Mount Washington Observatory

Its a great ride up and down this mountain! Bring your nerves of steel for the ride with no guard rails! The views on a clear day is amazing! You definitely need to take a picture at the very peak. Avoid the train as it is very expensive for a 1 way ticket $ 45. The van service will run you $ 45 round trip and cheaper for kids. Make sure you bring a coat for the top the temperature can be 20+ degrees colder at the top, even in the Summer. Also call ahead or check online to make sure the road is open. Just because its sunny down in downtown North Conway. Doesn’t mean it is on the top of Mt. Washington! This is a must visit for anyone visiting the area!

One of the most beautiful places I have been to. My friends and I took the auto route up to the summit. We were overtaken by the beauty of the mountains. When I was looking at all the scenery around me, I felt like at that moment the world was a huge place and with the beauty in front of me, I had a responsibility to keep that beauty for the next generation. I could picture bringing my family up to the mountain.
The summit itself was wow. It was freaking freezing! Definitely bring a warm jacket with you! Now at the top, there is the observatory, gift shop, warm snack bar (the pizza and chicken noodles is pretty good) and the museum. There is also this building that used to house officers there. It’s like walking back in time.
I would love to go back one day. It’s so worth it

The MT Washington Observatory at the very top of the mountain really is like no where on earth. It is really hard to explain what I mean but the weather is wild and unpredictable and there is nothing around but a stunning view. It kind of feels like your on mars because of the rocky terrain. I’ve been up many times on the Cog Railway and it is such an experience every time. It is well worth the money, so if your ever in NH looking for something out of the ordinary then I recommend heading up here.

I’ve always dreamed of the ultimate trip to another planet and have found it here on earth for 25 dollars no less!!!
The family and I were exploring the White Mountains of New Hampshire and were going to close out the three day visit with a trek to the top of Mount Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast at 6288 feet. I had tried this many years ago only to be disappointed to learn that they had closed it for the day due to inclement weather, so if you plan on heading over there, make sure to call in advance! This time proved to be lucky as they were indeed open in spite of the hit and miss weather in the area all weekend. So we hopped in the car and headed over.
There are three different ways to make your way to the summit, by car on the auto road, by hiking up the trail or by train on the Mount Washington Cog Railway. We opted for the first and for the cost of 25 dollars per vehicle and driver, plus 8 dollars additional per person. You got the audio CD companion to explain the trip up and down the road and also the coveted bumper sticker that is frequently seen throughout New England and points beyond stating «This Car Climbed Mount Washington».
At first we scoffed at all the rules, drive in low gear, don’t go over 20 MPH, stop frequently to rest your car and let it cool down, etc. Well after 15 minutes of white-​knuckle driving I had to stop to not only rest my nerves but also take in some of the views. Along the way are signposts that state how many miles along you are and each elevation as it increases by 1000 feet. I was amazed at how hot my car was and glad that I stopped for a moment as I think my car would have overheated and it is almost brand new with only 5000 miles on it.
The road is winding and steep and some points feel very tight for two cars to pass one another so this drive is not for the faint at heart. At one point the road goes from asphalt to dirt and there are no guardrails the whole way along. Couple this with the fact that some areas are a straight drop and I was ready for a drink by the time I got to the top to calm myself. Thankfully there was no booze to be had!
Some of the amazing things I learned were the changes in climate as you ascend, it was summer, sunny and humid at the base, by the time you got to the top, it was chilly, around 60 degrees, it drizzled on and off and you were literally in the clouds and some were even below you as you could see them rolling over lower parts of the mountain. Another incredible thing was the change in vegetation, you go from a full forest, to small tress, many of which were the fir variety that you get for Christmas to no trees and just grass at the summit. There are many other things to learn but I won’t spoil them all.
Being at the top was amazing. Within 30 minutes it was like I was on an entirely different planet. One thing that blew my mind was walking up the steps from the parking lot to the summit area, I found myself out of breath and it took a long time for me to catch it, then I realized that this was due to the altitude.
I could go on and on about how this place was simply one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen and experienced, but rather than be redundant just let me say that you should go see it on your own and draw your own conclusion, but I think you will appreciate it very much. I can’t wait to go back and it will be a must-​do on future visits to the White Mountain region of New Hampshire.

A slice of the AT without the hike?! Yes, it’s true — for a fee you can drive up the curvy and windy road to the top of Mt. Washington and experience the cold wind and breathtaking views. They even give you a CD to listen to on the way up. The observatory is a nice facility and a great way to take in the view. Besides driving up there you can also take a train, hike, and there might also be a gondola!
The landscape reminded me of Mars and hiking on rocks isn’t fun, but it is a unique experience.