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White Mountains and Northern Vermont loop from Boston

A summer-to-foliage loop from Boston to Rumney, North Conway, Bethel, East Burke (Kingdom Trails) and the Mad River Valley. For climbers, mountain bikers and hikers.

Fly into Boston (BOS)Best Jul-Oct5 stops578 mi / 930 km14.1 h driving13 days suggestedLoop, back to the startUnited States
ClimbingMountain BikingHikingKayakingRunningSkiing

When: Kingdom Trails' summer trails open only 'when weather and trail surface conditions allow' after spring mud season; our stops list July-October as peak, with September-October best for Rumney climbing and foliage. [1]

Getting there: Fly into BOS; major rental companies at the Logan rental car center.

Customize this trip

Route: OpenStreetMap road data (OSRM). Map © OpenStreetMap contributors. Spots: OpenBeta and our guides.

Day by day · 12 nights, 13 days

  1. Start in Boston (BOS): pick up the carDrive to Rumney: 120 mi / 193 km · 2 h 30 min
  2. 1

    Rumney

    NH, United States

    90Adventure Score

    Suggested stay: 2 nights

    New England's premier sport-climbing crag, with Franconia Notch, Cannon and Loon a half hour up the valley.

    Biggest draw
    • Rumney Rocks (Rattlesnake Mountain) · 5.0/5 · ClimbingSchist sport climbing on many cliffs in the White Mountain National Forest; 700+ routes from beginner to world-class, managed with the Rumney Climbers Association.
    Also here
    • Waimea · 5.0/5 · Climbing
    • Parking Lot Wall · 5.0/5 · Climbing
    • Jimmy Cliff · 5.0/5 · Climbing
    Full Rumney guide →
    Drive to North Conway: 60 mi / 97 km · 1 h 54 min
  3. 2

    North Conway

    NH, United States

    94Adventure Score

    Suggested stay: 3 nights

    New England granite, Presidential summits, and the mountain race that defines suffering

    Biggest draw
    • Cathedral Ledge · 5.0/5 · ClimbingGranite cliff in Echo Lake State Park with a mile-long auto road to a summit at 1,159 ft overlooking the Saco valley. A major New England rock-climbing area and an ice-climbing venue in winter; also reachable for non-climbers by road or trail.
    Also here
    • White Horse Ledge · 5.0/5 · Climbing
    • Mount Washington and the Presidential Range · 4.9/5 · Hiking
    • Tuckerman Ravine · 5.0/5 · Skiing
    Full North Conway guide →
    Drive to Bethel: 50 mi / 80 km · 1 h 18 min
  4. 3

    Bethel

    ME, United States

    81Adventure Score

    Suggested stay: 2 nights

    Maine's western mountain village: Sunday River skiing and bike park, Grafton Notch hikes and ice, Androscoggin paddling and village singletrack, all within a short drive.

    Biggest draw
    • Sunday River Ski Resort · 4.9/5 · SkiingEight interconnected peaks in Newry with 2,340 ft of vertical (800 to 3,140 ft), about 135 trails, 870 skiable acres, 95% snowmaking coverage and night skiing; second-largest vertical in Maine.
    Also here
    • Sunday River Bike Park · 4.3/5 · Mountain Biking
    • Grafton Notch State Park · 4.5/5 · Hiking
    • Old Speck Mountain · 4.5/5 · Hiking
    Full Bethel guide →
    Drive to East Burke & Kingdom Trails: 83 mi / 134 km · 2 h 18 min
  5. 4

    East Burke & Kingdom Trails

    VT, United States

    84Adventure Score

    Suggested stay: 3 nights

    Vermont's Northeast Kingdom: 100+ miles of Kingdom Trails singletrack, a lift-served bike park and ski hill, and the Lake Willoughby cliffs

    Biggest draw
    • Kingdom Trails Network · 5.0/5 · Mountain Biking100+ miles of non-motorized singletrack and doubletrack for all levels, on land of about 106 private landowners; requires a day or annual membership.
    Also here
    • Burke Mountain Bike Park · 5.0/5 · Mountain Biking
    • Burke Mountain Resort (ski area) · 4.7/5 · Skiing
    • Darling Hill · 5.0/5 · Mountain Biking
    Full East Burke & Kingdom Trails guide →
    Drive to Mad River Valley: 71 mi / 114 km · 1 h 48 min
  6. 5

    Mad River Valley

    VT, United States

    78Adventure Score

    Suggested stay: 2 nights

    A one-road Green Mountains valley where a skier-owned single-chair ski area, a big-mountain resort, 60+ miles of volunteer-built singletrack and the Long Trail sit minutes from swimming holes and covered bridges.

    Biggest draw
    • Mad River Glen · 4.9/5 · SkiingCooperatively owned, skier-only mountain on General Stark Mountain in Fayston: 2,037 ft vertical, 60 marked trails (20% novice, 35% intermediate, 45% expert), 115 trail acres plus nearly 2,000 acres of tree skiing, 15% snowmaking, and the 1948 Single Chair. Snowboarding is not allowed. Average season is mid-December to mid-April.
    Also here
    • Sugarbush Resort · 4.9/5 · Skiing
    • Sugarbush Bike Park (Lincoln Peak) · 4.3/5 · Mountain Biking
    • Blueberry Lake trails · 4.3/5 · Mountain Biking
    Full Mad River Valley guide →
    Drive back to Boston: 193 mi / 311 km · 4 h 12 min
  7. Back in Boston: drop the car and fly home.
Plan it

WHEN, HOW FAR, WHAT TO BRING

When to go

Best: Jul-Oct. Kingdom Trails' summer trails open only 'when weather and trail surface conditions allow' after spring mud season; our stops list July-October as peak, with September-October best for Rumney climbing and foliage.

All 5 stops are in peak or shoulder season in Jun, Aug-Oct.

Number = stops in peak or shoulder season that month. Darker = more stops at peak.

  • Rumney: peak May, Sep-Oct, avoid Jan-Mar, Dec
  • North Conway: peak Jun-Oct, avoid Apr
  • Bethel: peak Jan-Mar, Jul-Oct, avoid May, Nov
  • East Burke & Kingdom Trails: peak Jul-Oct, avoid Apr
  • Mad River Valley: peak Jan-Mar, Jul-Oct, avoid May, Nov

Driving split

14.1 h on the road over 6 drives: about 2.3 h per drive on average, 578 mi (930 km) in total.

Longest day: Mad River Valley to Boston, 4 h 12 min.

No single drive is over 6 hours.

Drive times are free-flow estimates from OpenStreetMap roads, without stops, traffic or border queues.

Sports and gear

  • Mountain Biking · every stopBring: helmet, gloves, pads; check the bike-park pass and bike rental.
  • Hiking · every stopBring: boots, layers, map or offline maps, water.
  • Kayaking · every stopBring: PFD, helmet, dry layers; many rivers need a guide or permit.
  • Running · every stopBring: trail shoes, hydration vest, headlamp for long days.
  • Skiing · every stopBring: skis or rental, avalanche kit for backcountry, goggles, layers.
  • Climbing · Rumney, North Conway, Bethel, East Burke & Kingdom TrailsBring: harness, shoes, helmet, rope and quickdraws (or rent locally).
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