Monadnock Region Fall Foliage Tour for Motorcycles or Cars
The Monadnock Region in New Hampshire is one of the top places to find gorgeous fall foliage
Region: Monadnock
Route: From Keene, travel on Rte. 101 East to Marlborough. Head southeast on Rte. 124 to Jaffrey, passing by Monadnock State Park along the way.
Head north on Rte. 202 to the quaint town of Peterborough. Depot Square in downtown Peterborough is a great place to grab lunch.
Follow Rte. 202/123 North to Hancock. Continue on through picturesque Marlow then down through the Walpole area (great farmland and views) on Rte. 12 South back to Keene.
Another route in the Monadnock Region starts in Winchester. Take Rte. 119 East through Fitzwilliam into Rindge. From the stoplight intersection with Rte. 202, continue through the stoplight for 1.5 miles to the first blinking yellow light intersection. Take a left here onto Cathedral Road and stay on this road for 1.5 miles until you reach the Cathedral of the Pines on 10 Hale Hill Rd.
This free, open-air cathedral was founded in 1945 by a couple that lost their son in World War II. Enjoy peaceful, garden-lined walkways overlooking spectacular views of Mount Monadnock. Head west on Rte. 124 toward Jaffrey and then up into Marlborough.
Take Rte. 101 West through Keene. Rte. 101 turns into Rte. 9. From there, get on Rte. 12 South through Westmoreland and to Mt. Pisgah State Park into Hinsdale to the junction of Rte. 119 and back to Winchester.
Restaurants: The biker-friendly Kimball Farm in Jaffrey serves fried seafood, fresh lobster rolls and homemade ice cream in generous portions. Motorcycles are always parked by Harlow’s Pub in Peterborough. Fiddleheads Café in Hancock serves good food and has a nice deck overlooking the village. On Main Street in Keene, try the burgers at Fritz, which also has irresistible French fries with many dipping sauces. Papagallos is an award-winning Italian and Mediterranean favorite on Rte. 12 — the parking lot is always packed.
Fun thing to do along the way: Hike Mount Monadnock, if you have enough time for a hike and a ride.
Foliage Finder: Time your foliage trip perfectly with this foliage finder.
