Add these Northeast hikes, whitewater adventures, bike trips, and more to your bucket list.
By Dan Mathers
New Year is the time of endless possibilities.
It’s when the coming 12 months are still full of potential and we can imagine how we’re going to shape those months, mold them into the year of our dreams. A year of epic adventures. So next December we can look back on a year of unforgettable experiences that will stay with us forever.
At least, that’s the goal. The dream.
Sure, reality often tends to get in the way, and obligations of life and work can sometimes sabotage those plans. But you have to plan. We’re here to help with that planning.
If you need some ideas or inspiration, here are 15 ideas to help jumpstart your adventure planning.
Hike The Bonds
The Bonds traverse is a difficult hike that includes three 4,000-foot peaks: West Bond, Mount Bond, and Bondcliff. But the incredible views and iconic photo op make it a must-do hike for anyone who can handle it. It can be done as a very long and challenging day hike. But if you want to linger and enjoy the views (and you will want to), it might be a better idea to take your time and make an overnight backpacking trip out of it.
Paddle The St. Regis Canoe Area
One of the best places to experience wilderness paddling in the Northeast is the St. Regis Canoe Area in the northern Adirondacks. At 18,400 acres, it is largest wilderness canoe area in the northeastern U.S. and features more than 50 lakes and ponds offering remote wilderness canoeing and kayaking.
Mountain Bike Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom
Once a wild, remote corner of Vermont, the Northeast Kingdom has transformed into a world-renowned mountain biking destination. The region’s communities have embraced the sport, and the area is home to hundreds of miles of diverse, hand-built singletrack. Check out these five prime spots for mountain biking in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom.
Go Whitewater Rafting On The Deerfield River
The Deerfield River in western Massachusetts is one of New England’s best rafting rivers. It offers multiple sections ranging from family-friendly Class I and II stretches, to splashy Class III rapids, to the big waves and steep drops of Class IV. Several outfitters offer guided kayaking and rafting trips on the river, including Zoar Outdoor and Crab Apple Whitewater. Check out more Northeast whitewater opportunities in our resource directory.
Try Surfing
If you think surfing only happens in Hawaii, California, or Florida, think again. From Maine to Long Island Sound, New England is home to a surprisingly vibrant surf culture. And even if you’re not a teenager anymore — or you’re even well beyond your 30s — you can still do it. Surfing is for everyone. Here’s where to find surfing lessons in the Northeast.
Hike The Precipice Trail In Acadia
Acadia National Park is home to many amazing hikes, including the Beehive Loop and Cadillac Mountain. But in terms of pure uniqueness and adrenaline-pumping excitement (and/or fear), it’s hard to beat the Precipice Trail. The trail is NOT for small children, or people with a fear of heights, or anyone at all when the weather is wet. The climb up the Precipice Trail requires both physical and mental strength. It climbs over 1,000 feet in less than a mile with open cliff faces and iron rungs that hikers must climb.
Go Winter Mountaineering With A Guide
You don’t need to fly to Alaska or Nepal to experience the frozen, big peak mountaineering adventures you see in your favorite documentaries. You can find that real mountain adventure here in the Northeast. In fact, many of the world’s best climbers and mountaineers not only call the Northeast their home and train here, they also teach and guide people like you. Intrigued by the idea of a winter ascent of Mount Washington or other iconic peaks in the region? Check out our Resources page to discover some of the region’s best mountaineering guide services.
Hike The Franconia Ridge Loop
When people debate what are the best hikes in New England, the Franconia Ridge Loop is always part of the discussion. This classic 8.9-mile hike in New Hampshire runs along 1.7 miles of Franconia Ridge, providing hikers with stunning 360-degree views of the surrounding White Mountains. Along the way, it summits Mount Lafayette (5,249 feet) and Mount Lincoln (5,089 feet). The hike also passes alongside a series of cascading waterfalls, the tallest of which is the dramatic 80-foot-high Cloudland Falls.
Explore the Debsconeag Lakes Wilderness
Few places in the Northeast give visitors the remote wilderness feeling they get from exploring Maine’s Debsconeag Lakes Wilderness Area.Often overlooked by visitors in favor of nearby Baxter State Park and Katahdin, the Debsconeag area features incredible hiking and paddling opportunities in pristine wilderness that features New England’s highest concentration of remote ponds.
Try Winter Camping
It goes without saying that camping in winter is a much different experience than camping in summer. Being able to camp in freezing temperatures and deep snow requires an extra level of hardiness and skill. But the experience of camping in the quiet, snowy winter woods is definitely worth it. Offseason camping is available at more than 30 parks in Vermont. Winter camping is also available at several state parks and public lands in Maine, and at three parks in New Hampshire.
Fat Bike On Sandy Neck
In a region known for postcard-perfect beaches, Sandy Neck stands apart. Stretching six miles along the north side of Barnstable, this rugged barrier beach is one of Cape Cod’s most striking natural landscapes. This vast sweep of dunes, maritime forest, tidal marsh, and ocean shoreline feels worlds away from the Cape’s more crowded destinations. Exploring the area by riding fat bikes across the hard-packed sand is a biking experience unlike any other in the region.
Go Snowshoeing In Vermont
Winter might be the best time of year to explore the outdoors, and perhaps no place is a more idyllic location in winter than Vermont. Come winter, the state’s embarrassing riches of beautiful woodlands and mountains become covered in snow, making them even more breathtaking. Snowshoeing is a great way to experience the winter outdoors. And many snowshoe centers not only offer miles of scenic trails, but they also have staff who can set you up with the proper equipment and even take you on a guided snowshoe trek so you’re not alone. Here are some of the best places to go snowshoeing in Vermont.
Hike The 22-Mile Tully Trail
The hills of central Mass offer up some great outdoor adventures, and one of the best is hiking the Tully Trail, a 22-mile loop trail in Royalston. The trail encircles the largely undeveloped Tully Valley in the North Quabbin Region. And from the summit of Tully Mountain to the cascading waters of Doane’s Falls, the trail connects some of the region’s most scenic properties and views.
Sea Kayak On The Connecticut Coast
Think about great sea kayaking destinations in New England, and your mind probably drifts to Maine’s jagged, rocky coast or the waters off Cape Cod. But on the northern shores of Long Island Sound, the Connecticut coast offers paddlers beautiful scenery, mellow waters, and interesting areas to explore. Here’s what to know to plan your own sea kayaking adventures in Connecticut.
Summit Mount Marcy
Standing at 5,344 feet, Mount Marcy is New York’s highest peak. The steep, strenuous hike is a challenge, but it rewards hikers with a true wilderness experience and expansive views from the summit. There are multiple trails up Mount Marcy, but the Van Hoevenberg Trail—a 14.8-mile round trip hike (7.4 miles one way) beginning at the High Peak Information Center—is the most popular.
