The White Mountain National Forest was established on May 16, 1918. As with most National Forests in the Eastern United States, it owes its existence to the passage of the Weeks Act in 1911 which enabled the federal government to purchase private land and establish National Forests principally in the Eastern United States.

The White Mountain National forest, with its unique mission to sustain healthy, diverse, and productive forests and grasslands for present and future generations, has grown from 7,000 acres in the early 1900s to just under 800,000 acres today.

The alpine areas include Mt. Washington, the tallest peak in the northeast and famed for being “home to the world’s worst weather” (having the highest recorded land wind speed of 231 mph). The actual summit of Mt. Washington, surrounded on all sides by National Forest land, is a mix of ownership including a New Hampshire State Park and a small but significant piece owned by Dartmouth College. On each side of the mountain are historic private in-holdings that include a cog railway and an auto road.

This is a special and wonderful place to visit throughout the year. There are campgrounds, hiking trails, scenic drives, historic places, and plenty of space to just sit back and relax. Whether you stay for a while or just pass through, we hope you will enjoy your National Forest and all it has to offer. Now, with over 1200 miles of maintained hiking trails, 9 miles of Alpine zone (the largest alpine area in the eastern US), and 160 miles of the Appalachian Trail, the White Mountain National Forest is a very attractive and impressive region.