The Scenic Drive To Rocky Gorge In New Hampshire Is Almost As Beautiful As The Destination Itself
By Ken MacGray|Updated on August 18, 2023(Originally published March 27, 2023)
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Ken MacGray
Author
Hey! I'm a freelance writer and guidebook author. I've authored "New Hampshire's 52 With A View - A Hiker's Guide", serve as editor of Appalachian Mountain Club's "Southern New Hampshire Trail Guide", and and am co-editor of the "White Mountain Guide", also for AMC. I'm currently beginning work on the 6th Edition of AMC's Southern New Hampshire Trail Guide, which will be published in 2025. I live in southern New Hampshire and can usually be found wandering throughout the state's mountains and forests.
Mountains. Ponds. Rivers. Forests. When it comes to amazing outdoor scenery, New Hampshire has it all. Sometimes the goal of a day out is to get to one of these specific spots. But what if the journey were just as lovely as the destination? This scenic drive in New Hampshire has a lot to see on the way to it. Take a journey through one of the prettiest drives in the state and marvel at the gorgeous beauty found within the granite state.
The scenery begins as soon as you get off Interstate 93 at Exit 32 in the town of Lincoln.
This quaint little place is one of those perfect New England mountain towns and your last chance to gas up before you head out on one of the best driving roads in New Hampshire. You will also get fantastic views of the very mountains you will be driving up from Lincoln.
Just uphill from the tight hairpin turn east of Lincoln, a large pull-off affords an excellent view of Mt. Osceola and Scar Ridge.
This is one of the first of many lookouts and they are all well worth the stop. If the parking lot happens to be full then continue down the road and on the right is a small little dirt patch where you can overlook the same valley but it tends to be less crowded.
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Various outlooks along the Kancamagus Highway provide stunning views of the surrounding mountains.
The pull-outs are well-marked a couple of yards away before you need to turn so be on the lookout for signs showing you that a glorious overlook is right around the bend.
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The highway reaches its highest point at 2,855 feet at Kancamagus Pass. It's all downhill from here.
Right near this sign is also the location one of the best overlooks on the whole drive. Make sure you take advantage of this spot when you go. This place is so scenic it is even a popular spot for couples to get married.
There is something so romantic about the rivers in New Hampshire and the Swift River perfectly demonstrates this with its clear water swirling around smooth granite stones and river rocks.
An excellent side trip that's just 0.7 miles from the highway is the easy walk to Sabbaday Falls.
Sabbaday Falls is a must for anyone traveling along the Kancamangus Highway, this trail is a simple hike to a multi-tiered waterfall that is gorgeous. This is also a very accessible hike but make sure you download the AllTrails app and get the map of Sabbaday Falls. This will also give you plenty of other maps of hikes all along this scenic drive.
Rocky Gorge is an area where the Swift River narrows and tumbles through a deep cut on its way downstream toward the town of Conway.
This is also the place where you can walk out along the rocks and witness yet another incredible waterfall. There are many great ways to view the water but make sure you give yourself plenty of time to just sit and listen to the water rush and take it all in.
A footbridge over the gorge and river provides the best vantage point of the gorge's smooth ledges.
Here is a local little secret too. Head across the bridge and take a short walk through the woods then you will find a small pond at the base of the mighty White Mountains which is one of the best views in the whole national forest. When you catch it just right and the peaks reflect on the still water, there is nothing quite like it.
What did you think of that scenic drive in New Hampshire? Have you been on the Kancamangus Highway before? If so then what were your favorite spots to stop at? Let us know in the comments below! For more information on Rocky Gorge Scenic Area, visit the U.S. Forest Service website. Please note that while the gorge is accessible in winter, parking is greatly reduced. For more great stops and beautiful overlooks please check out this Kancamangus Highway video from Adventuring in the Moment:
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Scenic Drive In New Hampshire
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