Carefree Highway: Hitting the Road with Two Kids, Four Bikes, One Canoe- and Six Days Off

AMC Outdoors, June 2006

Ah, the road trip. Are there any two words in our modern-day lexicon that invoke a greater sense of unbridled freedom? Conversely, are there more paralyzing words than "$3.00 a gallon?" Compared to taking a family of four anywhere on a plane or renting a beach house for a week, however, a road trip-even this summer-doesn’t have to break the bank. And it’s a great way for kids to learn about the natural and human history of the Northeast.

This broad loop through New England highlights many of our family’s favorite destinations. It meanders through New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts; tours four National Scenic Byways; and supplies plenty of diversions for young, squirming passengers in the backseat.

You could easily spend two weeks on this junket, especially if you took all of the recommended detours, but if you’re pressed for time, it’s easily cut into day trips.

Day One

The escapade begins on Route 16 in New Hampshire. In Tamworth, White Lake State Park features the 140-acre glacial kettle hole and some excellent trout fishing, as well as a peaceful two-mile walk around the water’s edge. Nearby nestles 220-acre Chocorua Lake, reflecting the summit of its namesake mountain, and, if my two daughters are already restless, inspiring a climb.

We head up Mount Chocorua, taking the popular Piper Trail to the 3,475-foot summit (or, if we anticipate crowds, we’ll opt for the Brook-Liberty Loop off Route 103A in Tamworth). With its bare, rocky summit, Chocorua is the ideal mountain for young legs (my girls are seven and nine), rewarding hikers with views of Mount Washington to the north and the Lakes Region to the south, without being overly strenuous.

Just past the entrance to the Kancamagus Highway (a 26.5-mile National Scenic Byway, worth the detour if you haven’t driven it), Route 16 enters Conway, where traffic screeches to a halt. Avoid this outlet jungle by detouring on West Side Road to Echo Lake State Park, a relaxing picnic and swimming spot with views of 700-foot Cathedral Ledge, as well as the waterfalls and granite basins of Diana’s Baths.

You’ll reconnect with Route 16 just above downtown North Conway, and join the White Mountain Scenic Byway, which starts here and ends 100 miles away on Route 3 in North Woodstock. If you’ve got time for a short hike, look for Hurricane Mountain Road on the right as you head north. This twisty old road, one of the steepest pieces of pavement in New England, runs parallel to a challenging mountain bike route-the Red Tail Trail-and tops out at a trailhead that leads to the exposed granite dome of the 2,370-foot Black Cap Mountain (part of The Nature Conservancy’s Green Hills Preserve) overlooking Mount Cranmore.

Day Two

Farther north, Route 16 leads to Glen, the junction of Route 2, and a dilemma. Continue straight, west on Route 302, and you will find superb hiking opportunities from AMC’s Highland Center in Crawford Notch, such as up to the ledges of Elephant Head (a quartz and granite formation that kids love) and the Gibbs Brook Trail. There’s mountain biking and alpine slides at Attitash/Bear Peak Resort, the historic Mount Washington Cog Railway, and the opulent Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, where adventure lovers and the argyle-sock set alike hobnob over evening cocktails on the veranda.

But we turn north instead, staying on Route 16, which means the inevitable outing to Story Land. Though my wife and I no longer have the stomach to deal with many of the rides, the kids go nuts for it, it’s relatively clean, and it’s strictly “G” rated. Plus, it’s a nice reward for well-behaved passengers who’ve been stuck in the car for long stretches.

After the girls have had their fill, we motor north, past the village of Jackson. In Pinkham Notch, after lunch at AMC’s visitor center and a walk out to Crystal Cascades waterfall, we stop at Wildcat Mountain. The ski area runs its gondola daily from mid-June through mid-October, and the girls love the Skyride to the 4,062-foot summit as much as I love seeing Mount Washington in all its glory.

In Gorham, our loop heads west on Route 2, though if time allows, I typically take a quick jaunt north on Route 16 through the rugged mill town of Berlin, home of the enlightening Northern Forest Heritage Park and its recreated 1900 logging camp. Nearby, the abandoned Nansen Ski Jump appeals to my nostalgic penchant for New England lore and lost ski areas. This 170-foot steel-framed giant, built in 1936, now overlooks the Androscoggin River and Nansen Wayside Park, a silent sentinel of a bygone era.

If we decide to call it a day in Gorham, we’ll often overnight at Moose Brook State Park (Dolly Copp off Route 16 in Pinkham Notch is also a solid option). Adjacent to 668 acres of state forest, Moose Brook offers 56 campsites, terrific fishing on the Peabody and Moose rivers, and a soothing, spring-fed swimming hole.

Day Three

The next morning, we point our vehicle west toward Lancaster, and head up the Starr King Trail on foot, a user-friendly but uncrowded route that boasts some of the finest views of the Presidential Range. Check out the John Wingate Weeks National Historic Site, the 420-acre estate of the conservationist-legislator who penned the Appalachian-White Mountains Forest Reservation Bill of 1911 (the “Weeks Act”).

In late summer, you might want to carve out some time for the 135th annual Lancaster Fair (Aug. 30-Sept. 4), highlighted by the horse and ox pulls and sheepdog trials. Another great spur here is a quick jaunt along a section of the 500-mile Connecticut River Scenic Byway, established in 1999. The Byway incorporates such attractions as the Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge in Whitefield and the Littleton Grist Mill, a working museum in the town of the same name.

After crossing the Connecticut River into Vermont, Route 2 takes us over peaceful, rolling farm country to St. Johnsbury Here, the mountain biker in me is always tempted to veer north on Route 5 to East Burke, and the spectacular Kingdom Trails network (equestrians will feel the same pull). These days, however, I can easily be persuaded to stay on Route 2 and make a beeline to the nation’s smallest state capital of Montpelier, where we always stop for a sweet visit at Morse Farm Sugar Works, before heading south onto Route 14 toward Barre.

This old granite-mining town, home to the Rock of Ages Quarry, has a new attraction for mountain bikers. The Millstone Hill Touring Center boasts more than 30 miles of sinewy trail over 350 acres, with a wide assortment to keep both beginners and experts happy.

Next: Days 4-6 >>