Where to Hike on New England’s Tallest Mountains

Have your kids ever spent a day hiking along a rocky ridge, looking down on clouds? Or climbed through the forest beside a mountain stream that drops in a series of splashing waterfalls? Or watched the trees grow smaller and smaller as they climb higher, until the forest disappears entirely in a landscape of rocks and tiny alpine flowers? If not, and you love the out-of-doors, your family should travel to New Hampshire’s White Mountains for a hiking vacation.

Even the tallest of New Hampshire’s White Mountains, mile-high Mount Washington, can be climbed in a day. Of the several trail options, the easiest climb to the summit is on the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, which begins close to the mountain’s historic Cog Railway.

Longer hiking trips can follow the Appalachian Trail along the Presidential Range, reaching the summits of several mountains and staying overnight in AMC huts along the way. The convenient White Mountain Hiker Shuttle will return you to your car at the starting point to avoid retracing your route.

The White Mountains offer lots of lodging options, from cozy B&Bs to luxury hotels in North Conway and Jackson to campgrounds in White Mountain National Forest. But hiking in the Presidential Range has a back-to-basics mystique of its own, a place where king-sized beds with Frette linens, memory-foam mattresses and pillow concierges don’t quite fit.

For the full experience kids will always remember — and which might lead them to a lifetime of outdoor adventures — families can opt a night’s sleep in a cozy, down-filled sleeping bag and for dinners cooked on a campfire or Coleman stove.

Those without camping gear can choose from an increasing number of campgrounds offering cabins with basic fittings, such as bedding and cooking facilities. A step up on the luxury scale, but with some of the elements of camping intact, are glamping resorts such as Huttopia, where safari-style tents come with varying amenities such as indoor plumbing and refrigerators.

The ultimate outdoor adventure in the White Mountains is hiking “hut to hut” along the Appalachian Trail, staying at huts operated by Appalachian Mountain Club. These rustic cabins, most situated high on mountainsides and some on the rocky reaches above timberline, offer bunk rooms with bedding and hearty dinners and breakfasts. They send you off in the morning with a filling trail lunch, water and a lot of good memories.

Be sure to also stay up to date on and pack for the weather, as weather changes fast in the White Mountains.