White Mountain Trail
Mt. Washington Auto Road, NH

This eight-mile road takes you to the northeast's highest peak, Mt. Washington--"the top of New England." This road, an unprecedented engineering achievement, is especially enjoyable because of its (literally) mile-high views of the Presidential Range and the White Mountain National Forest.

The road was built in 1861 and has remained virtually unchanged. It takes very little imagination, then, to conjure up images of horse-drawn wagons scaling this route.

More history can be found at the Historic Summit Stage Office, which was built in 1878. The Office sells souvenirs and hiking supplies, and features rare Mt. Washington memorabilia. A note of interest: the world's highest winds (231 mph) were recorded at this building in 1934.

There are plenty of ways to enjoy this route. One is to hike up it; and then if you're too tired, you can get a stage ride down (sign up at the sign up for a Historic Summit Stage Office.) Another option is a guided tour in a comfortable GMC van.

You can also certainly drive your own car so you can linger for as long as you want at any view. If you drive your own vehicle, you can rent a cassette audio tour. This tape shares classic tales of the road's history; it also points out interesting geological and geographical features.

There are also plenty of other things to do and see at the base of the mountain. The Sherman Adams State Park Building is there, as well as the Mount Washington Observatory Museum, and the fully-restored Tip Top House (ca. 1853).