Check out a newer (2020) updated version of this post on my new blog: The 2 Best Dog Friendly Fall Foliage Hikes In New Hampshire
Is there anything better than fall in New England? In my opinion, no! I tend to travel a lot in the fall and loved that in the last few years I got to see our beautiful part of the country in all of its glory. New Englander’s tend to find leaf peepers (yep, that’s how most people here refer to tourists who come to see the leaves) to be a bit irritating because the traffic is crazy around here come fall. But I completely understand why everyone wants to visit at this time of year. New England is amazing in the fall.
Artist Bluff
One of my favorite areas to visit in the fall is the White Mountains and Franconia Notch in New Hampshire. Before we moved here I honestly never realized how gorgeous the White Mountains region of New Hampshire really is. I had never even heard of this area or its impressive NH48, which are a whopping 48 mountain peaks reaching at least 4,000 feet in elevation. “Peak bagging” is big in this part of New Hampshire and it’s a goal of ours to one day hike all 48.
Artist Bluff Trail
I have a few hikes that I really love to take the dogs on at this time of year and the first is located in Franconia Notch State Park.
The Artist Bluff Trail is a favorite of ours because it is rated as moderate and only 1.4 miles. This is, of course, a dog friendly trail and was great for both Thor who was 6 months old at the time and Bama who was 10. Both were tired but neither was destroyed after this hike.
Thor and I on Artist Bluff Trail
Artist Bluff offers gorgeous views at the top and a relatively flat area to hang out and enjoy those beautiful fall colors. Be aware that this is an incredibly popular hike that gets very busy on weekends. Don’t worry there is plenty of parking and the trail is a loop trail so it’s generally not too bad. The top does get pretty crowded. People are good about not blocking the views.
Bama and I on Artist Bluff
On the particular Saturday that I did this hike, it started raining just as I made it back to the car. So I decided to grab lunch to go at Black Mnt. Burger Co. They have awesome burgers and poutine if you are into that, and go find somewhere pretty to eat. With the dogs, there are several options in the White Mountain/Franconia Notch area but generally, we need to sit outside and with it pouring that wasn’t really an option.
We also took a drive on the Kancamagus Highway (the Kanc) and I assure you even in the rain the fall colors are stunning. The view from the top wasn’t as pretty as it normally is but the fog made for some really cool photos.
My second favorite hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire is quite a bit harder than the first. But the views are oh, so worth the hike!
The Welch and Dickey Loop Trail is a 4.4 mile trail that is rated difficult. The trail was rated moderate but it was recently bumped up to difficult on All Trails. I agree with that rating, but we were able to do it with a 6 month old Thor and a 10 year old Bama.
Welch and Dickey offer some spectacular views and has not 1, but 2 summits (hence the Welch AND Dickey name). I suggest that you do this hike counterclockwise for a more enjoyable experience. Ahem, if you do it clockwise you will be going down some pretty steep rock faces.
Welch and Dickey Loop Trail
This hike was a struggle for both the dogs, but they really enjoyed it. I let them rest at each summit and please make sure you pack plenty of water for your furry children. This was the first hike I’ve ever done that I ran out of water for the dogs. Thankfully I had a camelback too so it wasn’t a huge issue.
There is a tiny bit of rock scrambling and ledging but don’t let that scare you. This trail is completely doable for most skill levels. There were actually a lot of dogs on the trail. Thor even took a nap at the summit while I ate lunch and had a beer.
The best advice I can offer is when doing a hike with a puppy, allow them to rest whenever they feel necessary. Thor wanted to rest again on our way down so I let him lay down and relax for a bit. He’s a very sleepy German Shepherd! Loki is the exact opposite and goes full speed.
Before your hike grab a coffee at Mad River Coffee House. They make coffee ice cubes and as they melt you get even more flavor. The coffee was fantastic and the place was steadily busy the entire time we were there.
After your hike check out The Last Chair. They have an awesome selection of beer and excellent pizza. They also have a great outdoor seating area where your dogs can hang with you until the sun goes down in the fall months.
If you find yourself in the White Mountains of New Hampshire this fall and you have your 4-Legg’d children with you (or not!) make sure to check out both Artists Bluff and Welch and Dickey! You won’t regret it!
Diana’s Bath – Easy, 1.3 miles
Wilderness Trail/East Branch Road – Easy, 7.7 miles
Rattlesnake Mountains – Moderate, 2.3 miles
Basin Cascade Trail – Moderate, 2.5 miles
Lonesome Lake Trail Loop – Moderate, 3.1 miles
Sugarloaf Trail – Moderate, 3.3 miles
Indian Head Trail – Moderate, 3.5 miles
Mount Major and Brook Trail Loop – Moderate, 3.7 miles
Mount Hale via Hale Brook Trail – Moderate, 4 miles
Bridal Veil Falls – Moderate, 4.8 miles
Cascade Brook Trail to Lonesome Lake – Moderate, 4.9 miles
Lonesome Lake via Cascade Brook and Pemi Trail Loop – Moderate, 5.4 miles
There are so many more dog friendly hikes in the White Mountains! I generally use All Trails but have no affiliation with them. I’m just passing on the information and always use the app to find dog friendly hikes in each area I travel to.
Do you have a favorite dog friendly hike in the White Mountains?
