Kancamagus Scenic Byway

The Kancamagus highway has to be one of the most beautiful rides one can travel on. The winter views are spectacular. With ice and snow covered mountains, one feels as if you are gliding through natures own shimmering glass shop. The winter foliage takes your breath away.

We used to drive this road from Dartmouth College out to the L. L. Bean store in the fall when I was in graduate school. In the right light, there isn't better foliage anywhere. But, if you are going to take that fall trip, be very careful driving through here, as there is a fairly large moose population, and several car/moose accidents per year. Moose are big. The last time we were on the Kamcamagus, we saw a Honda Accord that had just been crushed and totalled by a moose.

The Kancamagus Highway is a great road. Although I rode it during summer, not fall, the scenery is still fantastic. I was with a group from the International Brotherhood of Motorcycle Campers on a ride from Cornish, ME on a loop which included this made-for-motorcycles road. Heed the advice about moose... if you hit one they tend to come through your windshield because they're so tall.

My girlfriend and I have spent many hours, and My isuzu Trooper many miles on this road. I need to say that the Kancamangus Hwy is by far a wondereful resource, for virtually anyone. Leaf peepers, x country skiers, drivers, anyone. I highly reccomend this road. There are many campgrounds along the road where you can stay for about 14$ a night. The Covered Bridge campground is the best of these. Anyway, definetly check this road out. And watch out for the moose! There is a White Mountain server that has a great section about this hwy. it is at: http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/whites/

I live in Franconia and I recomend that you visit the Basin in the spring. The snow melting causes floods that make the rivers amazing. It might not be as classicly beautiful in the spring before the trees bloom but the floods make for incredible pictures. Because of an ice storm most of the trees along the Kanc between Lincoln and North Conway do not have tops. Once again, not classicly beautiful but it makes for very original photos.

I recommend to anyone that is pessimistic about the beauty of the outdoors in America (what's left of 'em) or to anyone that feels as if their life is losing meaning to spend time on The Kancamagus Highway. It is the definition of pristine wilderness. The secrets that the thousands of acres hide are for everybody to discover. Chances are, with perseverance, you will be able to find a place that time seems to be suspended and reintroduces something to you that you may have lost or perhaps opens your eyes to something that was right in front of your face all along but never thought twice about. Either way, I am sure that your life will be changed in some way by the magic of this enchanted land. tread lightly, Brian Snow bsnow@mail.endicott.edu

Worth the Trip

I went on a fall foliage expedition in October of 2008 and took some amazing pictures of this area. I didn't however see any moose. I was told that the moose typically don't come out till the spring, so I'm heading back in April.