About 60 miles north of Concord you will find a wonderful road trip off of Interstate 93 that travels through the White Mountains. The road is officially called the Kancamagus Highway (pronounced Can-cuh-mog-us) but it is more often referred to as the "Kank". This route drives through one of the most scenic areas in beautiful New Hampshire - the White Mountain National Forest. Its views are spectacular from the many lookout points and the area is stunning in the fall. The path takes you through a mountain pass and a covered bridge. You'll also get to see some great river views because the route follows a river called the Swift.
Towns/Cities You'll Pass By/Through
This road trip has two key urban stops. Lincoln at one end and Conway on the other.
Lincoln has gas, great selection of food as well as various events that you may be interested in planning your trip around. Also, while in Lincoln you should consider heading up north on Rte 3 to the Old Man of the mountains located in Franconia Notch State Park.
At the other end is Conway with tons of shopping and dinning and hotels. While you are in Conway, you need to take one of their awesome Conway scenic railroad trips!!! They offer multiple destinations and multiple choices of rider durations so your bound to find something that will fit what you're looking for.
Attractions & Points-of-Interests Along the Way
There are 6 public campgrounds along the route. The Jigger Johnson has the most campsites (75) but the others are all fair size as well. They all include restrooms and drinking water but no electricity.
There is a New Hampshire Visitor's Center at the start of the route on 112.
Make sure you pull over at the Sabbaday Falls Picnic Area and take the short little hike (about half mile) to see a cool waterfall.
The Passaconaway Historic Site is named after a great Indian leader who gathered a bunch of Indian tribes together and created a confederacy to fight with the intruding "pale-faces" (white-men). There is a really neat house at this historical site called the Russell-Colbath Historic Homestead (they say it's the only one ever built here) where there is a legend of a husband that left home one day to go for a walk. Apparently he never returned and for 39 years his wife lit a lantern and left it on the porch to help him find his way back. He showed up 3 years later after she died. You can tour the house and here more about the legend. There is also a nice little short trail that starts out at the house and goes along a little river.
Another cool place to see is the Rocky Gorge Scenic Area. Here you'll see some waterfalls and a pretty cool looking gorge.
Keep driving up (east) on 112 and stop at the Boulder Loop Trail that starts by the covered bridge. At the end of this trail you'll see some pretty awesome looking scenery that was created by huge glaciers plowing back to the north.
You can also find many arts, crafts and antique shops along this route.
Reviewed by Guest on October 30, 2012 (0 out of 0 members found this review useful.)
Comments: You feel like you're a million miles away from your worries, but without being bored. So much to do and to see! You have to do this trip once in your life, and when you do, you'll do it again. Bring a camera.