In this article I talk about the best hikes in New England! From Mount Battie to Stowe there’s hikes for everyone!
Best Hikes in New England
We’ve all been there. Fall hits in New England and there’s nothing to do!
Instead of moping around about it why don’t you pick up a new hobby!
I’ve been hiking for a while now and safely say it’s probably the best activity for getting outside and enjoy all the natural beauty New England has to offer!
In the rest of this article I will talk about how to enjoy the best hiking in New England.
This includes my favorite and self proclaimed the best hike in New England!
So if you’re as excited as I am please stay tunes as I cover the best best hikes New England has to offer!
Best Hiking in New England
Here is the list best hikes in the northeast!
Remember these are by no means beginner hikes so sorry what I said earlier about this being a good list for new hikers, it’s not!
Anyways: on to the best hiking New England has to offer!
Mount Battie, Camden, Maine
Mount Battie is a great hike.
The summit offers views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Camden Bay.
The Mount Battie Trail is short and pretty steep.
Best time to go is in the fall when there’s foliage!
This hike takes about an hour round trip and is rated a beginner trail though it get’s steep and rocky at parts which is a tough combination!
Beech Hill Trail, Rockport, Maine
Beech Hill is another great Midcoast Maine Hike.
It offers a gentle hike and great views at the summit.
There are two trails to the summit one longer than the other.
I recommend the longer trail as it’s a more complete hike.
It has a hut at the top that is open sometimes and they’ll be volunteers there if it’s open to explain the significance of the hut!
Again it’s about an hour round trip though there’s no sketch rocky scaling (Like Mount Battie).
This hike is rated Easy and it’s a great one for beginners!
Backpacking in Maine has never been this convenient!
This is one of the mountains in New England that is perfect for beginners though it’s pretty far out and short to travel long distances!
Mount Willard, Carroll, New Hampshire
This is one of the best hikes in New Hampshire.
Why is it one of the best hikes New Hampshire has to offer?
Because of it’s epic views of Crawford Notch!
Mount Willard is right near Bretton Woods: this trail is well maintained It is a great intro to hiking for beginners!
This hike is rated Moderately difficult. It takes about 3 hours round trip.
Again it’s one of the best hikes in New Hampshire for beginners.
Sterling Pond Trail, Jeffersonville, Vermont
Compared to the previous best hikes in nh: the best hikes in Vermont are much more steep.
Sterling Pond Trail is basically the Smuggler’s Notch aka right near Smugg’s and Stowe.
It’s a short; steep trail with a pond at the top.
It has decent views that you’ve probably seen if you have skied at Smugg’s.
It takes 2 to 3 hours to complete and again is Moderate so it’s decent for beginners in good shape.
Stowe Pinnacle Trail, Stowe, Vermont
When the Sterling Pond Trail is Smugg’s: the Stowe Pinnacle Trail is Stowe!
Known for 360-degree views of the Green Mountains: this another great fall hike.
I don’t know if you’ve skied Stowe but it has much better views than Smugg’s.
Again Stowe is a 2 to 3 hour trip roundtrip and it’s rated Moderate.
Meaning beginners in good shape can probably do it but others will have to turn around.
Doublehead Mountain, Jackson, New Hampshire
Doublehead one of the best NH hikes.
Known for it’s skiing in the winter it’s one of my favorite mountains in New England.
Although it’s not necessarily declared one of the easy hikes in NH; Doublehead would take 2 to 4 hours on average.
Doublehead is is known for it’s steep but short trails.
Again it’s has a rating of Moderate as it’s not too hard (or easy).
Sugarloaf Mountain, Carrabassett Valley, Maine
Sugarloaf if Maine’s second-highest peark and should be treated as so.
This hike is rated a Moderate to Difficult hike so not for beginners as much.
However when you get to the top it offers expansive views of the surrounding wilderness!
It’s a more challenging hike but the view is a great reward!
Wildcat Mountain, Gorham, New Hampshire
Wildcat Mountain is one of the best hikes with waterfalls in NH if you go up the right way.
This hike has stunning views of the Presidential Range and Mount Washington.
However the trail up is steep and rocky.
It’s fit for beginners looking to tackle a more strenuous hike.
It takes 5 to 7 hours roundtrip and is rated a Difficult.
Mount Washington, Sargent’s Purchase, New Hampshire
Often voted on of the the best New Hampshire hikes: Mount Washington is the holy grail of hiking.
It is New Hampshire’s highest peak and also the highest peak in the Northeastern US.
Famous for it’s unpredictable trails and weather: this one is not for beginners.
Washington is rated Very Difficult as it takes 6 to 10 hours to complete in total.
Mount Katahdin, Millinocket, Maine
Mount Katahdin is rated Maine’s highest peak and the end of the Appalachian Trail to the north.
It’s another not-for-beginners-hike as it takes 8 to 12 hours and it is rated Very Difficult.
This hike has great beauty of nature and should be treated as a true wilderness experience.
It’s a challenging reserved for hikers looking to push their limits!
Conclusion
In conclusion this was the best hikes in New England article.
Remember I am not a professional guide so buy this book before going on any hikes as you need the maps in the book.
Remember stay prepared and safe in the mountains this fall and winter!
For any more information visit my blog here.