Mt. Washington Auto Road

Normally, getting to the summit of America’s biggest mountains requires you to be one heck of a hiker, but to get to the top of New England’s highest peak, the Mount Washington Summit, you just need to hop in a car and head up the Mt Washington Auto Road in New Hampshire… Mount Washington has long been famous for its remarkably erratic weather, so no two trips on the Mt. Washington Auto Road are ever the same… Sometimes you’ll experience intense fog while other times you’ll feel like the clouds are just whizzing right through the clouds. Oh, and chances are you’ll experience a whole lot of wind as you take the road to the 6,288 ft. summit. (How windy? The summit of Mt. Washington held the record for the highest wind gust at 231 MPH for nearly 80 years.) As you can imagine, winters are mighty brutal up on Mount Washington, so the spring thaw and cleanup is a task like no other, but the road typically opens by mid-to-late May, so if you’re planning a summer road trip through New England, Mt Washington Auto Road is a perfect detour. If you think driving a road with an average grade of 12%, some of which is hard-packed gravel, sounds like a hell of a time, you can drive yourself up the Mt. Washington Auto Road for only $28 which includes a bumper sticker and a CD to pop in that gives you a virtual tour guide for the 7 miles to the summit. ($8 for each additional adult, $16 for motorcycles) But what about winter? You think they just close the road and tell people to go away? Heck no. Wintertime is when the Mt. Washington SnowCoaches take to the mountain. Operating from December until March, the SnowCoaches take folks up through the treeline for an experience like no other. If you’re into winter activities like snowshoeing, tubing, and cross-country skiing, you can buy a “Trails Total” ticket which will get you on a SnowCoach and give you ski, tube, and snowshoe rentals. -Roadtrippers  The most spectacular eight miles of driving in New Hampshire can be found in only one place-on the Mt. Washington Auto Road. This amazing ride to the summit of the Northeast’s highest peak will reveal views that have to be seen to be believed—ridgeline after ridgeline, in an ever changing show of light, clouds and colors. The timeless and dramatic beauty of the Presidential Range is yours to enjoy when you drive your own car or take a comfortable, guided tour. NEW this year – ALL guided tours are two hours in length giving you a full hour on top to explore the summit buildings and environment. Best of all, your entertaining guide will share the legends, history and ecology of this remarkable landscape in a way that will make it all come alive. This ride will leave you with breathtaking memories (and pictures) that will be enjoyed for a lifetime! Continue your day of family fun and adventure right here at the base of the Auto Road at Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center. Enjoy biking, walking or running along carriage roads, or experience the rivers and lakes from the seat of a canoe or kayak! Whether you visit Mt. Washington during the summer season or take in the Northeast’s highest peak during the winter months, you will be front row center in one of Mother Nature’s most spectacular theaters. This remarkable environment puts on a one of a kind show each and every day—the bluest skies imaginable with views that never end, or the shifting light and textures of a weather event are all equally compelling for those who love the outdoors. In the winter you can take it all in from the comfortable SnowCoach, while your guide shares fascinating facts and legends that have contributed to Mt. Washington’s fabled past. Make your own family history with a journey up the greatest White Mountain!