New Hampshire attracts visitors from all around the world during peak fall foliage. As the leaves turn to gold, the brilliant beauty from the Great North Woods to the Merrimack Valley shines. Take a "peak" for yourself, with our list of the best routes to take on your leaf-peeping journey.
Route 12A, from Claremont to West Lebanon. You'll find four covered bridges off this scenic route, including the longest two span covered bridge in the world. This road meanders along the Connecticut River.
Route 31 from Newport to Washington. Classic small town beauty along this route.
Route 103A & 103B Lake Sunapee takes you around the Lake, and offers the view of the Lighthouse at Blodgett's Landing, one of three on Lake Sunapee.
Route 103 & 11 from Newbury to New London offers lake and mountain views and, at the right time, spectacular foliage.
Route 10 north from West Lebanon to Hanover and into town, where the Ivy League serves as a perfect New England backdrop for all the vibrant fall color of the Upper Valley.
Great North Woods
Route 145 from Colebrook to Pittsburg then Route 3 to the Canadian border offers a spectacular view of the fall colors in the northern reaches of New Hampshire.
Route 26 through Dixville Notch includes an early show of spectacular fall colors.
Route 16 from Milan to Errol through the "13 Mile Woods," also known as the Forest Legacy Tract, a stretch of road along the picture-perfect Androscoggin River.
Route 3 in Lancaster north to Route 110. In West Milan, go east on Route 110A toward Dummer. This area touches the northern edge of the White Mountain National Forest and the Upper Ammonoosuc River. Take a side trip to the Stark Covered Bridge, located on North Road in Stark, northwest of Route 110.
Lakes Region
Route 109 from Center Sandwich, a route that takes you through Moultonborough, Melvin Village and past Mirror Lake before ending in America's oldest summer resort town, Wolfeboro. You'll catch views of the eastern shore of Lake Winnipesaukee.
Route 113 Holderness to South Tamworth via Route 25 ambles past Squam Lake to the south and east.
Route 3 north to Meredith, then Route 25 through Center Harbor to Route 117 in Moultonborough to Route 109 in Wolfeboro. This is a circuitous and scenic loop around Lake Winnipesaukee.
Merrimack Valley
Manchester - Take Exit 5, Granite Street Bridge off 293N to Commercial Street to left on Canal Street and on to North River Road to Stark Park. This route will take you along the Merrimack River and straight through the Amoskeag Mills area with the Manchester skyline as your backdrop.
Route 13 & 77 Mont Vernon to Weare winds along the Piscataquog River. Plentiful pull-off spots to peek through the trees.
Route 28 in Derry past the Robert Frost Farm to Bypass 28, Manchester. Call it the "road less traveled."
Route 3A South from Manchester through Litchfield offers travelers the peaceful landscape of farmland; stop and pick up some pumpkins at a roadside stand.
Route 101 from Bedford to Wilton then North or South on Route 31. South will take you to Brookline and north leads to the town of Lyndeborough and then New Boston. This area is filled with many historic homes.
Route 10 from Marlow to Winchester. There are 5 covered bridges in the region; look for signs.
Route 137 from Jaffrey to Bennington takes you past some fine examples of late-18th and early-19th century buildings in the town of Hancock. Think white church steeples.
Seacoast Region
Though perhaps better suited for summer driving, Route 1A north from Rye Harbor to Route 1B through New Castle and on to Portsmouth offers unparalleled coastal beauty, even for a fall foliage cruise.
Route 4 in Durham to Wagon Hill Farm, where a picturesque scene displays a wooden wagon atop a hill.
White Mountains
Take Route 16 in Pinkham Notch to Berlin to Route 110N in Groveton to Route 3S in Lancaster to Route 2 in Gorham. This drive includes some great views of the northern Presidential Mountains.
Route 118 in Warren to Route 112 into Woodstock is always fantastic with lots of overlooks. Then you can either go Route 3N into Franconia Notch or stay on Route 112 (Kancamaugus Highway) into North Conway. It's a beautiful drive and there's always a good chance of seeing moose on Route 118, and again on Route 112!
Route 142 from Bethlehem to Franconia to Route 117 from Franconia to Sugar Hill has some of the greatest color in the state.
The drive through the Kancamagus Scenic Byway to Route 302 in Crawford Notch to Franconia Notch State Parkway passes through the heart of the White Mountains.
Route 118 takes you along the hills of Mount Moosilauke. Take Exit 32 off Interstate 93 in North Woodstock and head west on Route 112. Travellers may even be able to see a moose or two.
Route 117 takes through Franconia Notch and Sugar Hill. To get there, take Exit 38 off I-93. Route 117 meets up with Route 302 in Lisbon. This road takes you into Bath, where there is a covered bridge that crosses the Ammonoosuc River. You can cross the bridge and drive along some back roads that have some spectacular views of the fall foliage.
Route 116 takes you from Franconia through the Easton Valley. You can pick up this route by heading straight across the intersection once you get off I-93 at Exit 38. Route 116 intersects with Route 112. If you head west, you will go through a section of the White Mountain National Forest. This road follows the Wild Ammonoosuc River. If you head east on Route 112, you will come into Kinsman Notch. Route 112 becomes the Kancamagus Highway at the Lincoln/Woodstock town line.
Routes 142 and 302 is a winding, wooded road which ends up in Bethlehem. You can connect with this road at Exit 37 off I-93 in Franconia. Route 302 heads into Littleton or over to Crawford Notch by way of Twin Mountain, past the Bretton Woods Ski Area, the Mount Washington Hotel and the road to the Cog Railway, which climbs up Mount Washington.
