5 Best Things to Do in Lincoln, New Hampshire
Only have a day or two? From indulging in four-season resort fun to driving one of New England’s most scenic roads, here are five of the very best things to do in Lincoln, New Hampshire.
This view of Loon Mountain Resort, bisected by the Kancamagus Highway and the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River, shows the dramatic mountain terrain for which Lincoln, New Hampshire, is famous.
Photo Credit : Courtesy of Loon Mountain ResortNature has made Lincoln, New Hampshire, undeniably beautiful, surrounding this town of about 1,630 residents with prime White Mountains scenery. But man-made attractions also have a big role to play in this popular vacation destination. Take Loon Mountain Resort, offering four seasons of fun right in town, or the Kancamagus Highway, built in 1959 to connect Lincoln and Conway, which now reigns as one of New England’s most fabled foliage drives.
You could easily spend a week or more exploring this outpost of outdoor adventure in the western White Mountains. But if you have just a day or two, here are the five best things to do in Lincoln, New Hampshire.
5 Best Things to Do in Lincoln, New Hampshire
Loon Mountain Resort
In warmer weather, miles of mountain-biking fun await at this popular resort, where glacial lakes, historic logging roads, and rushing waterfalls are all a part of the scenery. There’s zipline thrills and a get-you-off-the-ground obstacle course at Loon’s Aerial Forest Adventure Park. In winter, explore more than 60 ski and snowboard trails on 370 skiable acres, or opt for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snow tubing, and more. Plus, Loon is home to New Hampshire’s longest scenic gondola skyride, as well as the annual New Hampshire Highland Games and Festival. Even more outdoor fun awaits just a dozen miles up the road, at Cannon Mountain in Franconia.
Photo Credit : Mark Fleming
Kancamagus Highway
No list of foliage drives would be complete without the Kancamagus Highway, aka the 34.5 miles of Route 112 between Lincoln and Conway. Ascend into a spectacular color scene on a two-lane road that holds no stores, no gas stations, and no signs except for those pointing to hiking trails and campgrounds. The pull-offs look out over the national forest, waterfalls, and mountains. Two favorite stops: the Albany Covered Bridge, over the Swift River, and Lincoln Woods, where you can photograph the views from a suspension bridge or stroll along old railbeds once used by logging railroads. And if you’re visiting Lincoln in winter, you don’t have to miss out on the fun: The Kanc is well maintained throughout the year, and the vistas it reveals in winter are just as beautiful blanketed in snow as they are autumn color.
Flume Gorge
Just five miles up the road you can discover one of New Hampshire’s most beloved natural attractions. In the steep-cut slopes of Franconia Notch, a mild-looking little stream carved an 80-foot-deep canyon into the rock; today, the Flume is the main feature of a two-mile walk through piney woods over moderately hilly terrain. Along with leading right through the base of the 800-foot gorge, the trail passes mammoth boulders left by the glaciers, a covered bridge, and two waterfalls: Avalanche Falls, above the Flume, and Liberty Gorge Cascade.
Photo Credit : A.J. Mellor/Ice Castles
Ice Castles
Started as a front-yard project in Utah, Ice Castles has grown into a company that builds frozen art installations/tourist attractions across North America — but New Hampshire claims its only location east of Minnesota. Previously sited at the Hobo Railroad in Lincoln, the acre-size ice installation moved a few years ago to Clark Farm Road in North Woodstock, just a short drive away. An entrance ticket grants visitors access to a glittering array of ice-carved tunnels, fountains, slides, frozen thrones, and towering ice formations; color-changing LED lights and a musical soundtrack enhance the experience. And while the start and end dates each year are weather-dependent, recent seasons have run from mid-January until early March.
Pemi Valley Moose Tours
Moose are more than mere players in New England’s ecosystem; in terms of tourism, they’re a star attraction. From May to early October, Pemi Valley Moose Tours offers 3- to 3½-hour narrated nighttime safaris along the back roads of the western White Mountains in search of these iconic New England animals while offering interesting tidbits about the area and its history. And while moose sightings aren’t guaranteed, this local operator with more than 20 years’ experience boasts an impressive success rate of 97 percent.
Have your own list of the very best things to do in Lincoln, New Hampshire? Leave your picks in the comments below!
