8 Beautiful Easy Hikes in New Hampshire’s White Mountains
Looking for easy hikes in the White Mountains of New Hampshire?
It can be challenging to find information on easy hikes in this area since the White Mountains are most famous for being home to the tallest peaks in New England and New Hampshire’s challenging 4000 Footers.
But luckily, there are plenty of easy hikes in the White Mountains, too!
On my first trip to the White Mountains, I exclusively sought out easy hikes because I was a few months pregnant. I found many suitable options and put together this roundup of easy hikes in the White Mountains so you can enjoy them, too.
These hikes range from very easy to short, moderate trails. I’ve listed them in general order of difficulty so you can easily find the best easy hikes for you.
Ready to choose a trail? Here are 8 easy hikes in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
8 Easy Hikes in the White Mountains of New Hampshire
1. Sabbaday Falls
- Distance: 0.7 miles roundtrip
- Elevation gain: 100 feet
The trail to Sabbaday Falls is one of the easiest hikes in the White Mountains.
Sabbaday Falls is in White Mountain National Forest along the scenic Kancamagus Highway (Highway 112). The trailhead is about halfway between Lincoln, NH and Conway, NH.
This short trail offers a very gentle incline on an evenly graded, gravel trail.
Eventually you’ll reach a fork in the trail. Going left at the fork takes you to the bottom of the waterfall and you can walk up a staircase to reach the top. Alternatively, you can keep right at the fork to take the trail to the top of the waterfall and then walk down the staircase to the bottom of the falls.
Sabbaday Falls consists of a series of cascades in a narrow flume, so you’ll definitely want to walk along the staircase in order to view all parts of the waterfall. Note that swimming at the bottom of the waterfall is dangerous and not allowed.
The effort level of the trail and the magnificence of Sabbaday Falls make this a wonderful choice for hikers of all ages looking for an easy trail in the White Mountains.
Parking at the trailhead costs $5 unless you have an America the Beautiful pass to display in your vehicle.
2. Crystal Cascades
- Distance: 0.7 miles roundtrip
- Elevation gain: 160 feet
The trail to Crystal Cascades is a great option for families with a variety of ages looking for a quick, easy hike in the White Mountains.
Take this short trail and you can reach a spectacular waterfall in about 10 minutes!
Crystal Cascades is in the Pinkham Notch area of White Mountain National Forest.
To access Crystal Cascades, park at the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Pinkham Notch Visitor Center. The trail to Crystal Cascades begins behind the visitor center near the restroom.
As you approach the waterfall, the trail gets just steep enough for kids to release a burst of energy.
Follow this trail until you reach a set of steps on your right. Take these stairs to reach the 100-foot Crystal Cascade. (You definitely don’t want to pass the stairs because the trail continues all the way up to the summit of Mount Washington!)
3. Ripley Falls
- Distance: 1 mile roundtrip
- Elevation gain: 300 feet
Ripley Falls is another easy waterfall hike in New Hampshire’s White Mountains.
This waterfall hike is in Crawford Notch State Park.
You’ll see a sign for Ripley Falls along Highway 302 and there will likely be cars parked near the sign. This is not the parking area for Ripley Falls; it is actually parking for the Appalachian Trail across the street. Instead of parking there, you can turn at the Ripley Falls sign and keep driving up Wiley House Station Road to get closer to the trailhead.
The trail starts out as the Ethan Pond Trail/Appalachian Trail and it connects to a network of other trails. Make sure to follow signs for Ripley Falls and blue blazes in order to take the easy route to Ripley Falls.
At the end of the trail you’ll reach the pretty Ripley Falls, a waterfall nearly 100 feet tall. There is a bit of an area at the base of the falls to splash around (if the water is warm enough!).
We saw a family with five young kids at the waterfall, so it’s certainly an easy enough hike for families.
Parking at the trailhead costs $5 which can be paid by cash or check. (The America the Beautiful pass does NOT cover this fee since the trail is located in a state park, not the national forest.)
4. Square Ledge
- Distance: 1.1 miles roundtrip
- Elevation gain: 334 feet
Hikers who reach Square Ledge will be rewarded with a lovely view for somewhat little effort.
In fact, Square Ledge is one of New Hampshire’s 52 With a View hikes. This is a list of 52 hikes under 4,000 feet in elevation with beautiful views.
While most of the trail is pretty easy, the most challenging part of the trail is a steep rock scramble at the end. Keep this in mind if this is not suitable for your physical abilities or you’re seeking a more family-friendly hike.
If Square Ledge still sounds like a good fit for you or your group, head to Pinkham Notch in White Mountain National Forest.
Park at the AMC’s Pinkham Notch Visitor Center. The trail starts across the street from the visitor center.
Take the Long Pond Trail and follow signs for Square Ledge.
At the top, you’ll be treated to pretty views of Mount Washington, Pinkham Notch, and the visitor center where you began your hike.
Keep in mind this easy trail is not ideal for small children if you’re concerned with the steep drop off from the ledge.
5. Artists Bluff and Bald Mountain
- Distance: 1.5 mile loop
- Elevation gain: 436 feet
The trail to Artists Bluff and Bald Mountain is a moderate yet short hike in Franconia Notch State Park.
Hikers will have the opportunity to take in nice views from both Artists Bluff and Bald Mountain which make this trail popular.
Start by parking in the big dirt lot off of Route 18 across from the Cannon Mountain base area.
This trail is a loop so you can hike it in either direction. Hiking the trail counterclockwise will take you to Artists Bluff before reaching Bald Mountain, and vice versa.
