Last Updated: May 2026
It was early October when we crossed from Maine into the White Mountains of New Hampshire — the leaves just beginning to turn, the days warm and sunny, the nights dropping into the cool 40s. That combination of weather is our favorite on the road, and the White Mountains delivered it perfectly. This is leaf-peeper country at its finest, and with Mount Washington looming over the region, there was no shortage of reasons to slow down and look around.
Mountain Lakes Camping Resort
Our base was Mountain Lakes Camping Resort. The campground offered 30-amp service with 50 psi water pressure, cable, and good satellite reception. The pedestal voltage was running low at only 106 volts — not unusual in older campgrounds — but our Hughes Autoformer stepped it up to a usable 119 volts. WiFi was barely adequate for light surfing. The pool was closed for the season. We had wanted a lake-view site, but those came with too much road noise and felt cramped. The wooded sites we ended up with were better for privacy, and the surrounding forest was alive with squirrels and chipmunks — endless entertainment for Jake, who spent a good portion of each day on alert.
A pair of horses were kept on the property, and when they spotted Jake through the fence they came straight over to investigate. Jake, loves large animals and greeted with a sniff and tail wag.
Mount Washington, New Hampshire
Mount Washington dominates the Presidential Range of the White Mountains and, at 6,288 feet, holds the distinction of being the tallest peak in the Northeastern United States. It is perhaps best known for its ferocious and unpredictable weather — a weather station near the summit recorded a wind gust of 231 mph in 1934, a record that stood as the highest surface wind speed ever measured for decades and remains second only to a 254 mph gust recorded by Cyclone Olivia in 1996. The mountain generates its own weather systems, and summit conditions can change from clear and sunny to whiteout in minutes.
The first recorded ascent was made by Darby Field in 1642 — supposedly to demonstrate to a local Native American chief that no gods inhabited the summit and that the colonists’ northward expansion posed no spiritual risk. The Appalachian Trail crosses the summit, and on the day we were there, a steady stream of hikers was arriving at the top from multiple directions.
Mount Washington Cog Railway
The Mount Washington Cog Railway holds the distinction of being the world’s first mountain-climbing cog railway — a rack-and-pinion system where a toothed rail engages a gear on the locomotive to grip the steep grade. The average grade is over 25%, with a maximum pitch of 37% at Jacob’s Ladder — one of the steepest railway grades anywhere in the world. The line runs approximately 3 miles, climbing from a base elevation of around 2,700 feet to just below the 6,288-foot summit. The train ascends at 2.8 mph and descends at 4.6 mph, with the round trip taking roughly 1 hour 45 minutes total. It is a genuine engineering marvel — first operated in 1869 and still running today.
Mount Washington Auto Road
We drove the Mount Washington Auto Road — a 7.6-mile toll road completed and opened to the public in 1861, making it one of the oldest man-made tourist attractions in the United States. The toll was $40, which included a bumper sticker (the classic “This Car Climbed Mt. Washington”) and a CD narrating the history of the area and the construction of the road — a genuinely good listen on the way up and back. The drive is stunning: switchbacks through subalpine forest, then above treeline into an otherworldly landscape of exposed rock, with views expanding in every direction as you climb.
At the top, the summit complex includes observation decks, a full-service restaurant, and the Mount Washington Museum — well worth an hour of exploration before the descent. The views on a clear day are extraordinary, stretching across four states and into Canada.
ATVs
One thing we did not anticipate: the sheer volume of ATVs. The towns of Gorham and Berlin were hosting the Polaris Camp RZR event during our stay, and the machines seemed to outnumber cars on every road in the region. ATVs are permitted to operate on public streets throughout this part of New Hampshire, and the attraction is obvious — thousands of miles of connecting trails thread through the mountains. The event draws riders from across the country, and the sound of side-by-sides echoing through the valleys became the ambient soundtrack of our visit.
Fall Foliage
The White Mountains in early October are leaf-peeper central, and with good reason. Leaves are green in summer because of chlorophyll, the pigment responsible for photosynthesis. As days shorten and temperatures cool in autumn, the flow of nutrients and water to the leaves is gradually reduced. As chlorophyll breaks down without being replenished, the green fades — revealing the yellow and orange pigments that have been present in the leaf all along. Red pigments are actually synthesized fresh once about half the chlorophyll has degraded, which is why reds appear later in the color sequence than yellows and oranges.
The most vivid displays happen when autumn days are bright and cool and the nights are chilly but above freezing — exactly the conditions we had. A long growing season with good soil moisture also contributes to more intense color. As for why trees shed their leaves at all: the energy cost of maintaining leaves through winter outweighs the photosynthetic benefit of low winter light, and shedding also reduces ice and snow damage and limits water loss during frozen ground conditions. We were there just at the leading edge of peak color — with the full show still a week or two away — and it was already spectacular.
Visitor Information
The Mount Washington Cog Railway operates May through November with multiple daily departures. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially during fall foliage season. The round trip takes approximately 3 hours. Visit thecog.com for current schedules and pricing.
The Mount Washington Auto Road is open mid-May through late October, weather permitting. The $40 toll per vehicle includes the audio tour CD. Large RVs and vehicles with trailers are not permitted. If summit weather is poor on your planned day, call ahead — the road is frequently closed due to fog, wind, or ice even in summer.
Practical Tips for RV Travelers
Mountain Lakes Camping Resort is a functional base for exploring the White Mountains, though the 30-amp lake-view sites may limit what you can run simultaneously. The 50-amp sites in the wooded section trade the view for better power. If your campground voltage is running low, a Hughes Autoformer (or similar voltage booster) is a worthwhile investment for older campground pedestals.
For the Auto Road, you must leave your RV at the campground and drive up in a tow vehicle or rental. The road is narrow in sections and not suitable for large rigs. Plan your visit for a clear morning — summit clouds can roll in quickly by afternoon, and the drive is far less rewarding in fog.
