White Mountains (New Hampshire) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White Mountains |
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| Highest point | |
| Peak | Mount Washington |
| Elevation | 6,288 ft (1,917 m) |
| Geography | |
Map of the main regions of the northeast Appalachians
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| Country | United States |
| Range coordinates | 44°16′16″N 71°18′18″W / 44.271°N 71.305°W |
| Parent range | Appalachian Mountains |
The White Mountains are a mountain range that covers about a quarter of New Hampshire and a small part of western Maine in the United States. They are part of the northern Appalachian Mountains and are known as the most rugged mountains in New England. Many people visit them because they are close to big cities like Boston, New York City, and Montreal.
Most of this area is public land. This includes the White Mountain National Forest and several state parks. The most famous mountain here is Mount Washington, which is 6,288-foot (1,917 m) tall. It is the highest peak in the Northeastern U.S. For 76 years, it held the record for the fastest surface wind ever recorded in the world (231 miles per hour (372 km/h) in 1934). Mount Washington is part of the Presidential Range, a line of mountains named after U.S. presidents and other important Americans.
The White Mountains also include other ranges like the Franconia Range, Sandwich Range, Carter-Moriah Range, and Kinsman Range in New Hampshire. The Mahoosuc Range is on the border between New Hampshire and Maine. In New Hampshire, there are 48 peaks over 4,000 feet (1,200 m) tall, plus one in Maine (Old Speck Mountain). These are known as the four-thousand footers.
The White Mountains are famous for their system of alpine huts. These huts are for hikers and are run by the Appalachian Mountain Club. The long-distance Appalachian Trail also crosses through this area.
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What's in a Name?
It's not completely clear how the "White Mountains" got their name. We don't have records of what Native Americans called the entire range, though we know names for many individual peaks. The name, or similar ones like "White Hills," appeared in writings from Colonial times.
One idea is that sailors first saw the mountains from ships off the coast. The highest peaks would often be covered in snow, making them look white. Another idea is that the granite rocks on the summits, which contain a shiny mineral called mica, looked white to people observing them.
Mountain Formation and History
The White Mountains are a special part of the larger Appalachian Mountains. The rocks that make up the White Mountains were formed deep underground. Hot, molten rock, called magma, pushed its way into the Earth's crust between 124 and 100 million years ago. Over millions of years, the land above these rocks wore away, revealing the mountains we see today.
You can see lots of signs that huge glaciers once covered this area. Many mountain passes, called "notches," have a U-shaped form, which is typical of valleys carved by glaciers. Glacial cirques, which are bowl-shaped hollows, can be found at the top of Tuckerman Ravine on Mount Washington and King Ravine on Mount Adams. You can also see scratches on rocks, called Glacial striations, in many places, like on Pine Mountain in Gorham. These scratches show where glaciers dragged rocks across the surface.
Fun Things to Do and See
The White Mountains offer many exciting attractions for visitors.
Famous Landmarks
- The historic Mount Washington Auto Road and Mount Washington Cog Railway can take you to the top of Mount Washington. At the summit, there's a visitor center and a weather observatory.
- Arethusa Falls, the second tallest waterfall in New Hampshire, is a beautiful sight.
- The Old Man of the Mountain was a famous rock formation on Cannon Mountain. It looked like a man's face until it fell in 2003. Even though it's gone, it's still the state symbol of New Hampshire.
- "The Basin" is a natural granite bowl, 20 feet (6 m) across, shaped by a waterfall from the Pemigewasset River. The icy mountain water here is popular for swimming.
Scenic Drives and Parks
The region has several scenic roads:
- U.S. Route 3 and Interstate 93 cross north-south through Franconia Notch.
- New Hampshire Route 16 goes through Pinkham Notch.
- The Kancamagus Highway (part of New Hampshire Route 112) crosses east-west through Kancamagus Pass.
- U.S. Route 302 goes through Crawford Notch.
Many of these roads are designated as scenic routes, offering amazing views.
Amusement Parks and Resorts
Several amusement parks are located in or near the White Mountains, including Story Land, Santa's Village, Whale's Tale Water Park, and Clark's Trading Post.
The White Mountains are also great for hiking through river gorges, ravines, and caves. The Flume Gorge, Lost River Reservation, and Polar Caves Park offer moderate hikes that take a few hours.
Skiing is very popular here in winter. Resorts like Cannon Mountain Ski Area, Loon Mountain Ski Resort, Attitash Mountain Resort, Wildcat Mountain Ski Area, Bretton Woods Mountain Resort, and Waterville Valley Resort offer skiing and snowboarding. Many of them also have year-round activities like hiking trails and alpine slides.
The Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods is a historic "grand hotel." It was the site of the Bretton Woods Conference after World War II.
Art Inspired by the Mountains
The White Mountains attracted many painters in the 1800s. This group of artists is sometimes called the "White Mountain school" of art. However, some people argue they weren't a true "school" because they didn't all paint in the same style, unlike artists from the Hudson River School.
Images for kids
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Map of the White Mountains by Franklin Leavitt, 1871.
See also
In Spanish: Montañas Blancas (Nuevo Hampshire) para niños
