Contact: Karl Stone
NH Grand Marketing Manager
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 603.788.2700, ext. 2143
Facebook: New Hampshire Grand
Twitter: NHGrand
Splendid Views & Colorful Foliage Are A Winning Combination
Mid-September Through Early October Offer the Best Foliage Viewing in Northern New Hampshire
LANCASTER, NH SEPTEMBER 2016 — Fall is that magical time of year when the leaves begin to change color and Mother Nature has her final fling before the cold and snows of winter. In northern New Hampshire, drive along any road, hike any trail or ride your OHRV on the Ride the Wilds 1,000-plus mile trail system from mid-September through early October for a visual treat much like opening a brand new box of crayons on the first day of school!
“Visitors come from all over the world to view the fall foliage in northern New Hampshire,” says Karl Stone, Marketing Manager for New Hampshire Grand. “Our heavily forested region, with its mixture of hardwoods, and contrasting evergreens is one of the first to erupt in vibrant autumn colors thanks to our northern location.”
If planning a foliage visit to northern NH, you’ll find dining and lodging options, along with dozens of suggested activities and itineraries at nhgrand.com.
With an abundance of driving and scenic options, a few routes offer a particularly rewarding experience:
Pittsburg & The Connecticut Lakes: Leaves begin changing color around the middle of September in New Hampshire’s northernmost town. Beginning in Pittsburg Village, head north on Route 3 toward Lake Francis and the three Connecticut Lakes. In every direction, the colorful maple trees contrast beautifully with towering evergreens.
Pack a lunch or pick one up at Young’s General Store on Main Street and savor the waning days of summer over your rustic meal at one of the picnic tables at First or Second Lakes. If you’re lucky, you may see a moose, as fall is mating season and bulls are roaming in search of cows.
Pittsburg’s border with Canada gives you a unique opportunity to make your foliage jaunt an international adventure. Bring along your passport, drive across the border and take a gander at the foliage on the Canadian side.
Leaf-peep up close and personal from an OHRV. Bear Rock Adventures on Beach Road will outfit you with the perfect machine that will have you zooming along the Ride the Wilds ATV trail system.
Pittsburg boasts a number of accommodation and dining options for anyone wanting to spend several days scoping out the region. Favorites include Tall Timber Lodge and the Rainbow Grille & Tavern, the Cabins at Lopstick and Partridge Cabins
Northern Leaf-peeping Loop: Plan to spend an amazing day (or more!) leaf peeping on this spectacular loop. Follow Route 110 east from Groveton to Stark village, with its pretty New England tableau of the white clapboard church and the historic and picturesque covered bridge over the Upper Ammonoosuc River. From Stark, the road winds through the colorful countryside and into the city of Berlin. Pick up Route 16 along the Androscoggin River, which once powered Berlin’s paper mills. The highway meanders through beautiful 13 Mile Woods (a prime moose habitat!). When you reach Errol, stretch your legs at L.L. Cote Sports Center in the center of town and say hello to the white moose inside.
From Errol, head west on Route 26 through starkly beautiful Dixville Notch. Stop for a couple of minutes to take in the beautiful scenery of Lake Gloriette and The Balsams Grand Hotel (currently closed for renovations). Continue your drive through pretty farmland and into Colebrook, with restaurants and inviting shops worth taking some time to visit. Le Rendez Vous French Bakery & Café on Main Street is a must-stop for authentic French pastries and other treats. Want to spend the night in this lively and bustling northern community? The Colebrook Country Club & Hotel offers comfortable lodging — and a nine-hole golf course.
The last leg of the journey, south on Route 3, follows the beautiful Connecticut River and brings you back to where you started in Groveton. Don’t miss Potato Barn Antiques, just south of downtown Groveton on Route 3. The 7,500-square foot former potato storage barn houses an amazing collection of authentic, local antiques.
Majestic Mountains Tour
The magnificent White Mountain peaks towering over the autumn landscape are awe inspiring, and this fall jaunt offers some of the best foliage viewing around, along with exciting attractions.
Located on route 302, the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Highland Center in Crawford Notch is your headquarters for hiking in the White Mountains and staff there can help you select the best hikes (and the most dramatic scenery) for your interests and ability. Just down the road, the white-clad, red-roofed Omni Mt. Washington Resort in Bretton Woods sits in the shadow of Mt. Washington, where early snows often dust its flanks in autumn, contrasting beautifully with the colorful foliage.
For a change of form of transportation, board the Mt. Washington Cog Railroad for a spectacular ride and panoramic foliage views as the train climbs to the summit of 6,288-foot Mt. Washington, the Northeast’s highest peak.
From Lancaster, pick up Route 2 east to Gorham. The highway winds through some of the region’s most beautiful scenery, with sweeping vistas of the Presidential Range of the White Mountains, with peaks named after presidents, including Washington, Adams, Madison, and Jefferson. The Water Wheel Restaurant in Jefferson makes a great stop for breakfast or lunch.
In Gorham, you can elect to take a side trip to the top of Mount Washington via the Mt. Washington Auto Road, with jaw-dropping foliage views.
Gorham’s delightful Main Street is dotted with interesting shops, so if you are looking for unique mementos to bring home, plan some time to shop, dine and explore. If you need to spend the night head to the Town & Country Inn & Resort, where the Labnon family has been hosting generations of families since 1956.
About New Hampshire Grand
“Experience New Hampshire’s Grand North” is the brand of New Hampshire’s North Country marketing initiative – also known as NH Grand — and is the official visitor information source for the Great North Woods and the Northern White Mountains. For more information on NH Grand, visit www.nhgrand.com, New Hampshire Grand on Facebook, and NH Grand on Twitter. To sign up for the monthly e-newsletters, visit www.nhgrand.com.