Gretchen Stuppy Carlson
Just a short hike up to a series of cliffs and rocky overlooks, the Boulder Loop Trail offers sweeping views of the valley with glimpses of the road and river below. This is a wonderful hike to do at any time of the year but is especially beautiful if you are looking for a short hike to take on the fall colors in early October. This hike has one of the best rewards for the effort as the trail is just 3 miles. Since it is located right off the Kancagamagus, it is a great short hike to do if you are spending the day exploring this scenic drive.
Looking for more suggestions about hiking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire? You might like some of these links:
- 11 Best Hikes in the White Mountains of New Hampshire
- 11 Easy Hikes in the White Mountains
- 9 Best Fall Foliage Hikes in the White Mountains
Overview of the Boulder Loop Trail
Distance: 3 miles Elevation Gain: 900 feet Difficulty: moderate
The Boulder Loop Trail on the Kancamagus Highway in NH leaves from the scenic Albany Covered Bridge. We parked in the parking lot for the bridge and enjoyed the walk across this pretty little covered bridge. Follow the road to the right and look for the trailhead on your left.
You can either hike the trail as a loop or do one section of the hike as an out-and-back. The trail splits after about 0.1 miles and you can take either trail. We hiked the loop clockwise to get the steep section done first. After climbing steadily and a little steeply, the trail follows along the top of several cliffs, giving you excellent views out across the valley. You will need to take a small spur to get to the best viewing area on the trail.
Continue on the loop through several interesting forests and boulder fields until you complete the loop and make your way back to the car.
Boulder Loop Trail NH Parking
The Boulder Loop Trail starts right next to the Albany Covered Bridge. This is the easiest thing to put into your map app, although the Boulder Loop Trail Parking lot also came up for us. You can park in the large parking lot for the covered bridge, or drive over the bridge and park in the small lot just on the other side of the river. There is a $5 fee to park your car and you will find some basic toilet facilities.
To get to the Boulder Loop Trailhead, turn right just after the Albany Covered Bridge and walk just a short distance on the road. The trailhead is on the left.
Boulder Loop Trail Map
The Boulder loop trail map below can be found at the trailhead. The trail is marked with several number posts indicating interesting sites along the loop. There is also a new section of the trail that is very well-marked. Follow the yellow trail markers for the entire loop.
Things to Know About Hiking the Boulder Loop Trail in the White Mountains
The Boulder Loop Trail is a moderate hike in the White Mountains. Below you can find some general information about hiking the Boulder Loop Trail and other mountains in the Whites.
Best Time of Year to Hike in the White Mountains
The White Mountains are truly a year-round hiking destination and you can find amazing hiking trails no matter what season you choose to visit. For most people, the best time of year for hiking in the White Mountains is during the warm months: May-Oct. The Boulder Loop Trail offers several great viewpoints and our favorite time of year for this hike is late September and early October when the fall leaves are just starting to turn.
This is also an excellent hike in the summer.
The fall foliage tracker at Visit NH is a great tool to help you plan a fall trip to see the leaves.
What to Bring Hiking on the Boulder Loop Trail
Just like other hikes in the White Mountains, it’s always best to be prepared, and the weather in New Hampshire is known to change quickly. While this is a relatively short trail, you should plan to bring water and snacks, a first aid kit, and layers. You can find a complete day hike packing list here.
We visited on a cool fall day and found ourselves taking layers on and off constantly, especially since the viewpoints were all a bit windy.
Is the Boulder Loop Trail Dog Friendly?
Yes – this trail is dog friendly as long as you keep your dog on a leash. The trail itself is mostly easy walking for dogs, but use caution near the overlooks.
Is hiking the Boulder Loop Trail good for kids?
Since this is a relatively short hike with under 1,000 feet of elevation gain, this makes an excellent hiking trail for kids. There are some steep drop-offs at the overlooks, so use caution when hiking.
Details of our Hike on the Boulder Loop Trail
I did the Boulder Loop Trail hike with 2 of my kids (ages 11 and 14) in October of 2022 during our day exploring the fall foliage along the Kancamagus Highway. This was the perfect short trail to get up and see some of the leaves changing colors. It is known to be a popular hiking trail, but we did not find the trail crowded and since the top offers many viewpoints there is plenty of space to spread out.
After enjoying the Albany Covered Bridge, turn right and the trail is just down the road. We chose to hike in a clockwise direction but both ways are about the same. If you go clockwise, you get the steeper section out of the way first. Note that there is a new trail near the top of the first steep section that is different than the All Trails map. The trail is very well-marked and offers a few switchbacks.
The trail on this part of the loop is typical of New Hampshire with rocks and roots. After gaining most of the elevation for the hike, you get to your first viewpoint with views to the east and south. You will continuously pass through a variety of forest growth.
Continue on the trail and you will do one last bit of elevation gain before reaching a signpost. This is the small 0.2-mile spur trail out to the viewpoint. You should absolutely do this small trail, as it offers the best views on the entire Boulder Loop Trail hike. You don’t even need to go the full 0.2 miles to see some beautiful views. Bring a picnic, or stop for a snack here.
After soaking in the view, continue down on the trail of the loop. This part of the trail is generally easy walking although we did see some people hiking with poles. You will pass many interesting boulders, the best is the ‘unusual boulder heap’ which has several boulders stacked on top of each other with a small cave underneath.
The trail eventually meets back up with the original hiking trail, and you can follow the short trail back to the road and parking lot. The entire hike took us just under 2 hours (this also gives you time to take in the view).
