Ron Bexel
Best New England Vacations With Dogs – Wondering what are the best hikes in New England?! Whether you’re looking for the highest mountains, the best views, hiking the world’s most famous and longest trail (the Appalachian Trail), or lesser-known or kid-friendly mountains, you’ve come to the right place. right!
From my decades of living and hiking in New England, and because I plan my weekends away – you can count on this “must have” spot for amazing sights and hikes you might not have heard of . Hiking in New England.
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Here are 27 mountains that stand out above all the rest, hikes that I think are worth doing not once, but twice or more, even if it’s a challenge!
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I’m always looking for the best views where I live in CT and often take day or weekend trips to New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and Maine.
Even though we have several states and millions of acres of national parks and forests to traverse, you can’t get overwhelmed by the vastness of the New England wilderness. Instead, get out your notepad 🗒 and start writing your New England hiking bucket list.
We are about to embark on a multi-site hiking trip in New England. Lace up your boots and begin our journey!
If ever there was a dream tourist destination in New England, it would be New Hampshire! When I think of New Hampshire, I think of a bunch of mountains.
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Home to the rugged White Mountains (in the 800,000 population White Mountain National Forest), which make up a quarter of the state and 100.9 miles of the Appalachian Trail, there is no shortage of amazing hiking!
There are so many hikes in NH that there are TWO hiking lists; NH 48 (48 mountains above 4000 meters) and 52 WAV (52 with views!).
The White Mountains, NH 48, and WAV 52 lists overlap to some extent, but all contain the best mountains in New England.
With all that being said (I hope I didn’t confuse you! ;)) let me list the best places to go here in New Hampshire:
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I had to suggest this list of the best hikes in New England and the king of them all! The highest mountain in New England, at 6,288 feet, is Mount Washington.
Once you catch a glimpse of this beauty from afar, you’ll be happy to point it out. Mount Washington is much taller than many of the other mountains on this list, and being able to climb it and say you’ve climbed it is quite an accomplishment!
A popular and well-trodden trail up this bad boy is Tuckerman Ravine and the Lion Head Trail. I don’t recommend doing this in the winter, but I think you would be new to hiking in New England and you wouldn’t be climbing the hardest mountain in the hardest month! If so, be sure to do a lot of research because the summit of Mount Washington is known for the worst weather in the world and the highest wind speed on record.
Check the weather conditions here before the walk. And if you want to consider it in the winter, check out my post on winter hiking on Mount Washington!
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This hike should be number two on this list of the best hikes in New England. The infamous Franconia Ridge is probably the most popular (and challenging) hike on our list.
It will take you about 3.1 miles and about 2,900 feet of elevation gain to reach Haystack Mountain, but you’ll enjoy beautiful panoramic views for a full mile on Franconia Ridge.
This hike is more than a memorable trip that takes you to Haystack Mountain (first 4,000 feet), the summit of Mount Lincoln (second), and the final summit will be Mount Lafayette (third).
A New England adventure that will give you a true taste of New Hampshire’s beautiful scenery and rugged hiking trails.
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And there will be more to look at and ooh and aah over. But don’t think it’s an easy ride!
You will go down steep, cobbled and you will feel like a mountain goat! But this hike is a favorite and should definitely be on your list of best hikes in New England! BACK
At 1.5 miles total, Artist Bluff is one of the prettiest, shortest and most POPULAR hikes in New Hampshire. It is one of the best short trails in New Hampshire.
It’s an iconic sight you’ve probably seen while exploring the best mountains in New Hampshire.
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Sit on a ledge high above Echo Lake and over Echo Lake with Hwy 93 and Rt 18 stretching out before you Just make sure you go early on a weekend or weekday!
I had to include this gentle but short visit in our Best of New England list, and you might want to check it out.
After about 900 feet of climbing, you’ll be at the top of Willard Mountain with a spectacular view of the Crawford Notch Valley and Route 302 below.
And if you’re in the area, check out my post 9 Other Amazing Hikes in Crawford Notch State Park!
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These views and the tallest waterfall in New Hampshire?! This hike should be on your New England hiking bucket list!
A 4.9-mile loop with about 1,700 elevation gains, you follow a counter-clockwise route that first meets Frankenstein Rocks, an experience in itself.
Take in the view of Crawford Notch State Park stretching endlessly before you, then continue on and you’ll meet Arethusa Falls, the tallest in NH, at 2.2 miles. Enjoy this beautiful day!
Although it is not 4000 feet, it is a great hike with two separate mountains and amazing views.
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I hiked both North Sugarloaf and Middle Sugarloaf at sunrise. The view from Middle Sugarloaf is so expansive with nearly 360 degree views, so if I had to pick one it would be middle.
Fortunately, you can cover both the north and the center from the 3.3-mile Sugarloaf Trail, which has an elevation gain of just over 1,000 feet.
The summit of Pierce Mountain via the Crawford Trail is a 5.9-mile round trip with about 2,400 feet of elevation gain.
It’s a rocky trail and getting to the top won’t be easy, but if you’re looking for a bench looking west toward Mt Washington at sunset – then aim for Pierce Peak!
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I call climbing Mt Crawford on the Davis Trail the best kept secret because it doesn’t get the attention I think it deserves!
It is not 4000 meters from the table for those who love this NH48 range and it is not easy!
But its views of Crawford Notch State Park and the valley below rival anything at 4,000 feet! And it was nice not to encounter too many people on the trail.
There are many great mountains and amazing mountains in New Hampshire, but I wanted to include New England’s second highest mountain on this list.
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At 5.6 miles and 2,700 feet of elevation gain, this hike is a challenge! But as you climb, you will gradually forget all this and be rewarded with the most amazing view.
It may not seem like a climb or a mile, but as you approach the top, you come across two large rock piles! That’s the best way to describe it.
It’s going to be exhausting, you’re stepping on everyone like you’re climbing stairs and it seems like it’s never going to end. But looking back and with these photos, I would love to try this hike again!
Vermont is home to the Green Mountains and more than 400,000 acres of the Green Mountain National Forest.
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The Appalachian Trail (a national long-distance trail) runs through Vermont for about 100 miles and is part of the Vermont Long Trail.
Although Vermont doesn’t have as many mountains as New Hampshire (only 5 feet over 4,000), it has many beautiful hills, ledges, and trails. Some of the best hiking trails in New England are located in Vermont.
The trip to Mount Mansfield is an adventure and not an easy one. But if you’re looking for a popular hike with the best views in New England, look no further than Mount Mansfield!
And there are a few different routes to get there, so check out my Mount Mansfield hike post for all the details!
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The only thing that made it better was walking around and watching the sun set in the west over Lake Champlain.
I’ve written about 3 spectacular routes to the top of Camel’s Hump, so pick one and put this mountain on your New England hiking bucket list!
With only 4 miles round trip and about 1,650 feet of elevation gain, you’ll hit some ledges where you’ll be high above the sparkling waters of Lake Willoughby in northern VT.
The view of the lake surrounded by the Vermont mountains on both sides is breathtaking. In summer, the water looks turquoise, Caribbean green, and in winter, it is dark blue.
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This is a hike I will definitely be doing
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