Autumn always makes me long for New Hampshire. The release of Noah Kahan's mandolin-and-New England-infused album, Stick Season, has only intensified the nostalgia. (I've listened to "Orange Juice" 52 times in the last 48 hours). With a lull in the mid-quarter chaos and no new adventures on the horizon - wildfires continue to rage, and we're not sure Subi's transmission would survive another trip to the mountains - I'm digging through the archives and reminiscing about some of my favorite New Hampshire spots in the fall.
Easy: Swift River, Kancamagus Highway, Albany
The Kancamagus - or "The Kanc", if you want to sound in the know - is New Hampshire's best known road, cutting east to west across the White Mountains and absolutely exploding with color in the fall. It's named after the last sagamore of the Pennacook tribe, who was tricked into a Red-Wedding-esque situation by the militia but eventually led the successful Raid on Dover in retaliation. There are pullouts for the Swift River all along the Kancamagus, each one more stunning than the last.
Easy: Mirror Lake, Woodstock
A small public beach in an I-93 adjacent neighborhood affords stunning views of this lake, which really lives up to its name on a still autumn morning.
Easy: Artist's Bluff, 1.5 miles, 436 feet
In every other season, the ethos of the White Mountains is "work hard for your views." You can put in double digit miles and hardly break treeline. But autumn is a role reversal. The best hikes are often the easiest, keeping you at low elevation and close to the brilliant carpet of maples, birches, and oaks. Expect crowds at this Instagram-beloved location.
Moderate: Lonesome Lake, 3.1 miles, 1026 feet
Located just down the road from Artist's Bluff, half the fun in this hike is the drive. The Franconia Notch stretch of I-93 is stunning in any season, but particularly spectacular in fall.
Lonesome Lake was the first stop in what I fondly remember as the hike from hell. I had devised a horrendous, 10+ mile route from Lonesome Lake to the Cannon Balls and over to the Kinsmans for Anya and I to attempt. The last 1/2 mile from North Kinsman Peak to Kinsman Peak would have been a glorious ridge walk affording views of Franconia Valley bathed in gold, but the previous 9.5 miles were a righteous slog through evergreens and boulder fields without a single leaf in sight. And alas, we ended up running out of daylight (and steam), turning before we even made it to the ridge. If only I had listened to my own advice that the best hikes in fall are often the easiest! I nonetheless remember the hike quite fondly - it was one of those experiences that could have been frustrating, but was made enjoyable by great company and high spirits. The stop at Lonesome Lake was an excellent consolation prize, and I have since returned multiple times to only see Lonesome Lake.
Moderate: Mount Willard, 3.1 miles, 895 feet
Looping northwest, the Crawford Notch area is second only to Franconia Notch for foliage.
Moderate: Welch-Dickey Loop, 4.4 miles, 1778 feet
Another hike where the drive to the trailhead almost rivals the hike itself for foliage views.
Hard: Mt. Tremont, 5.3 miles, 2526 feet
Hard: Mt. Carrigan, 10.0 miles, 3488 feet
Deep in the heart of the Whites, Mt. Carrigain is the only double-digit mile hike that makes it into my autumn favorites. It's the center point of the White Mountain range; when you're standing at the summit, you get 360 degree views without a highway or town in sight.
