Hiking the Northeast

The Whites, Greens, Adirondacks, and Acadia — rocky, root-laced trails with explosive fall foliage and surprisingly serious alpine zones.

Mount Washington via Tuckerman Ravine

NH
Gorham, New Hampshire

The Northeast's most demanding day hike up its highest peak.

Strenuous8.4 mi4,250 ft gain

Mount Katahdin via Knife Edge

ME
Millinocket, Maine

Maine's highest peak and the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.

Strenuous10.4 mi4,188 ft gainPermit

Precipice Trail

ME
Bar Harbor, Maine

Acadia's most exposed iron-rung climb up Champlain Mountain's east face.

Strenuous2.1 mi1,000 ft gain

Franconia Ridge Loop

NH
Lincoln, New Hampshire

A 1.7-mile alpine ridge linking three of New England's 4,000-footers.

Strenuous8.9 mi3,900 ft gain

Bear Mountain Loop

CT
Salisbury, Connecticut

Connecticut's highest peak via a loop on the Appalachian Trail.

Moderate6.5 mi1,650 ft gain

Mount Tammany via Red Dot Trail

NJ
Hardwick, New Jersey

The classic Jersey climb above the Delaware Water Gap with panoramic river views.

Moderate3.5 mi1,250 ft gain

Monument Trail at High Point

NJ
Sussex, New Jersey

A friendly loop over the highest ground in New Jersey with views into NY and PA.

Easy3.7 mi580 ft gain

Breakneck Ridge Loop

NY
Cold Spring, New York

The Hudson Highlands' famous hand-over-hand scramble above the river.

Hard3.7 mi1,450 ft gain

Cascade Mountain

NY
Lake Placid, New York

The easiest of the Adirondack High Peaks and a perfect first 46er.

Moderate4.8 mi1,940 ft gain

Camel's Hump via Burrows Trail

VT
Huntington, Vermont

Vermont's most distinctive summit and a fragile alpine ecosystem.

Hard4.8 mi2,000 ft gain

Mount Mansfield via Sunset Ridge

VT
Underhill, Vermont

Vermont's highest summit via the most scenic open-ridge route.

Hard6.6 mi2,550 ft gain

Mount Greylock via Hopper Trail

MA
Williamstown, Massachusetts

Massachusetts' highest peak via a steep climb through a glacial cirque.

Hard9.5 mi2,700 ft gain

Monument Mountain Loop

MA
Great Barrington, Massachusetts

A short, dramatic Berkshires loop to white quartzite cliffs and Squaw Peak.

Moderate2.6 mi720 ft gain

Camel's Hump via Burrows Trail

VT
Huntington, Vermont

Vermont's most distinctive summit and one of three peaks with true alpine tundra.

Hard4.8 mi2,000 ft gain

Mount Mansfield via Sunset Ridge

VT
Underhill, Vermont

An open ridge climb to the rooftop of Vermont with views from Quebec to the Whites.

Hard6.6 mi2,550 ft gain

Mount Pisgah via South Trail

VT
Westmore, Vermont

Dramatic cliff-edge views over Lake Willoughby's fjord-like basin.

Moderate4.4 mi1,450 ft gain

Mount Chocorua via Piper Trail

NH
Tamworth, New Hampshire

The most photographed peak in New Hampshire, with a bare granite summit cone.

Hard8.8 mi2,700 ft gain

Franconia Ridge Loop

NH
Lincoln, New Hampshire

One of the great alpine ridge walks in the eastern US, traversing three 4,000-foot peaks.

Strenuous8.9 mi3,900 ft gain

Welch-Dickey Loop

NH
Thornton, New Hampshire

An open-ledge loop over two small peaks with views well beyond their height.

Moderate4.4 mi1,800 ft gain

Tumbledown Mountain Loop

ME
Weld, Maine

A cult-favorite Maine peak with a chimney scramble and an alpine pond at the summit.

Hard5.6 mi2,050 ft gain

Precipice Trail

ME
Bar Harbor, Maine

Acadia's notorious iron-rung cliff climb up the face of Champlain Mountain.

Strenuous2.1 mi1,000 ft gain

Bigelow Range via Avery & West Peaks

ME
Stratton, Maine

A high alpine ridge traverse over two 4,000-foot summits on the Appalachian Trail.

Strenuous11.5 mi3,300 ft gain