Carl and I love planning a fall foliage trip every year to go hiking. Fall hikes are our favorites because of the cooler weather and being surrounded by all the beautiful foliage. This year, we decided to explore New Hampshire and stay in Lincoln, NH. I’m sharing all the activities we did and where to see fall colors in New Hampshire.
When is Peak Fall Foliage in New Hampshire
When it comes to chasing fall colors, timing is everything. It changes a bit each year, but peak fall foliage in New Hampshire is usually early to mid October. We went the first weekend of October and unfortunately, it ended up being a week before peak fall foliage. We still saw some beautiful fall colors though! When you are planning a fall foliage trip, you just have to take a leap of faith and hope you get it right!
You can visit New Hampshire’s Fall Foliage Tracker to keep you up to date and help you select the perfect time to see peak fall foliage in New Hampshire.
Things to Do in New Hampshire
Shopping in Littleton
Littleton is a cute town filled with a bunch of cool shops, restaurants, cafes, and breweries. It makes the perfect afternoon activity. Some of my favorite shops are Bella Funk Boutique (love their clothes!), Chutters (they have the longest candy counter!), and The Little Herb Shoppe (makes artisan herbal products like teas and oils).
Where to See Fall Colors in New Hampshire
Hiking Trails
Hiking trails are one of the best places to see fall colors in New Hampshire. There are so many great hiking trails in New Hampshire. These are my top three favorite hikes that have amazing views that you can fit into a three day trip:
Artist Bluff
This is probably the most iconic hike in the White Mountains! The view is beautiful! It is a moderate 1.5 mile hike and takes about an hour to complete. Due to it’s popularity, I highly recommend doing this hike early to avoid the crowds.
Mount Willard
In Crawford Notch State Park, you will find the Mount Willard hiking trail. It is a 3.1 mile moderate hike. It has such stunning views over the valley.
Table Rock Trail
Head to Dixville Notch State Park to hike the impressive Table Rock Trail! This is a moderate 1.5 mile trail that has such amazing views. It rained one of the days we were there so unfortunately we had to skip this hike. Hoping to visit there again to complete this trail!
Kancamagus Highway
If you want to see fall colors in New Hampshire without the hiking part or you want a break from all the hiking, you have to drive through the Kancamagus Highway. It is a gorgeous scenic drive where you can stop along the way to see viewpoints of the White Mountains. The 34.5 mile highway goes from Lincoln to Conway, NH.
Where to eat in New Hampshire
Flapjack’s Pancake House
These are hands down the best pancakes I’ve ever had in my life! They don’t do reservations so I recommend getting there early, but the pancakes are definitely worth the wait!
Woodstock Inn Brewery
They have a great craft beer selection! This is also a cool lunch or casual dinner spot!
One Love Brewery
This is another great brewery option! Carl and I got beer flights and split appetizers for dinner and it was so good!
Gypsy Cafe
This is a fun, casual restaurant that makes a great lunch and dinner spot! They serve flavorful dishes from around the world like Thai Red Curry, Ethiopian Peppercorn Sirloin, Enchiladas, and Japanese Salmon.
Hope you enjoyed my post on where to see fall colors in New Hampshire!
For more fall foliage trip ideas, check out my travel itineraries to the Adirondacks and Catskills.
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