Tucked into New England’s interior, the White Mountains cover nearly one-fourth of New Hampshire and offer plenty of things to do. Climb to the highest points of these rough, rugged peaks to find an alpine tundra. Most folks, however, know the White Mountains from below. Towns with covered bridges and seasonal attractions dot the landscape, strewn together by hiking trails displaying a new face for every season. It's ever-popular with the leaf-peeping crowd, but those who visit the White Mountains outside of autumn are still spoiled with gorgeous scenery.
Autumn is undeniably one of the most popular times to visit the White Mountains, particularly for peak fall foliage. Most towns embrace the holiday spirit from Halloween through Christmas, though some trails or trains may be closed when snowfall piles up. Annual winter events like the Ice Fishing Derby offer reasons to come throughout the year, but you’ll find the fewest crowds around the covered bridges from Labor Day until peak fall bloom and for mud season in early spring.
New Hampshire may be a small state, but don’t take its size for granted: limited public transportation means you’ll likely want a car to get around the White Mountains. Most of the mountain towns are within a few minutes of each other by car. Another option is to use Concord Coach Line buses to get from the airport to the White Mountains, and then take Greyhound Line buses to get around the major Franconia Notch region towns.
Book fall travel—particularly hotels and attractions—early as prices soar and vacancies fill up fast. The Kancamagus Scenic Byway and Mount Washington Auto Road are popular drives, but don’t forget that there are 50 other scenic byways, such as General John Stark, that have less traffic congestion. Travelers flying into Manchester or Boston should be aware that the White Mountains often have cell service drops, so it’s best to avoid driving late at night if you're a first-time visitor.
