White Mountains Region Fall Foliage Tour for Motorcycles or Cars

Wind your way through the majestic White Mountains for exceptional leaf peeping

Region: White Mountains

Route: Take the Kancamagus Highway (the Kanc), Rte. 112, through the White Mountain National Forest from Lincoln to Conway.

Breathe in the scent of pines and changing leaves as you pass by the Swift River, Sabbaday Falls and Rocky Gorge Scenic Area. While this road has the sweeping curves and hairpins motorcyclists love, you’ll be sharing it with lots of leaf peepers, so ride cautiously. The online biker community raves about Bear Notch Road, a “must ride” with lots of twisties.

You can access the road from the Kanc and take it up to Bartlett and Rte. 302. Hit it early in the day so you don’t have to deal with as much traffic; it’s a two-lane road with little chance to pass. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife as this road is twisty in parts and you don’t always know what wildlife awaits you around the bend!

Restaurants: Fuel up on food and gas in Lincoln before you get on the Kanc because it is undeveloped. Sunny Day Diner is a good breakfast joint. Black Mtn. Burger Co. offers burgers, wings and brews. The Woodstock Inn Station & Brewery in North Woodstock has won this magazine’s “Best of NH” five times. The Conway area is filled with restaurants, outlet shopping and hiking opportunities. You can grab a burger, BBQ and brew at the biker-friendly Moat Mountain Smokehouse & Brewery in Conway.

Fun thing to do along the way: Conway Scenic Railroad.

Foliage Finder: Time your foliage trip perfectly with this foliage finder.