Best Hiking And Camping Spots In The White Mountains

The White Mountain region of New Hampshire brings in people from around the world every year to its iconic forest. Whether it’s to enjoy a rousing day trip and hike through the woods, or truly put their skills to the test against the tallest summit in the Northeastern US, the White Mountains are an incredible natural resource for all outdoor enthusiasts. 

With so many things to do in the region, there are also numerous campgrounds scattered throughout. So we’ve decided to make your trip a little easier with our guide to the best hiking trails and camping spots in the White Mountains. 

Best Hiking Trails In The White Mountains

The beauty of the hikes in the White Mountains is that with so many options available, there’s something for every skill level. We’ve ordered our list of the best hiking trails in the White Mountains from easiest to hardest. 

Diana’s Baths

One of the most popular hiking trails in the White Mountains might be a biiiit of a stretch to call a true “hike.” Coming in at little over a mile, Diana’s Baths are a perfect outing for families or busier days. The trail comes out to a series of small conjoined waterfalls and basins that are straight out of a fairytale. 

Though the water may be a little cold, Diana’s Baths are a popular swimming hole in the summer. You may want to bring a swimsuit just in case! Otherwise, enjoy the easy, flat terrain of the hike and lay out on the rocks to catch some sun for a little while. 

Best of all, the baths themselves are accessible by wheelchair!

Distance/Time To Complete

1.2 miles, ½ hour

Arethusa Falls via Bemis Brook

Crawford Notch State Park, like all of the parks in the region, has a number of fabulous hikes to take advantage of. However, our favorite has to be the Arethusa Falls trail via Bemis Brook. It’s a perfect hike for beginners to intermediates, being not too easy but also not too demanding either. It’s a little under 3 miles to hike, and would take around 2-3 hours to complete, which makes it an excellent compact yet proper hike.

The falls themselves are gorgeous— of course. They fall to over 140 feet from the peak at Bemis Brook, down sheets of granite. There are a number of shallow pools to dip your feet in and cool off part way through your hike. Small children may fit beneath some of the slighter waterfalls, so you may want to pack bathing suits for them just in case!

Parts of the trail are moderately steep and include boulders/rocks to navigate over, so be aware of this before you plan to go. That being said, it’s also typically regarded as a family-friendly trail. As long as you know your own and everyone in your party’s limits before you go, you’ll be fine.

Distance/Time To Complete

2.8 miles, 2 hours

Franconia Ridge Loop

One of the more challenging— though very popular— hiking routes in the White Mountains is the Franconia Ridge Loop. During this hike, you’ll pass over the summit of three different mountains before descending back down again. 

Beginning near Lafayette Place Campground, you’ll first ascend to the summit of Mt. Lafayette via the Old Brindle Path and Greenleaf Trail. We strongly recommend stopping for rest and some snacks at the Greenleaf Hut if you’re able to. Next, you’ll venture south to Mt. Lincoln by the cloud line. Finally, you’ll begin your descent around Little Haystack Mt via the Falling Waters trail.

Because parts of this climb are considerably difficult, we recommend this only for more experienced hikers. Or, to split the journey in half and stay overnight at the Greenleaf Hut to make the trip easier. Waterproof boots are a must as parts of the trail often become muddy.

If you’re looking to take advantage of Franconia’s beautiful trails but don’t feel ready for this challenge yet, try out the Cascade Basin trail instead! At just under 3 miles, it’s a much easier ask and its summit comes out to a beautiful lake and hut for snacks!

Distance/Time To Complete

9.3 miles, 7 hours

Mount Washington via Pinkham Notch

The mother of all Northeastern hikes, climbing Mount Washington from start to finish is a behemoth task. The summit of Mt. Washington stands at 6,288 feet tall, the highest peak in the Northeast. Although there’s no one particular part of the hike that often stands out as being ridiculously hard to undertake, it’s typically the whole hike taken together that’s the difficult part.

The easiest route starts at Pinkham Notch and takes the Tuckerman Ravine trail. For a short time you’ll switch over to the Lion’s Head trail, then back again to Tuckerman. It’s crucial to dress in layers for this hike, because the temperature at the top is drastically different than at the bottom. For this reason, we strongly recommend that you hike Mt. Washington in the summer, as the temperature at the top will be too cold in the fall or early spring. 

