The White Mountains has so much to offer making it a challenge to pick a White Mountains New Hampshire Camping weekend itinerary. This two-day itinerary is the perfect blend of hiking, camping and relaxing in the beauty of the White Mountains.
Day One – Camping in the White Mountains
Start your day early and conquer one of New Hampshire’s famous 4,000 footers. Hike to the summit of Mt. Hale via the Hale Brook Trail. The trailhead is accessible by car in the summer and fall and is a 4-mile out-and-back hike. With 2,253 ft of elevation gain it is a tough up hill climb, but with a few water crossings, the sounds of the Hale Brook along the way make it an enjoyable hike. The summit of Mt. Hale doesn’t have views, but it does have mysterious magnetic rocks. Don’t forget your compass and use it to search for the magnetic rocks at the summit!
After completing a 4,000 footer, it’s time to find a campground and spend the rest of your day relaxing in nature. We drove to nearby campgrounds Sugarloaf and Sugarloaf 2. These campgrounds can be reserved at least 1 week in advance, but earlier reservations are recommended for the busy summer months. We were hiking near the end of May found there were plenty of campsites available first come, first serve.
I highly recommend campsite 13 or 14 at Sugarloaf 2 Campground. There is no cell service, so we were complete cut off from the world, but we embrace the time with no distractions. Campsites are $20 per night and offer pit toilets, picnic tables, fire rings, and wooded campsites with privacy.
We set up our car camping tent with attachment for an SUV and enjoyed time in the shade as it was a really hot weekend. The nearby Zealand River is a popular option for cooling off in the summer months, so don’t forget your swimsuit!
Day Two
Our second day started with an early hike to avoid the heat. Another benefit of staying at Sugarloaf 2 campground is you can walk from your campsite to the Sugarloaf Trailhead. We hiked to North and Middle Sugarloaf via the Sugarloaf trail. This 3.3 mile out-and-back trail has only 1,000 ft of elevation gain and pays off with some amazing views. Middle Sugarloaf has one of the best views of the White Mountains that I have ever seen. Middle Sugarloaf is one of New Hampshire’s 52 With a View mountains, so if hiking NH mountains with stunning views, add this to your list.
After soaking up the views, we hiked down the mountain and back to our campsite. We packed up our tent and reflected on our time in nature. These two days were the perfect blend of adventure, relaxation and time spent connecting in nature.
