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3 beautiful hikes in the White Mountains
Explore these three New Hampshire hikes recommended by the Appalachian Mountain Club.
New Hampshire’s White Mountains are full of exciting hiking trails for folks of all ages and skill levels, according to Sara DeLucia, guided adventures success manager for the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC).
“Maybe people think of the White Mountains as really strenuous terrain or really challenging, but there are hikes that are moderate and accessible to most people,” DeLucia said. “So they shouldn’t be turned off by the stories of Mt. Washington or these really challenging hikes. There is definitely something for everyone.”
Ahead, DeLucia shares three of her favorite hikes in the White Mountains. Before heading out for a hike, make sure to following the safety measures outlined by the White Mountain National Forest and the NH Fish & Game Department, DeLucia advised.
Arethusa Falls Trail in Hart’s Location
Hikers on the Arethusa Falls Trail in Crawford Notch State Park are in a for a real treat: New Hampshire’s highest waterfall.
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It’s a 1.3-mile hike to the near 200-foot waterfall, according to DeLucia.
“You are hiking through this forest for a while and then you come out and it’s just an impressive feature in the middle of the woods,” she said. “It’s pretty cool. It’s not a raging waterfall but it’s a cascading waterfall over this rocky area.”
Once at the waterfall, folks can hike down to the bottom and sit and dip their feet in the water, she said.
The falls were discovered by Edward Tuckerman in 1875, according to visitwhitemountains.com, who named it after a nymph in Greek mythology that turned into a fountain.
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This is a moderate hike, DeLucia said.
Zealand Trail in Bethlehem
Zealand Trail has a lot to offer hikers, according to DeLucia.
“It connects to the Appalachian Trail, and you get to hike a short section of it and it goes out to Zealand Falls,” she said.
The Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Maine to Georgia, is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world, and the New Hampshire portion offers more miles above the treeline than any other state on the trail, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.
It’s about 2 1/2 miles to the falls, DeLucia said.
“You are going through this beautiful forest,” she said. “The trail part of it is an old railroad bed.”
Hikers pass a beaver pond and marsh area, which is a great place for spotting wildlife, she said. Then there is a short climb before hikers discover Zealand Falls.
“It’s just a beautiful, remote waterfall,” she said. “It’s kind of cascading over granite with some rocky pools that you can dip your feet in.”
There is also an AMC Zealand Falls Hut on the trail, where hikers can stay overnight with a reservation.
This is a moderate hike, DeLucia said.
Mount Willard Trail in Hart’s Location
Hikers will long remember the summit of Mount Willard, DeLucia said.
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“It comes out to this amazing view, and you really feel like you’ve accomplished something,” she said.
Mount Willard’s elevation is 2,865 feet, and the summit is located in Crawford Notch State Park. It is a 1.6-mile hike up to the summit, she said, and you are following an old carriage road.
Hikers are climbing the whole way, she said, but it’s a moderate climb. Folks start out at the top of Crawford Notch and hike along forests and along a stream and there’s a tiny waterfall and an area called the Centennial Pool, she said.
But back to that view.
“If you look to your left, you can see the southern end of the Presidential Range,” she said. “Looking straight ahead is Crawford Notch, and to your right is Mount Tom and Mt. Willey — a couple of 4,000 footers.”
This is a moderate hike, DeLucia said.
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