Hiking to a soaring cliff for spectacular views. Dipping your toes at the base of a magnificent waterfall. Taking a quiet stroll around a mountain lake.
In the White Mountains’ awe-inspiring Crawford Notch, you’ll lose all sense of time. The Highland Center is our premier White Mountain lodge and an ideal base for your White Mountain escape.
With our full buffet breakfast, fuel up for a hike to the southern Presidential peaks, rock climb nearby Frankenstein Cliffs, or play in Arethusa or Ripley Falls with your family. Then, come back to a hearty, home-cooked dinner and settle in for a lively conversation by the fireplace, or a quiet evening in your private room. Either way, the choice is yours.
The Highland Center also houses the official AMC Library & Archives, with thousands of documents, maps, photographs, and other items dating back as far as the Club’s founding in 1876.
Take a tour of the property.
Check Availability and Rates
Accommodations
Rooms
Open year-round, the Highland Center offers a variety of accommodation options, including private rooms with private bath, private family rooms with hallway bath, and private and shared bunkrooms with hallway baths, as well as 16 bunks in the nearby Shapleigh Bunkhouse. Towels, linens, shampoo, and soap are provided to all guests. Dinner and breakfast are included in most room packages, as well as trail lunches for guests who place their order the night before pickup. Guests can also enjoy free borrowing privileges at our L.L.Bean Gear Room and a wide variety of free, walk-on programs, from guided day hikes to evening talks on astronomy and other topics.
Accessibility
The lodge is wheelchair-accessible, including all meeting rooms, the dining hall, and some guest rooms with bathrooms by elevator.
Check In/Out
Meal Service
Dinner and breakfast are included in most room packages.
Breakfast:
- Served buffet-style from 6:30 AM-10:00 AM
Lunch:
- Deli, Soup & Salad bar available 11:00 AM-4:00 PM(not included in the overnight rate)Trail lunches are available for guests who order the night before
Dinner:
- Sunday-Thursday: Served family-style, promptly at 6:00PM**Friday and Saturday: Dinner buffet available 6:00 PM-8:00 PM**Dinner is served buffet style daily during peak summer season (July 4th through Labor Day), as well as during Christmas Vacation Week and Massachusetts February Vacation Week
- Beer and wine is available
- Join us for Social Hour at 5pm on Saturdays year-round and daily throughout the summer.
- Coffee and Tea are available in the lobby starting at 5:00 AM
Please notify AMC Reservations if you have food allergies or any other dietary restrictions.
Other Features
Put your feet up and enjoy the Highland Center’s comfortable living room with cozy fireplace, or relax on our beautiful patio with views of Crawford Notch. Guest can also make use of our Library, Hiker Shuttle to nearby trailheads (summer and fall), new Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station, and Wi-Fi Service.
Kids will love our natural, outdoor “Big Mountain” Playscape, where young explorers can climb a trail, crawl through a rock cave, traverse a rope bridge, and jump across stumps, all just steps from the Highland Center’s back door.
Forgot an important piece of gear, or want to try one out before buying? Highland Center guests have free use of the L.L.Bean Gear Room, where they can borrow everything from boots and packs to layers and snowshoes. The retail store offers books, maps, AMC apparel, gear, USFS parking passes, and last minute items, and the friendly staff are always available to assist with weather, trail conditions, and other information.
In addition to the included meal service and features above, the Highland Center also offers a full schedule of complimentary programming, including guided day hikes to nearby scenic destinations, instructional talks on outdoor skills or natural history, and in-depth evening programs featuring films and guest speakers, presenting on topics from Astronomy to Winter Hiking.
The Macomber Family Information Center, open during the summer and fall, is located in the historic Crawford Depot, a former train station renovated by the AMC, and houses interpretive displays, an information desk, and a small gift shop that stocks last-minute hiker supplies, guidebooks, and souvenir items. Staff and volunteers provide information services and offer periodic talks on Crawford Notch in coordination with an excursion train that runs on the rail line during the tourist season.
Pets
We are not able to accommodate pets at the Highland Center. Please ask for our list of local kennels.
Quiet Hours
Please be respectful of other guests and observe quiet hours from 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM.
Alcohol
Beer and wine are available during meal times at the Highland Center. State law requires that any personal alcoholic beverages be consumed only in the guest’s private guest room, and be consumed in a responsible manner.
Smoking
Smoking or open flame are not allowed in or near any structure.
ACCOLADES
Top things to do
With an extensive trail network at its front door, waterfalls, lakes, and more, the Highland Center is the perfect base for your outdoor adventures. Explore on your own, or join us for free daily programs and guided outdoor adventures.
Big views without big effort
Follow historic footsteps as you climb to the summit of nearby Mount Willard for one of the most legendary views in the White Mountains.
Explore the White Mountains
Nestled in scenic Crawford Notch, it’s the ideal base camp for adventures. Hike a 4000-footer or take a more relaxing route.
Hang out in our backyard
Take in the wildflowers and crisp mountain air as you sip a beer on the patio while the kids play on our Big Mountain Playscape.
Enjoy free guided activities
Our Highland Center adventure guides offer free programs including short hikes and nature walks, talks about local flora and fauna, and evening speakers and movies. View a sample schedule.
Try a guided program
We offer a range of guided outdoor skills and adventure programs year-round, including our popular Adult Adventures, Lodge-to-Hut trips, and Family Adventure Camps. View upcoming schedule.
Build your own adventure
Our guides offer custom outdoor trips on your schedule, based on your group’s interests and experience level. We offer everything from 1-2 hour, day-long, and overnight programs. Learn more.
Trip Planning
What to Bring
The right clothing and gear are essential in the unpredictable weather of the Northeast’s mountains. Even if it feels like summer in the valleys, it can be cold and winter-like on the high peaks, especially once the sun goes down. Use our gear guides to make sure you’re packing everything you need for comfort and safety.
Public transportation and hiker shuttle
AMC’s Hiker Shuttle connects the Highland Center, Pinkham Notch Visitor Center, and the towns of Lincoln and Gorham with major trails to the huts, allowing hikers to start and end their trip at different points. The stop in the town of Lincoln is coordinated with Concord Coach bus service. Hiker Shuttle runs daily for most of the full-service hut season, from early June to mid-September. The shuttle operates on weekends only from mid-September to mid-October. Reservations are strongly recommended. View a complete schedule.
Contact Us
AMC Highland Center
Route 302
Bretton Woods, NH 03575
Reservations
- amclodging@outdoors.org
- Monday-Saturday, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
- (603) 466-2727
CONTACT INFORMATION
Emergency Contact
Highland Center Front Desk (24 hours):
(603) 278-4453, ext. 0
Meetings & Group Reservations
Book a reservation for a group of 10 or more:
(603) 466-8059
amcgroups@outdoors.org