The White Mountains, which stretch through New Hampshire and Maine, include part of the Appalachian Trail, the Presidential Range of mountains, and dozens of small mountain towns to explore. In between hiking, canoe trips, and wildlife excursions, you can do some antiquing, eat a nice dinner, or take in a concert.

Autumn is one of the most beautiful times to visit the White Mountains. You get a mix of cool and warm days, wildlife are active as they prepare for the winter, and the foliage is like a moving collage of reds, oranges, and yellows. Winter, however, offers winter sports, spring brings new flowers, and summer is the time for swimming in the lakes.

The White Mountains are a hikers paradise. You could plan your vacation around a series of short hikes to see waterfalls, go birding, or hit up the best scenic overlooks in this area. Or you could plan to hike and camp along a section of the Appalachian Trail. There are easy hikes and challenging hikes for the truly intrepid. Mount Washington, the highest peak in the northeast, is quite popular; from the summit, you can see into five states and Canada on a clear day.

In the winter, the White Mountains are a wonderful place to ski. Bretton Woods offers over one hundred ski trails for experts, beginners, and intermediates. While its mostly about downhill skiing here, you can also go snow shoeing or ice skating or, for the more adventurous ice climbing.

The White Mountains are a haven for many fascinating New England species. Many people come here every year just to see a moose. If you want to see one, look at dusk when they are more active and easier to spot than at night when they are also active. They like mucky places like swamps, roadside ditches, and ponds. You never know when you might see one!

There are also black bears in the White Mountains. Bears are harder to spot than moose as they tend to keep away from people and loud noises spook them, but don

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