9 Best Hiking Trails for Fall in the White Mountains of New Hampshire

A White Mountains Hiking Guide

With the cool days and dramatic bursts of color, fall is the best time of the year to head to the Whites for a day of hiking and adventure. As a local to the Whites Mountains, I know all the best spots to enjoy the views, so join me as I share the 9 best hikes for fall in the White Mountains!

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Growing up in the White Mountains, I’ve always associated fall with pure magic—and once you’ve experienced it for yourself, you’ll get it. The crisp air, the fiery leaves, the way the light hits the ridgelines just right… it’s like stepping into a postcard. To make the most of your time in the Whites, I highly recommend doing a little planning ahead and hitting the trail earlier than you think you need to—parking fills up fast, and trust me, you won’t want to rush these views.

Whether you’re looking for a short, colorful stroll or a full-on summit adventure, these are my favorite fall hikes in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

Here are 9 of the best fall hikes in the White Mountains—each one offering its own dose of color, views, and autumn magic.

9 Best Hikes In the White Mountains for Fall Foliage

1. West Rattlesnake Mountain

If you’re looking for a casual hike with stunning views of Squam lake that’s close to Plymouth, then you might consider West Rattlesnake Mountain.

The trail is wide for the most part which is great for larger groups, and the terrain is surprisingly level for a New Hampshire hike so you could get away with a good pair of sneakers if you don’t have a pair of hiking boots.

More about hiking boots here: Ultimate Hiking Boot Guide for Women

To find the trailhead, enter “Pinehurt Rd” into Google. From there, follow the Col Trail (blue) to the Ridge Trail (green) and continue to the top. The summit is a rocky bluff overlooking Squam Lake.

Highlights:

• Gorgeous views of Squam Lake
• Short and sweet
• Dogs welcome

2. Franconia Loop Trail

One of the best fall hikes in the White Mountains, the Franconia Ridge Loop offers unbeatable views of Franconia Notch and the Presidential Range beyond. This iconic hike takes you above the treeline for a 1.7-mile stretch along the ridgeline, where fall foliage spreads out in every direction.

The loop starts on the Falling Waters Trail, climbing past waterfalls to the summit of Little Haystack. From there, follow the Franconia Ridge Trail over Mount Lincoln and Mount Lafayette before descending via the Old Bridle Path.

Start your hike from the Lafayette Campground parking area in Franconia Notch State Park. If full, head to the Cannon Mountain tram lot (Exit 34B) and use the free shuttle to the trailhead.

Expect steep, rocky climbs, slippery conditions near the waterfalls, and exposed ledges—not ideal if you’re afraid of heights. And please don’t underestimate the weather. Turn back at the first sign of dark clouds or strong wind.

From Lafayette’s summit, take in the panoramic foliage before dropping down to the Greenleaf Hut (a great place to refill your water and grab a snack) and continue past Eagle Lake on the descent.

Highlights:

• A true classic in the Whites
• Stunning, panoramic views of the northern White Mountains
• A ridgeline hike
• Lots of waterfalls via Falling Waters Trail

3. Mount Garfield

Like the Franconia Loop Trail, Mount Garfield offers unobscured and sweeping views of the surrounding mountains. If you’re looking for similar views to the Loop Trail but don’t want to work as hard, you should consider Garfield.

Park at the Garfield Trailhead parking area off Gale River Loop Rd by Route 3, the trailhead itself is well marked. From here it’s a fairly straightforward hike with a gradual but steady incline all the way up. During the last .5 miles there is some rock scrambling, and that is easily the hardest part of this hike! Be on the lookout for where the Mt. Garfield Trails meets with the Garfield Degle/AT for the final .2 miles to the summit.

There is the remnants of an old fire tower up there, so have fun exploring and enjoy the views! Follow the same trail down back to your car.

Highlights:

• Gorgeous, unobscured views of the Franconia region
• Long, steady ascent but not too rocky
• Knock off a 4,000 footer

3. Artist’s Bluff and Bald Knob

For the amount of work that you put in, the views here do not disappoint. There are actually two peaks and you can choose to hike one or both. To find the trailhead, you will park at the Cannon Mountain parking lot across the street from the main lodge with the “Cannon Mountain” sign. There you will see the trailhead marker with the distance to each summit.

