Fall Foliage Scenic Drive - Kancamagus Highway New Hampshire

You can drive the 34 miles between Lincoln andgreat excursion to view the Pemigewasset River,
Conway on Route 112 in just about an hour. Butand the wildlife that inhabits the area.
you'd miss experiencing one of the most colorfulAs you head out to the Sandwich Range Wilderness
scenic drives in the entire northeast - and someArea the road offers interesting turns and views
would say the U.S. for fall foliage.through the Kancamagus Pass. You'll find plenty of
Route 112, or as its better known the Kancamagusscenic overlooks to admire the mountain ranges,
Highway, is the only road that runs directly east andespecially during the vibrant fall foliage season.
west through the heart of the White MountainAutumn is a spectacular time to travel this part of
National Forest. This is a dramatic road built to showthe road.
off the magnificence of one of New Hampshire'sAnother side excursion along this stretch of the road
best-loved scenic spots.is the Greeley Ponds Scenic Area. Located about one
During the summer and fall foliage months you'remile from the highway and about 9 miles east of
likely to have plenty of company on your drive. But ifLincoln this is a beautiful place to have a picnic lunch,
the weather is clear who cares if the going is a littleand view the two ponds and towering cliffs.
slow - this isn't a drive to rush anyway.Continuing east you'll enter the Swift River valley
You'll find plenty of pull-offs to admire the views andregion. This area abounds in scenic stops, and hikes
take a bunch of photos if the weather cooperates.through the forest offering stunning views of the
Be warned though... the White Mountains arevalley and mountains. The hike offering the best
notorious for generating their own weather, especiallyviews is the MT. Potash hike but at 4 miles requires a
in the Presidential Range, where many of the peaksfew hours to appreciate fully.
are above timberline.For a shorter and easier hike drive to the Rocky
So what will you see?Gorge Scenic area and take The Lovequist Loop Trail.
At the western end of this drive where InterstateThis is about an hours walk around Falls Pond and
93 meets Route 112, lies Lincoln. The Lincoln, andoffers fishing and a marvelous window into the
close-by Cannon Mountain, areas abound in gift andbeauty of the natural plants and vegetation of the
specialty shops, including Clark's Trading Post.region. You'll cross the gorge formed by the Swift
Lincoln is your starting point on this fall foliage scenicRiver over a rustic footbridge.
drive, and as you head east towards theBack in the car you'll drive a short distance east to
Kancamagus Pass you'll be climbing to 2,860 feet inthe Covered Bridge and the trailhead to the Boulder
the first 10 miles.Loop Trail. If you've been saving your energy for
Just east of Lincoln you'll find Loon Mountain, a skionly one hike then this is it. At about 3 miles round
resort by winter and a playground in the summer andtrip it can take you anywhere from 2-4 hours but
fall foliage months. Loon is worth a side trip to rideyou'll get outstanding photo opportunities of MT.
the Gondola to the summit for breathtaking views,Chocorua and the Swift River Valley. The hike itself is
and exploring the Glacial Caves, and the summitmostly a gradual climb with some step pitches. This is
observation tower.one of the more popular hikes during fall foliage
Continuing east on the two-lane highway you'll enterseason.
the Pemigewasset wilderness region of the drive.The last piece of the Kancamagus Highway fall
Close to Hancock Campground is the parking lotfoliage scenic drive takes you to the eastern end of
entrance to the Lincoln Woods Trail. This popular andthe drive where Route 112 meets Route 16 in
easy trail leads into the wilderness area and makes aConway.