Mount Washington

Mount Washington

Called Agiocochook by some Native American tribes, Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at 6,288 ft (1,917 m) and the most prominent mountain east of the Mississippi River.

The first European to mention the mountain was Giovanni da Verrazzano. Viewing it from the Atlantic Ocean in 1524, he described what he saw as "high interior mountains."

The Abenaki people inhabiting the region at the time of European contact believed that the tops of mountains were the dwelling place of the gods, and so among other reasons did not climb them out of religious deference to their sanctity.

Darby Field claimed to have made the first ascent of Mt. Washington in 1642.

The summit station of Mount Washington has an alpine climate or tundra climate, although it receives an extremely high amount of precipitation, atypical for most regions with such cold weather. Lower elevations have a subarctic climate.

Location

Sargent's Purchase
Coos County
New Hampshire
USA

Getting There

The most popular way to reach the summit of Mount Washington is by car via the Mount Washington Auto Road or the Cog Railway. However, public transportation options are also available:

The Concord Coach Lines offers bus service from Boston and other locations to North Conway, New Hampshire. From there, you can take a taxi or rental car to Mount Washington.

The Amtrak Downeaster train runs from Boston to Portland, Maine, with stops in several New Hampshire cities, including Exeter and Durham. From these cities, you can take a taxi or rental car to Mount Washington.

The Manchester-Boston Regional Airport and the Portland International Jetport are the closest airports to Mount Washington. From there, you can rent a car or take a taxi to the mountain.

The White Mountains Regional Airport in North Conway, New Hampshire, offers limited commercial flights and private charters. From the airport, you can take a taxi or rental car to Mount Washington.

There are also several tour companies that offer guided tours to Mount Washington, with transportation included.

Nearby Airports

This is a list of primary airports in New Hampshire that have scheduled passenger service on commercial airlines.