To do to the loop trail, follow the trail and take a slight left to go up a rocky incline. After a short while you will come across an intersection where you can take a left to summit Bald Knob (I recommend it) or a right to continue the loop to Artist’s Bluff.

Once you summit Bald Knob, descend the same way you took up and then you will rejoin the main trail. Continue on to Artisits Bluff. Note that the bluff is slightly concealed, so you will need to veer to the left and beat back some tree branches for the full view.

If you wanted to only hike the Bluff take a right at the beginning of the trail and instead of a loop it will be an out and back trail, cutting off the bald knob section entirely.

Highlights:

• Short and sweet
• Stunning views of Cannon and Franconia Notch
• Customizable experience
• Plenty of parking

5. North and Middle Sugarloaf

This hike is rocky and steep, but doesn’t take too long and has very rewarding views. This trail is dog friendly, although they must be leashed. Begin at the small parking area near the trailhead for the Sugarloaf Trail off route 302 in Bethlehem, NH.

From there follow the steep, and often rocky trail to North Sugarloaf, and from there you can choose to continue on to Middle Sugarloaf. It’s a little more work, but the second summit has more open views allowing for the biggest reward of the two.

This short but steep hike is great for those who want to get the heart pumping without spending all day in the woods, while also getting a stunning view of the surrounding mountains.

Highlights:

• Stunning views at Middle Sugarloaf
• Short but challenging
• Features a wooden ladder to climb, which is fun!

6. Arethusa Falls

This short hike will lead you to a magnificent waterfall with smaller ones leading up to it and you can enjoy the sun filtering through the colorful leaves as you enjoy the sound of a brook along the way.

To access the trailhead, travel along Crawford notch via NH Route 302 and look for a large wooden sign that says “Arethusa Falls” on the side of the highway. You will find a spacious parking lot, and from there you will cross the train tracks to find a wooden sign with the trails and distance marked.

I suggest that you take the Bemis Brook Trail and then connect to Arethus Falls Trail on the way up. Although it’s a little more steep, you will get to pass three lovely waterfalls on the way. It’s worth the extra work!

Once you make it to the falls, soak in the views and relax for a bit before heading back down via the Arethusa Falls Trail.

Highlights:

• Waterfalls- and lots of them!
• Short and simple
• Stunning fall views with swimming opportunities

7. North and South Doublehead

If you’re up for a little more challenge with some lovely views of the Presidentials, I would consider North and South Doublehead in Jackson. To access the trailhead you will get to drive through the quaint village of Jackson, complete with a covered bridge!

Does it get any more New England than that? Don’t be afraid to stop and take a picture with all the fall colors!

The loop starts on the Ski Trail and leads to the Old Path, taking the New path back down after completing South Doublehead to reconnect with the Ski trail and complete the hike in the parking lot.

The path is quite wide as it is a ski trail, although it is rocky so be sure to wear proper hiking boots. There is a ski lodge at the top of North Doublehead, so be sure to check that out too!

The views are not 360, but they’re lovely. I think what really shines on this trip is the hike in the woods, it’s very wide so lots of sun can filter through.

Highlights:

• Wide trail allowing for larger groups to complete this comfortably
• Gorgeous views of the Presidential range
• Covered bridge
• Part of 52 with a View

8. Mt. Adams and Mt. Madison Loop

If you’re ready to put in work for some breathtaking views, consider this loop along the Presidential Range. This trail is rocky, rough, fun, and really makes you feel like a bad ass adventurer!

The loop will take you along the Randolph Path which starts on Pinkham B road off of route 2 in Randolph New Hampshire. Stay on Randolph Path for 0.7 miles before briefly connecting with the Brookside Trail, to Valley Way, and then back on the Randolph Path.

Stay on Randolph Path for 0.3 miles until it Joins with the Airline Trail. Stay on the Ariline Trail for 1.5 miles until it joins with the King Ravine Trail. Stay on the King Ravine Trail for .5 miles before joining with the Great Gully Trail, which you stay on for 1 Mile.

Finally, join the Lowes Path for the last .2 mile push to the summit of Mount Adams.

Soak in the views, and then prepare to summit Mount Madison. From the peak of Mount Adams, take the Lowes Path for .5 mile to join the Gulfside Trail. Take the Gulfside Trail down to Madison Spring Hut, which closes in the spring, winter, and fall. From there you continue back up the Gulfside Trail to summit Mount Madison at 5,315 feet.