Before choosing which direction to take the loop, consider whether you prefer to hike up a gentle but constant incline or get all of the elevation gain over with in a short but steep section (and which way you’d prefer to descend).
If you take the loop in the clockwise direction (ie going left at the beginning of the loop), the trail spreads the elevation gain over a constant but more gentle incline.
If you take the loop in the counterclockwise direction, the trail starts out with slight ups and downs as it parallels the road before it reaches steep, rocky steps that lead to Artists Bluff. (There are a lot of misleading reviews and descriptions on AllTrails about this section of the trail: it is NOT a rock scramble. I emphasize this because had I known this section of the trail was a steep set of steps instead of climbing over rocks, I probably would have preferred to hike the loop in the opposite direction.)
Up on Artists Bluff you’ll look out over Echo Lake into Franconia Notch. Some hikers don’t appreciate the view because the highway runs through it, but I still think this is a dang beautiful view for how easy of a hike it is.
Bald Mountain offers a more panoramic view of Echo Lake, the Cannon Mountain ski slopes, and the surroundings. Note that reaching Bald Mountain requires taking a slight detour off the loop trail up a rock scramble. This is the only section that actually is a rock scramble and you can skip it entirely if you’re not up for the climb.
If you’re looking for beautiful views for much less effort than other hikes in the White Mountains, this relatively easy trail is a great choice.
6. Arethusa Falls
- Distance: 2.8 miles roundtrip
- Elevation gain: 885 feet
If you’re only going to take one easy waterfall hike in the White Mountains, consider taking the trail to Arethusa Falls.
Arethusa Falls is almost 200 feet tall, making it the tallest waterfall in New Hampshire!
This waterfall is in Crawford Notch State Park.
When you see a sign for Arethusa Falls along Highway 302, you’ll see a parking lot directly off of the highway. But don’t stop here because the trailhead for Arethusa Falls is further up Arethusa Falls Road. You can certainly park at the large lot off the highway and walk up the road to the trailhead, though.
Early on in the hike you’ll come to a fork where you can either stay on the Arethusa Falls Trail (blue blazes) or turn onto the Bemis Brook Trail (yellow blazes). You can take either direction since these trails meet up again before reaching Arethusa Falls.
The Bemis Brook Trail takes you past additional waterfalls, but note that this trail gets VERY steep and rooty before rejoining the Arethusa Falls Trail. We hiked up on the Arethusa Falls Trail and took the Bemis Brook Trail on our way back down and I’m so happy we did.
You can also skip the Bemis Brook Trail entirely if you’re concerned about the steepness or don’t care to see the additional waterfalls.
At the end of the trail, you’ll be able to see Arethusa Falls but there are plenty of rocks you’ll need to clamber over in order to get closer. It won’t pose a challenge for the average hiker but keep this in mind if you’re planning to reach the base of the waterfall.
Parking at the trailhead costs $5 which can be paid by cash or check. (The America the Beautiful pass does NOT cover this fee since the trail is located in a state park, not the national forest.)
7. Champney Falls
- Distance: 2.8 miles roundtrip
- Elevation gain: 682 feet
The Champney Falls Trail is an easy hike along the Kancamagus Highway in White Mountain National Forest. It’s a great trail for anyone who still has more energy for hiking after taking the very easy trail to Sabbaday Falls.
The Champney Falls trailhead is 10 miles west of Conway, NH.
This trail alternates between gentle incline and steeper sections, so it’s a good choice for hikers who want to put in some effort but feel some relief along the way.
There are several shallow stream crossings along the way so make sure to wear shoes that you don’t mind getting wet.
As you get closer to the waterfall, keep an eye out for the sign that points to Champney Falls. Otherwise, the main trail continues on up to Mount Chocorua so you don’t want to miss your turn to the waterfall!
The main attraction here is Champney Falls, but you will also have the opportunity to see a second waterfall. At the lowest cascade of Champney Falls, turn left and cross the rocks to approach Pitcher Falls.
You can climb up a set of stairs to reach the top of Champney Falls, but the view from the base is nice enough if you want to save your energy for the return hike.
Parking at the trailhead costs $5 unless you have an America the Beautiful pass to display in your vehicle.
8. Mount Willard
- Distance: 3.1 miles roundtrip
- Elevation gain: 900 feet
The trail to Mount Willard is the most difficult hike on this list, but it’s an easy hike for how spectacular a view awaits at the top.
It’s the perfect hike for people who want to see a spectacular view in the White Mountains for relatively little effort.
The hike to Mount Willard starts along Highway 302 in Crawford Notch.
Finding the trailhead is not very obvious. The trail starts across the train tracks behind the Crawford Notch depot. Look for the stone sign that says P 85 and you’ll begin to see signs for Mount Willard once you walk a ways into the trees.
The tree-covered trail is rocky and all uphill without much relief. Pace yourself and take breaks when you need to.
Up on Mount Willard you’ll gaze into Crawford Notch. This view is so beautiful it makes the list of New Hampshire’s 52 With a View hikes.
There is a decent amount of space to spread out and enjoy the view, though it’s a popular trail and can fill up. I hiked to Mount Willard on a Sunday evening and was lucky to have solitude for most of the time.
More New England Adventures
- 8 Wonderful Waterfall Hikes In Vermont (With Waterfall Map)
- 6 Stunning Sunrise Hikes in Acadia National Park
- Best Camping In (And Near) Acadia National Park
- Stargazing in Acadia National Park: Complete Guide for Beginners
- 4 Must-See Lakes at Acadia National Park (+10 More Ponds)
As always, enjoy the outdoors responsibly. Leave no trace on all of your adventures.
