Top Backpacking Trails in New Hampshire
20 routes. Each page shows when we last checked it. Updated October 2026.
Backpacking in New Hampshire centers on the White Mountain National Forest: the Presidential Range, the Pemigewasset Wilderness, Franconia and Kinsman ridges, the Carter and Mahoosuc ranges, and the Sandwich Range. The site also covers the North Country (Kilkenny Ridge and the Cohos Trail in Nash Stream Forest), the Appalachian Trail from Hanover to Glencliff, and the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway in the south. Expect steep, rocky, rooty trail, short distances that take longer than they look, and long stretches above treeline on trips like the Presidential Traverse and the Pemi Loop, where weather can turn dangerous fast.
Camping is mostly at shelters and tentsites run by the Forest Service, AMC, RMC, and trail clubs, plus AMC huts by reservation. Forest Service rules ban camping above treeline without deep snow and limit camping near huts, shelters, and some popular ponds and trails. Since May 1, 2026, the Pemigewasset Wilderness requires hard-sided bear canisters.
Summer and early fall are the usual season. In 2026 the highest huts closed in September, and several others end full service on October 17. Check current closures too: the Lincoln Woods Trail is closed through November 2026, the Madison Gulf bridge on the Appalachian Trail remains closed with a marked detour, and Sawyer River Road is still closed to vehicles. Deer seasons run into December, so wear bright colors in late fall.
Quick picks
- Longest trip: Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway
- Easier pond overnight: Flat Mountain Pond
- Shortest overnight: Crag Camp and Gray Knob (Northern Presidentials)
- Above-treeline traverse: Presidential Traverse (Appalachian Trail over the Presidentials)
- Lightly used ridge trek: Kilkenny Ridge Trail
Franconia and Kinsman
- Appalachian Trail: Kinsman Ridge (Kinsman Notch to Franconia Notch) White Mountain National Forest and Franconia Notch State Park (NH 112 to Franconia Notch) 16.3 miles Hard AMC shelters and tent pads (first come, first served); AMC hut by reservation
- Franconia Ridge via Liberty Spring Tentsite Franconia Notch and Franconia Ridge, White Mountain National Forest (Lincoln/Franconia) 14 miles Hard AMC caretaker tentsite (first come, first served); AMC hut by reservation; no camping above treeline
Moosilauke and the Upper Valley
- Appalachian Trail: Hanover to Glencliff (Smarts Mountain and Mount Cube) Dartmouth Outing Club section of the AT, White Mountain National Forest and private land (Connecticut River at Hanover to NH 25 at Glencliff) 43.7 miles Hard Free first-come shelters, a cabin, and tentsites; Forest Protection Area rules along the AT corridor
- Appalachian Trail: Mount Moosilauke (Glencliff to Kinsman Notch) White Mountain National Forest (NH 25 at Glencliff to NH 112 at Kinsman Notch) 9.3 miles Hard Free first-come shelters with tent sites; Forest Protection Area rules along the AT corridor
North Country
- Cohos Trail: Nash Stream Forest (Stark to Gadwah Notch) Nash Stream Forest and Kauffmann Forest (Stark, Stratford, and Columbia) 25.2 miles Hard Cohos Trail Association shelters and a tent platform; first come, first served
- Kilkenny Ridge Trail White Mountain National Forest, Kilkenny section (Stark to Jefferson) 25.8 miles Hard Free Forest Service tentsites (Rogers Ledge, Unknown Pond) and the Mt. Cabot cabin; first come, first served
Northern White Mountains
- Appalachian Trail: Carter-Moriah and Wildcat Ridges (Route 2 to Pinkham Notch) White Mountain National Forest (Gorham to Pinkham Notch) 22 miles Hard Rattle River Shelter, AMC Imp Campsite (shelter and platforms), AMC Carter Notch Hut (reserved)
- Appalachian Trail: Mahoosucs from Gorham to Gentian Pond and Carlo Col White Mountain National Forest, Mahoosuc Range (Gorham and Shelburne) 15.4 miles Hard AMC shelters and tent platforms (Gentian Pond, Carlo Col) and Trident Col tentsite; first come, first served; no fee
- Wild River Wilderness: Carter Dome and Perkins Notch Loop Wild River Wilderness, White Mountain National Forest (east of Pinkham Notch) 21 miles Hard Free Forest Service tentsites (Spruce Brook, Perkins Notch); no camping within 200 ft of trails except at designated sites
Pemigewasset Wilderness
- Appalachian Trail: Ethan Pond and Zealand Notch (Crawford Notch to Zealand) Crawford Notch State Park and White Mountain National Forest (Willey House Station Road to Zealand Road) 10.5 miles Moderate AMC caretaker shelter and tentsite (first come, first served); AMC hut by reservation
- Pemi Loop (Pemigewasset Loop) Pemigewasset Wilderness and Franconia Ridge, White Mountain National Forest (Lincoln) 31 miles Hard AMC caretaker tentsites and shelters (first come, first served); AMC huts by reservation; no camping above treeline
- Thirteen Falls Loop (Garfield, Owl's Head, and Galehead) Pemigewasset Wilderness, White Mountain National Forest (Gale River Loop Road, Bethlehem/Franconia) 30.3 miles Hard AMC caretaker tentsite and shelter (first come, first served); AMC hut by reservation; dispersed wilderness camping under Forest Service rules
- Zealand to Guyot and the Bonds Zealand Notch and the Bonds, White Mountain National Forest (Zealand Road, Bethlehem) 15.8 miles Hard AMC caretaker shelter and tentsite (first come, first served); AMC hut by reservation
Presidential Range
- Crag Camp and Gray Knob (Northern Presidentials) White Mountain National Forest, Randolph Mountain Club camps on Mt. Adams (Randolph) 6 miles Hard RMC cabins and shelter; first come, first served; overnight fee; no reservations
