Kancamagus Highway
A New England foliage road crossing the White Mountain National Forest. The 56 km from Lincoln to Conway connects waterfalls, covered bridges and overlooks. There are no commercial services along the way.
The Kancamagus Highway (locally known as 'The Kanc') is New Hampshire Route 112, crossing the White Mountain National Forest. It runs west from Lincoln to Conway, about 56 km long. It opened in 1959 and is named after Kancamagus, a 17th-century chief of the Pennacook tribe. It is considered the best foliage drive in New England. There are no gas stations, shops or cell signal along the way, only overlooks, trails and campgrounds. From west to east, the highlights are Loon Mountain; Kancamagus Pass, the highest point on the road at about 873 m, with the Pemigewasset and Shuck overlooks on either side; the Sabbaday Falls; the Lower Falls and Rocky Gorge, where you can swim in summer; the Albany Covered Bridge; and finally Conway and the shopping town of North Conway. Driving without stopping takes about 1 hour, but half a day is recommended during foliage season. Parking requires a White Mountain National Forest parking pass, which you can pay for at the parking lots. Traffic moves slowly on peak foliage weekends, so start early. In winter, there is snow, and moose are common, so drive carefully at night.