Summer/Spring/Fall

Hiking

act19All that winter offers and more. You cannot go wrong with a hike in the Whites. Many trails take you to the top of a mountain for 360 views to enjoy. EICSL clubs will host hikes throughout the year and it is great to have a good group to share the day with. With far too many trails to list, here are some favorites of the clubs.

  • Tuckerman’s Ravine – For that last run of the season.
  • Arethusa Falls/Frankenstein Cliffs – Great on a summer day with a nice cooling waterfall on your path.
  • Black Cap – A quick trail to a beautiful vista over North Conway. This trail holds a little Makusue history with one of our founding members having blazed and maintained the trail.
  • Kearsarge North – With a refurbished fire tower at the top of this peak you can enjoy a little history with a never-ending view. So close to our club, this hike provides a great day of enjoyment without traveling far.

Kayaking/Canoeing

member2There are so many lakes throughout the area with great views of the mountains. You can enjoy them pretty much any season as long as you have the right gear. A few favorite spots that we often head to are:

  • Saco River – Use your own boat or set up a rental with shuttle at one of many local shops.
  • Conway Lake – easy to get to with your own boat or rental.
  • Moose Lake – This one is a little farther away, so it’s best to bring your own boat.
  • Chocorua Lake – A great little lake that looks out to Mount Chocorua. It is on route 16 on the way to the lodge, so it makes a great stop on the way in or out.

Road and Mountain Biking

While it’s still a growing sport, there is a great selection of single track and down hill mountain biking in the valley. Here are some of the best spots in Mount Washington Valley to enjoy on wheels:

act18Lift Accessed Downhill – If you want the thrill of going high and fast then head to one of three mountains with downhill mountain biking in the valley.

  • Attitash – Many of their trails have loose gravel, so it’s a great place for an intermediate to advanced rider. They also have some XC trails across the street at Attitash Fields. Attitash is pretty busy in the summer but MTB’ers get to cut the lift line.
  • Bretton Woods – Great mountain for the beginner to advanced intermediate rider. A lot of their trails are wide open down the ski trails but they also have many single track trails. The best part about Bretton Woods is they don’t have many other summer activities that require the use of there lift system. So you’ll have the mountain pretty much to yourself. They also have an xc trail system across the street with both single track and fire roads.
  • Sunday River – Also has a great selection of trails. Most of them seem to connect to fire roads so you can drop out if things get too challenging. They are great for the intermediate to advanced rider. You can really tell Sunday River spent the time to think about how their trails would wind through the mountain. Added bonus, the Mountain Bikers are pretty much the only ones using the lift.

Cross Country – The valley has a tremendous amount of both free and small fee places to mountain bike.

  • Sticks & Stones Area – This area is great for beginners and advanced riders alike. It is Pudding Pond trailhead near the powerlines. The area has rolling hills and technical features.
  • Whitaker Woods – This area is located right down the street from our house and is a great beginner area. It is mostly doubletrack and offers easy riding as well as a surprising amount of climbing and descending. You can also connect to the Memorial Hospital’s DeMark Fitness Trail and Conway’s Shedd Woods, which has a very nice NEMBA-built trail leading to the First Bridge swimming area on the Saco River.
  • Great Glen Trails – A great mix of both single track and fire roads. It is a great area for beginners to intermediate riders. This is near the famous Mount Washington Auto Road. They also rent hard tail bikes.
  • Moose Brook State Park – Located down rt 16 in Gorham, NH is being rediscovered as a mountain biking area. With a variety of nicely flowing singletrack and 1930s era Civilian Conservation Corps trails, this is a scenic and peaceful place to ride.
  • Moat Mountain Trail System – Located at the Mineral Site trail head at the end of high street off passaconaway road. This is a great area of single track for intermediate to advanced riders. It also connects to the Echo Lake State Park area giving you miles and miles of single track. Be cautious of hikers that also use some of these trails.

Road Cycling – The roads and views are amazing. Just jump on your bike and see where it takes you. There are also many books that set out nice rides that combine some off-road and road rides.

Other activities

There is always more to discover in the bustling areas of North Conway and beyond. Here are just a few other options:

  • Zip line at Wildcat or Bretton Woods
  • Cranmore Adventure Park
  • Gondola Rides
  • Storyland
  • Golf/Mini-golf
  • Outlet Shopping
  • Growing Dining options
  • Alpine Slide at Attitash
  • Saco River tubing
  • Theater, music, festivals