From the summit of Mount Madison, take the Gulfside Trail 0.2 miles before joining with the Hawker Ridge Trail. Take this trail the 3 miles back down to your car.

Highlights:

• A really cool and rocky hike
• Gorgeous views from the Presidential Range
• A cool lake and a hut

9. Mt. Agassiz

This is a very short, but very steep hike that follows an old auto road straight up Mount Agassiz. It’s paved, but again this is very steep so take breaks and enjoy the hike!

The views at the top are absolutely stunning, and worth every step to get there. You can see Cannon and parts of Franconia Ridge as well. There is a wide, flat lawn with a rock wall and fence for your viewing pleasure as well as an old observation tower and an adjoining building.

Getting to the trailhead is a little interesting as this hike is entirely on private property. Park along the side of the road, taking Route 142 off of Bethlehem Main St/Route 302. From there, you’ll have to walk through someone’s driveway and backyard to reach the paved road, there will be a sign pointing the way.

Once you get to the top you can walk out to the flat lawn and soak in the views. Note that the observation tower is private property, so please be respectful of the owner’s space. If you’re interested in the history of this tower, there is a small plaque on the railing that will tell the story.

Highlights:

• Round trip is less than hour
• Close to town
• Gorgeous views of Franconia Ridgeline for minimal work

Tips on Crowds

The Whites get very crowded during the fall on the weekends. Honestly, it gets more crowded each year. New Hampshire has had to get creative about how to deal with these crowds and some things have changed over the last few years. Here are my suggestions/hot tips on how to deal:

• Get to the trailhead EARLY. For some hikes, anytime after 7 AM may make it difficult or impossible to find a parking spot.
• Expect to encounter slow-moving traffic through the notches.
• Don’t be afraid to get off the beaten path. I’m giving you some classics that are super popular, along with a few hidden gems.
• Try to go on a weekday if at all possible. The difference will be astounding.
• Most of the trails are likely to be crowded, so don’t expect a summit all to yourself.
• If you go to a restaurant at peak hours, expect peak crowds. And please be kind to the wait staff, they’ve had a long day.
• Remember to have fun 😀

This area is very special and unique and deserves to be treated as such. I’m going to share my favorite spots because I want everyone to get outside and enjoy the beauty of my home, so let’s get into planning mode!

Best Time to See the Fall Colors

Generally, the leaves change north to south. Meaning, In southern New Hampshire the leaves will change color later in the year than in the northern part of the state. Exactly when peak foliage will be is almost impossible to say, but generally, they start mid-September up north and peak the first and second week of October.

What to wear for fall hiking in New Hampshire

Weather in the White Mountains is notorious for being unpredictable, and this is especially true in the fall. I suggest that you bring more layers than you think you’ll need. And remember to check the weather at the peaks as the temperature can be dramatically different from the valley. I suggest bringing along these essentials, even for the easier hikes:

• Backpack
• Hiking boots
• Trekking poles
• Hiking pants
• Hiking t-shirt
• Hiking long sleeve
• Fleece
• Rain jacket
• Gloves
• Wool beanie
• Extra wool socks
• Headlamp
• Water
• Food

For a complete guide on what to pack for a day hike, we go over that in detail in the post below.

What to Pack for a Day Hike- the Essentials

Special Note About Weather

As I said, the weather in the Whites is unpredictable and downright dangerous. In the notches things get especially weird; it can be pouring rain in Franconia Notch, but clear in the next town over. So keep an eye on the weather and turn around if things get weird or if it looks like rain- the peak will be there another day!

How to Hike With Leave No Trace Principles

The foundation of Leave No Trace is that once you’ve left the area it wouldn’t look like a human was there at all. That means:

• Plan ahead and prepare; you’re already doing that by reading this!
• Carry out all trash; even your toilet paper!

• Stay on the trail; when you step off the trail you make it wider, leading to erosion and eventual widening of the trail.
• Leave what you find; everything you see on a hike and in the woods is part of a broader ecosystem that is needed for the health of the forest and the animals that live there.
• Respect wildlife.
• Respect others

These are simple principles that make recreating in the wilderness more enjoyable for others, so keep them in mind as you’re taking in the leaves.

And finally, for an afternoon pick me up and a little snack, here are the best cafes close to the trail heads in the above list.

Best Cafes Near the Trailheads

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