The White Mountain National Forest, spanning New Hampshire and western Maine, is one of the Northeast’s popular outdoor destinations. The forest offers more than 800,000 acres of wilderness, scenic byways, and diverse ecosystems. Visitors can explore hundreds of miles of hiking trails, including portions of the Appalachian Trail, along with waterfalls, dense hardwood and evergreen forests, and wildlife ranging from moose to black bears.
- Loon Peak
- Kancamagus Highway (Route 112)
- Sabbaday Falls
Loon Peak – Located in the heart of the White Mountain National Forest, you can reach the summit via gondola for activities like hiking, exploring glacial caves, and enjoying panoramic views of the White Mountains.
Loon Peak, Views – At the summit, we enjoyed sweeping mountain scenery from viewing platforms and the observation tower.
Loon Peak, Glacial Caves – Hiking the glacial caves is a lot of fun. The short trail winds through narrow passageways formed by clusters of massive granite boulders, offering plenty of squeezing, crawling, and family-friendly scrambling. It adds a playful dose of adventure to the hike and contrasts nicely with the wide-open mountain views at the summit.
Kancamagus Highway (Route 112) – is a renowned 34.5-mile scenic byway that runs directly through White Mountain National Forest connecting Lincoln and Conway. It’s celebrated for its spectacular fall foliage, scenic waterfalls, historic covered bridges, and numerous hiking trails within the White Mountain National Forest.
Kancamagus Highway, Lower Falls – is a popular destination on the Kancamagus Highway. The Swift River drops over smooth granite rocks into a large pool and is an ideal place to picnic, sun bathe, and swim. There is an 80 car parking lot, restrooms, and picnic tables with charcoal grills. The rocks can be quite slippery especially during high water – extreme caution should be exercised while visiting the falls and the river.
Sabbaday Falls – After visiting Loon Peak, we stopped by this beautiful and easy-to-access waterfall in the White Mountains, located on Kancamagus Highway (Route 112). A short well-maintained path with bridges and steps leads to the water fall.
