Pharmacy Tales & Trails: New Hampshire: Live Free or Die

After a hardy, chocolate-chip pancake breakfast, I set out to explore the famed White Mountains of New Hampshire. Apparently, the mountains are so-named as a result of the clouds that mask them. The B&B owner helped me map out a route in order to maximize my day trip. Just down the road in North Conway, I stopped first at two covered bridges, over the Saco and Swift Rivers.

Next, I headed to Echo Lake, navigating the trail path around the beautiful water feature. It may be difficult to tell from the pictures, but it was quite chilly that day! With the higher elevation, I was wearing several layers of clothing in order to stay warm.

Just above Echo Lake is Cathedral Ledge, which sits high above the surrounding area. Many hikers climb to the top everyday, but I decided to drive, keeping in mind that I had a limited amount of daylight on my side. I vowed to complete the hike next time around. Either way, the view from the top was breathtaking. I could have stayed up there all day; possibly my favorite part of the entire weekend.

Just down the road was a short hike to the waterfall, Diana's Bath.

North of Conway is Jackson, where I stopped to visit the "Honeymoon Bridge," as well as the picturesque Jackson Falls.

Afterwards, I made a pit-stop at the White Mountain Cider Company (to try a fresh apple cider doughnut) on my way to the famous Omni Mt. Washington Resort in Bretton Woods. The impressive resort--complete with golf course and equestrian stables--sits at the base of Mt. Washington, and is a favorite retreat of presidents and celebrities. Unfortunately, the visibility was quite poor that day, which obscured the mountainous backdrop. Still, an impressive site and grounds. In a strange way, the setting reminded me of Stephen King's "The Shining."

Due to the heavy fog, I decided against traveling to the top of Mt. Washington (via car or train) and instead explored nearby Crawford Notch. The Flume and Silver Cascades were my first stop.

My "big" hike of the day was a 3-mile round-trip trail to Arethusa Falls. It was a challenge, but I passed several young children along the way, so I knew that I wasn't in over my head.

The last leg of the day trip was spent driving along the well-known Kancamagus Highway (or the "Kanc," as local refer to it). The 32-mile route runs between Conway and Lincoln, offering many scenic overlooks, waterfalls, and trailheads.