- Dry River Trail to Lakes of the Clouds Presidential Range-Dry River Wilderness, White Mountain National Forest (Crawford Notch) 12.6 miles Hard Dry River Shelter #3 and signed designated tentsites; no camping within 200 ft of trails otherwise
- Great Gulf Trail to Spaulding Lake (Great Gulf Wilderness) Great Gulf Wilderness, White Mountain National Forest (Route 16, north of Pinkham Notch) 13 miles Hard Designated wilderness campsites in the lower valley; no camping above the Sphinx Trail
- Presidential Traverse (Appalachian Trail over the Presidentials) White Mountain National Forest (Randolph to Crawford Notch) 21.4 miles Hard AMC huts (reserved), RMC cabins and shelters (first come), Forest Service and AMC tentsites; no camping above treeline
Sandwich Range and Kancamagus
- Flat Mountain Pond Sandwich Range, White Mountain National Forest (Bennett Street trailhead, Sandwich) 9.6 miles Moderate Free first-come Forest Service shelter with overflow tent area
- Sawyer Pond Sawyer Pond Scenic Area, White Mountain National Forest (Kancamagus Highway and Sawyer River Road, Livermore/Bartlett) 9 miles Moderate Designated tent platforms and a shelter; free, first come, first served
Southern New Hampshire
Backpacking in New Hampshire: common questions
Do you need a permit to backpack in New Hampshire?
No backcountry permit was found for the White Mountain National Forest trips on this site, but wilderness areas limit groups to 10 people for hiking and camping. Campsites run by the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Randolph Mountain Club charge an overnight fee and are first come, first served, while AMC huts take reservations, and Dartmouth Outing Club sites are free. Rules vary by managing agency; for example, Monadnock State Park prohibits camping on the mountain, so check with the forest, park, or trail club before you go.
Can you camp anywhere in the White Mountain National Forest?
Not quite. The Forest Service bans camping above treeline (where trees are under 8 feet tall) unless there are at least 2 feet of snow, and it sets Forest Protection Areas where you may camp only at designated sites, including within a quarter mile of huts, shelters, and trailheads and at places like Unknown Pond, Zeta Pass, Sawyer Ponds, and Thoreau Falls. In the wilderness areas you can't camp within 200 feet of a trail except at designated sites, and elsewhere the Forest Service asks you to camp at least 200 feet from trails and water. Check the forest's current camping rules before you pick a spot.
Do you need a bear canister in New Hampshire?
In the Pemigewasset Wilderness, yes: since May 1, 2026, a Forest Service order requires overnight campers to store food, scented items, and trash in a hard-sided, IGBC-certified bear canister, and hangs and Ursacks are not allowed there, with the bear boxes at Thirteen Falls Tentsite as the only exception. Elsewhere in the national forest, approved options include Forest Service food boxes, canisters, or a hang at least 12 feet up and 6 feet out. The Forest Service rents canisters for free at its visitor centers in Lincoln, Campton, Conway, and Gorham.
When is the best time to backpack in New Hampshire?
Most trips on this site fit summer and early fall, but the high country is exposed to severe weather year-round, and the state says winds on Mount Washington reach hurricane force on more than 100 days a year. In 2026 AMC's Lakes of the Clouds Hut closed after September 19 and Madison Spring after September 26, and Galehead, Greenleaf, Zealand Falls, Lonesome Lake, and Mizpah Spring end full service on October 17, while Carter Notch is self-service from September 23. Some forest roads close seasonally, so check road status and the higher-summits forecast before late-fall trips.
Can you bring a dog backpacking in New Hampshire?
On many trips, yes. The Forest Service says dogs must be leashed in developed areas and leashed or under voice control elsewhere, and AMC says dogs are welcome at its campsites, leashed or under voice command on platforms, but not in shelters. Dogs are not allowed overnight at AMC huts, and Monadnock State Park does not permit pets anywhere in the park. Rules vary by managing agency, so check before you bring a dog.
Is it safe to backpack in New Hampshire during hunting season?
Hunting overlaps fall backpacking on much of the state's forest land. New Hampshire Fish and Game's 2026 dates, as republished by the City of Rochester, list archery deer season from September 15 to December 15, a youth deer weekend on October 24-25, muzzleloader season from October 31 to November 10, and regular firearms season from November 11 to December 6, and bear season opens September 1. Fish and Game recommends blaze orange for everyone outdoors in the fall, and you can confirm dates and local rules with the department.
Where this comes from
- U.S. Forest Service: White Mountain National Forest alerts
- U.S. Forest Service: Pemigewasset Wilderness food storage requirement
- U.S. Forest Service: White Mountain National Forest camping rules brochure
- U.S. Forest Service: Forest roads status
- Appalachian Mountain Club: Backcountry campsites
- Appalachian Mountain Club: Partner update to the Mount Washington Commission (May 15, 2026)
- Appalachian Mountain Club: Greenleaf Hut
- Appalachian Mountain Club: Carter Notch Hut
- Appalachian Trail Conservancy: Great Gulf bridge closure
- City of Rochester: NH Fish and Game hunting seasons open September 1 (2026)