December – March
Winter in New Hampshire
Winter in New Hampshire settles slowly, then all at once. The mountains pull a white sheet over the trails, lakes freeze into silver plains, and the whole state turns inward toward firelight, slow mornings, and the particular calm that only cold weather allows.
Quick Facts
Quiet peaks, woodsmoke, and the hush of fresh snow.
Best Time
December – March
Temperatures
Highs 18–34°F · Lows -5–15°F
What to Pack
- Insulated layers
- Waterproof shell
- Merino base layers
- Wool socks & boots
- Warm gloves & hat
- Sunglasses (snow glare)
Signature Activities
Things to do in winter
Downhill Skiing & Snowboarding
Cannon, Loon, Bretton Woods, Waterville Valley, Gunstock, and Attitash each offer a distinct line down the granite.
Cross-Country Skiing
Groomed tracks wind through pine and birch from Franconia to the networks of the northern valleys.
Snowshoeing the Highland Center
Trade the lift lines for quiet spruce glades and the soft percussion of snow falling from branches.
Ice Fishing on Lake Winnipesaukee
Set up on the hardwater with a shack, a thermos, and the patience the lake rewards.
Snowmobiling the Corridor
Hundreds of miles of groomed corridor trail connect the North Country's lodges and diners.
Dog Sledding
Stand on the runners behind a team of huskies and learn the rhythm of a winter passage.
Ice Skating & Pond Hockey
Flooded rinks and frozen coves become the social center of a winter evening.
Mount Washington Cog Railway
Ride the biodiesel rack railway into the alpine zone for a view few see in winter.
Fireside Dining at a Country Inn
Slow evenings, candlelit taverns, and the kind of menus built around root cellars and restraint.
Maple-Sweetened Spa Retreats
Saunas, cold plunges, and treatments built around the same sugar the trees give in spring.
Events Calendar
Winter on the calendar
Dartmouth Winter Carnival
Hanover
Mount Washington Valley Ski & Skate
North Conway
Laconia Sled Dog Race
Lakes Region
Sample Itineraries
A plan, to start with
A Long Weekend in the Whites
Day 1
Arrive & Settle
Check into a mountainside inn at Bretton Woods; dinner by the fire.
Day 2
Ski the Summit
First tracks at Cannon; afternoon snowshoe to a frozen waterfall.
Day 3
Ride & Roam
Morning Cog Railway ascent; afternoon cross-country and a long tavern dinner.
