Mt. Washington Auto Road

The Mount Washington Auto Road is a great place to get away from everything! The Auto Road offers a day of adventure with it's breathtaking views, the summit, observation deck and the history of the Mt. Washington Auto Road.

The thought of driving your car up to the highest point in New England on the Mt. Washington Auto Road may not be for everyone, especially those that have a fear of heights. The mountain is 6,288 feet high. I myself don't like heights but I was able to get through it just fine the first time I went and now I look forward to each drive up the Mt. Washington Auto Road.

How Should I Prepare Before Heading up to Mt. Washington?

If you are planning on driving the Mt. Washington Auto Road, you should prepare yourself for the weather and the drive. The weather on Mount Washington changes constantly. The temperature difference is amazing and you will want to prepare for that. As I write this (June 19, 2008), there is snow on Mount Washington still left over from Winter. It's about 80 degrees and sunny. Looking at the Mount Washington Webcam, I see the snow and clouds and see people on the observation deck with warm coats on. And if that's not enough, the highest windspeed ever recorded was recorded on top of Mount Washington at 231 Mph on April 12, 1934. So, I hope I made my point. If not, trust me, it's almost always cold up there. There are many times that the weather isn't very friendly on Mt. Washington so be sure to bring warm, dry clothes, forget the umbrella unless you want the normally strong blowing winds to tear it apart for you. For more information on the weather on top of Mount Washington, see the top right of this page where we set the weather for the summit of Mount Washington.

The drive up the Auto Road can make one feel a bit anxious as you peer over the edge of the road and see a thousand foot drop. As the driver, you probably shouldn't be looking over the edge and trying to drive at the same time. If there are no cars around you, stop and look, otherwise, there are several pull offs where you can stop and take in the scenery. At the peak of Mount Washington there is a place to eat and 2 gift shops.

What can you Expect on the Mt. Washington Auto Road?

The Auto Road begins at the "Toll House" where you will be greeted by employees. This is where you will pay for the people in your vehicle and they will give you a packet of information including a bumper sticker and a CD to listen to on your way up the Mt. Washington Auto Road. The CD will give you sort of a guided tour as you climb the mountain. At the beginning of the Auto Road you will notice the green trees and how nice the road and areas are, as you begin to get a little higher you will notice the trees getting shorter and shorter and even a little bent up. These tiny trees are actually hundreds of years old and have endured some of the worst weather imaginable. As you near the peak of Mount Washington on the Auto Road you will see a set of Railroad tracks. The railroad track are for the Cog Railway trains. These trains transport visitors up the Mt. Washington, right to the peak of the mountain from Bartlett NH. Trains go by frequently and it is well worth the wait to sit and watch one go up the mountain and make the final push to the observation deck area.

Mt. Washington Auto Road Schedule

Note: This is a general schedule, please check for specific days when you intend on visiting Mount Washington as some days and times are blocked for events on the Mountain. You can check here.

Mt. Washington Auto Road Location:

The Mount Washington Auto Road is on Rt. 16 in Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire. GPS coordinates are: -71.22580 Longitude and 44.28850 Latitude.

Mt. Washington Auto Road Map

 
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Mount Washington Auto Road Pictures and Videos

Photos from the Mt. Washington Auto Road and the summit

Videos from the peak of Mount Washington