Destinations United States
Kaitlyn Rosati
Summer is almost behind us, and the spookiest, most colorful season is approaching. Warm oversized sweater wearers, pumpkin spice latte lovers, and Halloween fanatics unite. Fall is approaching, and one of the most exciting things to look forward to is beginning to plan where to catch sight of the sunset-hued fall foliage this year. Some destinations are even more prime for catching the stunning sights of colorful leaves and trees, and coming to the USA’s Northeast typically guarantees the best views. While many choose to take a road trip of throughout New England to catch several states’ scenic fall views, there’s one state that reigns supreme when it comes to fall.
New Hampshire provides some of the USA’s most jaw-dropping fall foliage. The state’s geographical location creates top conditions, namely cool weather and high elevation, for the best leafage. If you haven’t made plans yet for your upcoming fall trip this year, there’s still time. However, with peak season right around the corner, you’ll want to read this to get the best tips for visiting a supreme state for those fall views.
What to know about visiting during peak season
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Fall foliage, like cherry blossoms, can be tough to catch when at its peak. Because of this, the New Hampshire tourism board has creatively innovated a fall foliage tracker, where curious visitors can start planning their visit based on estimated peak times. For this year, New Hampshire tourism states the best times to visit will be in late September, as anything before that is pre-peak, and anything after is post-peak.
People travel from all around the globe to come to New Hampshire in the fall, so it’s best to book lodging as far in advance as possible. If you haven’t booked anything yet and would still like to visit this year, you can book an Airbnb or hotel nearby and rent a car to take a day trip. Better yet, you can sleep at a campground to really be in the center of the foliage.
Another factor to consider when visiting New Hampshire during peak season is that many major attractions close or at least adjust their hours after Labor Day. Because of this, you’ll want to plan accordingly about which activities you partake in. Not to worry, though; the best fall activities are often simply getting outside and enjoying the natural paintings all around you.
Where to go in New Hampshire for the most fall-tastic views
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New Hampshire is a small state, so the options of where to see the best fall foliage are not as overwhelming as they would be if you were in a state like New York or Washington. One part of New Hampshire is, without a doubt, the best area to enjoy the colorful scenery of fall. White Mountains, New Hampshire is like living in an orange, red, and yellow rainbow from late September to early October. It’s easily one of the most picturesque towns on the East coast.
White Mountains has some great fall activities for the masses that choose to visit. One of the most popular activities is to drive along the 34.5 mile Kancamagus Highway, which is a recognized National Scenic Byway in the USA. This means it has met the threshold of having intrinsic archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, or scenic qualities.
While there are plenty of hiking trails in White Mountains, if you don’t feel like getting too physically laborious, take the Loon Mountain Gondola. Other options to see prime colors are by taking the Mount Washington Cog Railway, the Hobo Railroad, and the Conway Scenic Railroad.
