Glamping Weekend Day 2
Bartlett, NH
After enjoying a Muffin House muffin on our super cute front porch we got an early start to take advantage of the bluebird skies. Driving only minutes through Crawford Notch I could not believe how scenic it was-mountains in front of us and waterfalls right beside the road! The picture happy person inside me wanted to pull over to take pictures at every stop!
Our first hike was Mount Willard which began near the AMC Highland Center across from Saco Lake. There is plenty of parking in the lot near the restroom and small store, but if that is full, people park along the road since the area is the start of many trails. Once you cross the railroad tracks you will find the trailhead for Mount Willard. It is a relatively steep 3.1 mile out and back trail and is rocky so definitely wear supportive shoes and bring bug spray if going in the spring/summer for use especially at the top.
The trail follows a river in the beginning and about a 1/2 mile in, there is a small waterfall called Centennial Pool which is a great place to rest since the first 1/3 of the trail seemed to be the steepest. When you reach the top, you are rewarded with absolutely incredible views of Crawford Notch and the surrounding range. I am not sure how many times we both said “Wow!” but seeing the Notch from that viewpoint was like nothing I had seen before. After taking it all in (and witnessing a romantic marriage proposal) we headed back down.
By the time we got back to the car we were hungry and decided to picnic at the Willey House which we passed on the way to the trail. Willey House is the historic site of the tragedy of August 28, 1826, when 7 Willey family members and 2 others died during a landslide. It is believed they fled the house to avoid the landslide, but unfortunately they did not survive; the house they fled from was actually not destroyed. The site of the house is marked by a stone monument and to the left is a visitor center.
Across the street is a beautiful lake, surrounded by mountains, hiking trails, wild lupine and picnic tables-the perfect place to stop for lunch! We try to travel with a cooler full of munchies like cheese, crackers, fruit and nuts so we set up a charcuterie lunch at one of the picnic tables and enjoyed the view.
Surprisingly we got a second wind and made our way to hike Aruthesa Falls. TIP: There is a sign at the bottom of Aruthesa Falls Road that says “Trail Parking”, but if you would like to save yourself a mile of walking on the road, park in the lot at the top of the road at the trailhead. The hike up to Aruthesa Falls was moderately challenging, but I have to admit it was tough on my legs since it was our second hike of the day. Once we reached the waterfall, I was shocked at how spectacular it was-I really did not expect it to be so enormous!
After enjoying the cool water and letting my legs rest for a while, we headed back down and took the Bemis Brook Trail since it followed the river with a couple smaller waterfall cascades. It is an extremely steep descent to the Bemis Brook Trail so if you would rather an easier hike back to your car, continue on the Aruthesa Falls trail to the parking lot.
For dinner I HIGHLY recommend going to the restaurant at White Mountain Cider Co. just 10 minutes down the road from Alpine Garden. They offer both indoor and outdoor seating but we loved the charming and cozy vibe of the bar area and opted to sit at a high top. I cannot rave about this restaurant enough-everything from the food, drinks, service and ambiance were perfection! The chef uses seasonal and locally sourced ingredients and the presentation and freshness of the everything we ordered was outstanding. TIP: Be sure to leave room for dessert-homemade warm cider donut with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream…YUM!!!
