conway there are some great places to eat and places to shop! When you are in Conway, you are not far from the Kancamagus Highway where you can hike up Mt. Chocorua!
Staying in Jackson is such a great idea for you are in the heart of such a beautiful area for the fall! You will be happy about your stay here!
I say all this because, as a kid, we traveled through these parts all the time, since I didn't live far away and loved it most when it was Fall:) Even as an adult, I travel here with my family to see the leaves through Jackson and around the area!

Our Second stop will be Lincoln NH on the next post!

For the Day Hiker

I have never slept over in one of the huts in the White Mountains. Though I do hope that one day I get the chance to go so, for I have the equipment for a night over. It would be so wonderful to walk up looking over the valleys and seeing beautiful views. But for now, I am a day hiker! I love hiking from morning until evening.
But sometimes during a travel, there is not enough time to do a long hike so it's fun to get out and stretch the legs on a walk. 
Here are some great day hikes that are very easy to do and wonderful things to see...

1. Glen Ellis Falls
When I was younger, my parents would stop here every summer to check out falls. This is a 64-foot waterfall and it's so beautiful. It's an easy hike for all ages, about .6 mile round trip. It could take you about 30 minutes but it's worth the stop. It's in Pinkham's Notch, near Wild Cat.

2. The Basin and The Basin-Cascades Trail
I love going here every year. My parents sometimes would take my sister and I here when we were younger. Great for kids and pets. It's located in Franconia Notch. It's about 2 and half miles round trip. It starts off easy but on the way up can get rocky. There are some great falls to see and the Basin is so beautiful. It's a great place to stop and check out.

3. Mt. Willard
This is not a large mountain to hike up. The elevation gain is about 900feet from where you start. It's about a moderate hike. Great for pets and children. The trail starts near the AMC Highland Center. The trip can be around 3 to 4 hours long. Great views! To find Mt. Willard travel to Crawford Notch!

4. Boulder Loop
I love boulders and so does my stepson. This trail has a few wonderful boulder spots to climb around. The loop itself is about 3 miles around and can take you about 2 to 3 hours. Though if you enjoy playing on the boulders, it can take even longer!  This wonderful trail can be found on the Kancamagus Highway!

Happy Hiking!:)