Our Ten Best Hikes in the Northern Half of the Appalachian Range
Brian and Sylvia are based in North Carolina, and almost all of the Appalachian hikes you will see on these pages take place in the Southern arm of the range. This is our backyard and it is where we are currently exploring.
However, Brian is originally from up yonder (Boston.) In his younger days he did quite of hiking in the Northern Appalachians, and in particular the White Mountains of New Hampshire. So much so that he considers himself enough of an authority to publish a top ten list of his favorite hikes in the Northern Appalachians.
For a list of our Top Ten Hikes in the Southern Appalachians, see our page detailing hikes in the Southern Appalachians. We have styled the Southern list “Version 1.0” because it is still evolving. In the case of the Northern list, this is not so…Brian is well traveled in the mountains of Northern New England and has had years to mull over this list. He is confident that this is likely to be his final list on the subject.
Most of the photos on this page, by the way, were taken by Brian during an attempt at the Number Three Hike on this list…the Pemi Traverse.
One major disclaimer here….Please RESEARCH THE TRAILS CAREFULLY before undertaking any of them. Most are severe challenges; some can be dangerous under the wrong conditions. Beware Mount Washington especially.
Note that to qualify, the hikes must be…
- In the Appalachian Mountains
- North of the Mason Dixon Line, i.e. the MD/PA border
- Not be more than 21 days in length (IE not a thru-hike)
One final point is that all these hikes are in Northern New England; there is no disputing the fact that Maine, Vermont and especially New Hampshire are the jewels of the Appalachian Mountains, and almost all the premier hikes in this range are located in those states.
Without further ado, the list…
BecauseItzThere’s Top Ten Hikes in the Northern Appalachians
- The Knife’s Edge, Baxter State Park, ME
- The Presidential Traverse, White Mountains NF, NH
- The Pemi Traverse, White Mountains NF, NH
- The Mahoosuc AT Section, NH/ME
- Huntington Ravine, White Mountains, NH
- Long Trail AT Section, Green Mountains NF, VT
- King Ravine, White Mountains NF, NH
- The Great Gulf, White Mountains NF, NH
- Bigelow Traverse AT Section, ME
- Tripyramids Loop, White Mountains NF, NH
(AT = Appalachian Trail)
For more hikes in the Northern Appalachians see our list of Great Hikes in the USA and Canada.
