Forget Colorado, Visit This Wildly Underrated Mountain State Called The 'Switzerland Of America' Instead

Colorado is on just about every avid peak-bagger's bucket list. In fact, Colorado boasts the greatest number of "14ers" in the country. But while the Centennial State has plenty of lung-busting high-altitude hikes, there's another state with classic mountain scenery that's been dubbed the "Switzerland of America." That mountainous wonderland is New Hampshire. And while New Englanders know and appreciate the rugged beauty of this historic region, with breathtaking views and a hiking hut system reminiscent of the European Alps, it's less well-known far and wide as a mountain destination.

Peak-baggers in New Hampshire can easily spend a lifetime exploring the Granite State's version of the Swiss Alps, picking destinations off lists like the New Hampshire 48, a collection of all the peaks over 4,000 feet tall. For scenic variety, enthusiasts in the state have created a second list, dubbed 52 With a View, which brings the total to a neat 100. The state is home to the oldest hiking trail in the U.S., the Crawford Path; and what Backpacker Magazine calls one of the "10 Hardest Day Hikes in America," the Pemigewasset Loop, a brutal ridgeline hike that summits eight of the NH 48. "Hardest thing I've ever done in my life, but I would do it again in an instant," asserts one adventurous Redditor.

Just because New Hampshire's White Mountains don't tower as high as the Rockies doesn't mean they aren't formidable. Extreme weather is common, and the weather station atop Mt. Washington, sometimes called "America's Everest," once clocked the wind speed at the summit at 231 mph, at the time the highest ever recorded. Coupled with the steep, rocky terrain, this makes for a mountain environment as challenging in its own way as Colorado or the Grand Canyon.

There is a reason the New Hampshire 48 are widely considered to be just as challenging as Colorado's peaks, if not more so, in addition to being just as beautiful. In general, East Coast trails are harder to hike than trails in the Mountain West. That's because the east's older trails were built to travel straight up and down over rocks and roots, while western trails, built later, commonly include gentler switchbacks, making ascending and descending easier. 

The Presidential Traverse in New Hampshire's White Mountains is a classic journey that will take you across eight summits, all named after U.S. presidents, including Mt. Washington. Some tackle it as a day hike, while others spread its 18-plus miles over two to three days, staying in huts operated by the Appalachian Mountain Club and modeled after the famous huts of the Swiss Alpine Club in the European Alps. Either way, it's rugged, windy, and absolutely stunning. "I've lived in both areas and hiked many places around the world," writes one Redditor. "The Presidential Traverse absolutely still rates as the gnarliest day hike I've ever done." For a gentler introduction, the out-and-back hike up Mt. Garfield yields spectacular summit views in just under 10 miles and under 3,000 feet of elevation gain.

Before setting out to tackle New Hampshire's challenging mountain terrain on foot, it's a good idea to purchase an NH hikeSafe Card, $25 for an individual and $35 for a family, which funds local search and rescue efforts. Carrying it protects you from liability should you have a legitimate need to tap their services — although if you behave recklessly, all bets are off. If you're looking to gauge the feasibility of a particular hike in the New Hampshire 48, NewEnglandWaterfalls.com has ranked them all by difficulty, scenery (poor to outstanding), and whether or not they are safe for beginners.

New Hampshire's 52 With a View, commonly abbreviated as 52WAV, is a curated list of lower-elevation view hikes to mountain tops where the achievement is more about view-bagging than peak-bagging. These hikes may be lower-elevation, but that doesn't mean they're lower-stakes or easier. The list was originally created by Over the Hill Hikers, a club based in the charming, forested town of Sandwich, nestled in the White Mountains. Sandwich is just one of New Hampshire's wildly underrated mountain towns that can rival any of Colorado's famed outdoor recreation meccas or the Swiss Alps' fairytale villages. 

The 52 hikes on the list, which is periodically updated, range from moderate to rigorous. One with a fantastic payoff for the effort is Middle Sugarloaf, a 2.7-mile out-and-back with just under 900 feet of elevation gain, per AllTrails, that ends at a broad granite summit where you can spread out for a leisurely picnic and take in a 360-degree panorama of the surrounding mountains. 

For a slightly longer and steeper hike, the popular Welch-Dickey Loop Trail is a good option, according to AllTrails. The trail passes through a forested fairyland, climbs steep granite slabs, and has one viewpoint after another, including a breathtaking summit. "Pretty hard to find a better hike that gets you a view quickly, and a majority of the hike has views," writes one Redditor. "If you can... catch sunset up there..." If you do choose to hike up for sunset, don't forget to bring a headlamp for the descent, and mind the slippery granite footing in the rain. The Welch-Dickey Trailhead is around two hours from Boston, depending on traffic, making this a viable day trip, or you can make a perfect fall weekend of it by staying at a quaint inn in nearby Plymouth, New Hampshire, a college town bathed in New England charm.