If you’re able to accomplish the whole hike, you’ve achieved an incredible feat. But don’t worry, there are other ways to get around the mountain.

The trail at Mount Washington Auto Road will take you to the top from the comfort of your vehicle. And then you’ll get to purchase one of those iconic bumper stickers too!

Distance/Time To Complete

8 miles, 8 hours

Best Camping Spots In the White Mountains

Lafayette Place Campground

Lafayette Place Campground is perfectly situated to be a jumping off base for numerous hikes nearby. It sits at the base of Mt. Lafayette and Mt. Lincoln on one side and Cannon Mountain on the other. Best of all, its location marks the end of the Basin Trailhead loop of Franconia Notch, one of our favorite hikes in the area mentioned above. 

As these are some of the more intermediate to harder hikes, the campgrounds reflect the focus on nature and its simplicity. For this reason, we recommend looking elsewhere if you’re looking to have a more “resort-style” camping experience, particularly with families that have young children. That being said, Lafayette Place is a favorite within the camping community for its peaceful atmosphere and beautiful surroundings.

Small travel trailers and pop-up campers are welcome on the grounds. Each individual site has a picnic table and fire pit, and there are showers and restrooms for visitors. Extra supplies can be found at the camp’s general store.

Lafayette Place is open year round, with primitive-only availability after October 10. 

Crawford Notch Campground

Similarly positioned near the base of several mountains in the Presidential Range, Crawford Notch Campground is a larger commune with 100 sites available. The grounds are spread out across 100 acres of woodland and a mile stretch of the Saco River. With direct access to a number of nature trails and water, you’ll have a variety of things to do without having to leave your campground.

For biking enthusiasts, the aforementioned trails include 60 acres of bike paths. For tube or kayak/canoe rentals, be sure to check out Sacobound or Saco River Canoe & Kayak. As you can imagine, fishing is highly popular on Saco, so don’t forget to bring your rod either! Crawford Notch Campground is a half hour drive to Mt Washington, making it one of the closest RV campgrounds to the iconic mountain.

There’s also a convenience store on site, and pets are allowed. Showers and restrooms are available for guests.

Ammonoosuc Campground

People with mid-size RVs will feel more at home in Ammonoosuc Campground. The sites/roads within the grounds are a little bit larger to accommodate larger trailers, despite the density of the woodland surroundings. Individual sites come with a picnic table and fire ring, and the grounds offer restrooms, showers, and laundry facilities.

As one of the more family friendly campgrounds in the area, its amenities also include a playground and swimming pool. However, as the campgrounds also share a border with the river of its namesake, you may not even need the pool!

Ammonoosuc Campground is located by the northwestern rim of the White Mountain region. It sits at the halfway point between Franconia Notch State Park and Mt. Washington, and thus is at a great vantage point for exploring multiple areas of the national forest. 

Full hookups are available on site and pets are allowed off leash.

Dolly Copp Campground

A list of the best camping spots in the White Mountains would be incomplete without Dolly. With over 170 sites, Dolly Copp Campground is not only the largest campground on our list, it’s also the closest to Mt. Washington. Tucked amongst the upper rim of the Presidential Range, Dolly Copp is only a 7 minute drive from Mt. Washington Auto Road, one of the most popular ways to traverse the summit. It is a half hour drive to the trailhead itself.

Dolly Copp can accommodate larger RVs and trailers easily in its spacious campsites despite how many it boasts of having. Featuring both woodland and meadow spots, and with the backdrop of mountains nearby, you’ll have a stunning view no matter where you’re parked. Peabody River and Culhane Brook both run along and nearby many of the sites.

Two shower and restroom facilities are available to guests, which have been updated within the last five years. Full hookups are also available for certain sites, so be sure to request one ahead of time if you don’t want to use your generator.

What do you think of our picks for the best hiking and camping spots in the White Mountains? Don’t forget to book your RV rental while you plan the rest of your trip!