Things to do in the Mount Washington Valley

1. Hike a Mountain
BLACK CAP-An easy one mile hike to wonderful views. Directions: Rt. 16 North to North Conway Village. Stay on Rt. 16 through North Conway, and take a right on Hurricane Mountain Road (across from Scenic Vista in North Conway and just over the train tracks). Stay on Hurricane Mountain Rd and go up the mountain-it is steep and twisting. As the road evens out near the top, the trailhead is visible through the trees on the right. Parking is beyond the trailhead at an unpaved pull-off further up on the right.

MT. KEARSAGE-A more challenging hike, it’s 3 miles to the top. It’s off Hurricane Mountain Rd (see directions above), but the trailhead is on the left about half a mile after the first intersection.

MT. CHOCORUA-The mountain you can see from the Inn is a moderate to difficult hike and accessible via many trailheads. The Piper Trail is 4 miles from the Inn and a 4.5 mile hike to the summit. Take Rt. 16 north and the trailhead is on the left behind the Piper Trail Cabins and Restaurant.

2. Hang out at White Lake State Park
Literally in the back yard of Samantha’s Inn and 2 miles from the Brass Heart Inn, White Lake is a glacial lake with a great beach, super swimming and a hiking trail. It’s a state park, so there’s a $4 fee to get in. From the Inn, take a left on Rt. 16 and go south for 2 miles. The entrance is on the right, after Samantha’s Inn.

3. Play on the Swift or Saco Rivers
Find a rock to sunbathe on; play in the rapids or rent a canoe, inner tube, or kayak and float down one of the valley’s rivers. The Kancamagus Highway follows the Swift River and has some designated places you can get down to the water. For those more daring, pull off anywhere along the road and find your own private rock/pool. To get to the Kancamagus Highway (Rt. 112), take Rt. 16 north to Conway and at the blinking light, take a left onto Rt. 112. For the beach on the Saco, follow the directions above to Davis Park in Conway. Kayak, canoe, and inner tube rentals (including shuttle service to the river) are available in Conway at Saco Bound. To get to Saco Bound, take Rt. 16 north to Conway, stay straight at the four corners in Conway village, take your first left (Rt. 16), and Saco Bound is under a mile on the left after a small shopping plaza.

4. Go Shopping
Tax free shopping at its best! There are over 200 shops and stores throughout the Mount Washington Valley. They are located all along Rt. 16 in North Conway with Settler's Green Outlet Village Plus housing most of them. To get to Settler's Green, take Rt. 16 north into North Conway. As you come down the hill into North Conway, the entrance to Settler’s Green will be about half a mile on the right. Locally, there are several shops in Chocorua offering a variety of novelties-Red Barn Marketplace, on Rt. 16 (take a right at the blinking light in Chocorua), The Dam Ice Cream and Gift Shop (left at the blinking light)and New Hampshire Country Store (left at the blinking light, past Riverbend Inn) all offer local maple syrup products and souvenirs, as well as sundries and gifts. Chocorua Pottery (straight at the blinking light) is a local shop with handmade pottery.

5. Ride the Train
The Conway Scenic Railroad has numerous trips to scenic locations. A 55 minute trip will take you from North Conway to Conway, and a 1 hour 45 minute trip will take you from North Conway to Bartlett. There is also a five hour trip that takes you into the heart of the mountains at Crawford Notch. Call 800-232-5251 for schedule information. To get to the train station, take Rt. 16 north into North Conway Village and it’s on the left.

6. Get Above the Tree Line on Mount Washington by Foot, Car or Train
At 6,288 feet, Mt. Washington is New England’s highest peak. Easily accessible by foot, trailheads begin at Pinkham Notch (Rt. 16) or Crawford Notch (Rt. 302). Other options to get to the top include a Cog Railroad with hourly departures (reserve tickets in advance, 800-922-8825), or the Mt. Washington Auto Road, which allows you to drive your car to the summit. To get to the Cog Railroad, take Rt. 16 north to Rt. 302 north into Crawford Notch. To get to the Auto Road, take Rt. 16 north through Pinkham Notch.

7. Take a Scenic Drive
If you want to see the scenery (and perhaps a moose!) from the comfort of your car, the White Mountains Trail is recommended. The loop takes several hours and there are numerous places to stop along the way to enjoy the views. Follow Rt. 16 north to Rt. 302 towards Twin Mountain. At Twin Mountain, take Rt. 3 to Franconia, then Rt. 93/3 south to Lincoln and then go west on Rt. 112 (the Kancamagus Highway) back to Conway.

8. Eat, Drink and be Merry
There are many places to eat and drink in the Mount Washington Valley. Horsefeathers in North Conway Village is a local favorite for pub food and drinks; if you go be sure to order the horse fries. For the best lobster rolls in the valley, head to Jonathon’s Seafood in Conway. It’s on the left on Rt. 16 just after Saco Bound (see directions above). Right across the street is Riverstones, a decadent bakery. Chequers Villa in Tamworth on Rt. 113 has good Italian food, and the Whittier House in West Ossipee, Rt. 16, has a great bar. The best name in BBQ is Yankee Smokehouse, also in West Ossipee. Jackson is a town about 10 miles north of North Conway on Rt. 16 and has wonderful restaurants. The Thompson House Eatery is a favorite for amazing food made with local produce, and the Shannon Door Pub across the street is the best Irish bar in the area. For pizza, head to Flatbread Pizza in North Conway-it’s next to EMS in the Eastern Slope Inn.
Finally, The Met, in North Conway Village, is a great coffee house and art gallery, with an internet café to boot!

ENJOY!