My family had a great time at the top. We spent a good hour and half or so looking around and taking pictures. The price up felt kind of steep ($50 for five of us) but was worth once we got to the top. The prices at the gift shops were very reasonable. I didn't feel like they were gouging us once we were up there. The drive up was kind of scary at points. There are no guard rails and when you are passing someone coming down you feel like there isn't enough room to fit. In the end though, it was totally worth it. Would definitely recommend this trip. read more

Mt. Washington Auto Road - Panorama from the top - Tours Near Me - Gorham, New Hampshire

This was way better than I ever thought it would be. We were lucky enough to go on a clear day in October, and the views with the foliage were amazing. The top is wicked awesome and feels like you can see forever. read more

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We went on the 3 hr tour and it was amazing. Mike was our tour guide and he made the trip very enjoyable. Very knowledgeable about the trails and mountains. Once on the summit he took us on a short hike to an amazing view. We also got to tour the observation tower. An amazing tour guide made an amazing trip that much better. read more

We opted for the guided tour and were so glad we did. The road is not for the faint of heart - steep, narrow in spots, with a gravel section. Better to pay the reasonable tour fee and let someone else worry about vehicle maintenance. We booked online in advance as soon as we had checked the weather for the week (highly recommend doing both before you go). Our van was full but not crowded. Driver/guide was very friendly and knowledgeable, and answered all our questions. We had a full hour at the summit, which was plenty of time to visit the museum and gift shops, take a summit photo, and generally enjoy the view. Plan a whole day and you can stop in one of the nearby towns for lunch and shopping. read more

The drive up the auto road is probably the most fun I've ever had in a while. Unfortunately you could only do it in a low gear and can't go past 20mph. It would be more challenging with a 5 or 6 speed manual transmission as the auto transmission car I was driving was heating up like crazy due to the climb. The views were amazing! Take pictures! Look over the side of the car and see the tall drop off. At the summit, you can see pretty far into the distance. Canada anyone? It was quite windy there but that's to be expected at such high altitude. The drive down wasn't as dramatic as the climb, so it was really just a brake fest and really just kind of snaking the car back down. I would recommend this drive for anyone who's a fan of rally racing or want's a nice challenging drive up the side of a mountain. read more

Hell No! I would never ever ever do this again. I went up with a driver who, to put it mildly, was not practicing safe driving (even before we got there). There are NO guard rails. There are no places to pull over. nothing. I was scared for my life. Then the top is so cold you can only be up there for like 2 minutes and then you say forget this, lets go" Its terribly scary. Now on the way down you have to have to have to stop and pull over for 15 minutes at a time. This kid went down the whole way with stinking squealing breaks and I could just imagine the headlines: "brakes fail on mount washington... Miss Yelp is killed. Driver thought to be a non-licensed driver" Godhelpme. never again. read more

At 6,288 feet, Mount Washington is hardly what you would call a mighty peak. It's less than half the height of Pikes Peak or Mount Shasta or Mount Ranier or any of the big-time hills out west. But for meteorological reasons that I've never fully understood, it has a treeline, and a peak consisting of huge barren granite boulders. And the most ghastly bad weather you've ever seen. For many years, the summit held the world record for highest recorded wind speed on the surface of the earth. Not a tornado or a hurricane, mind you; just the breeze blowing at a brisk 231 miles per hour. Even the ordinarily sedate Appalachian Mountain Club, in their guide to New Hampshire's White Mountains, says if you're climbing Mt Washington and the weather starts to change, just turn around, without shame, and GTFO. Seriously, the place is a nightmare. But a surprisingly civilized nightmare, with a nice cafeteria and a spectacular view. We drove the eight winding miles up the auto road with our two kids one afternoon in late June. The first part of the drive is through a lovely northern hardwoods forest, with butterflies and deer and probably unicorns. But after you get above the tree line, you realize that there is nothing between you and the view except more air than you ever knew existed. I thought my wife was leaning affectionately on my shoulder, when in fact she was shrinking in real terror away from the god knows how many foot drop on her side. We bumped along in this manner all the way to the parking lot below the summit, then climbed the stairs up to the summit house. We have a movie of our 3-year-old daughter up there that abruptly stops when she started sprinting toward the edge of the aptly named Great Gulf. If you're brave enough to peer over the edge of the Great Gulf, you are looking DOWN on eagles circling in the air. The 8 mile drive down, as remarked by Vanessa H., is murder on your brakes so be prepared. We bought a "This Car Climbed Mount Washington" bumper sticker, but decided not to put it on our rented minivan. I think it's in the cedar chest somewhere. read more

This was a great choice to see the top of Mt Washington instead of driving ourselves. The road is a bit nerve racking and we were able to enjoy the views and learn the history of the area. Our driver Claude was fabulous!! Very knowledgeable and funny. We had the perfect amount of time at the top to tour the museum, walk around and have a cup of coffee. The folks working the visitor center were so nice and welcoming. Great job everyone! read more

Cost wife and I $40 for us and car. Took the self-driving tour and it is 8 miles of winding roads, with no guardrails, with only your faith, common sense, good driving skills, and some luck from drifting too close to the edge and becoming a statistic. We listened to our CD from the entrance gate on the way up, and it helped with the nerves. Many photo ops along the way, but stop and get out of the car before doing so. Also, bring a jacket with you because temps were in the 70s at the entrance but it was 47 at the top. Wind was blowing hard too so don't stand too close to the edge or people will say, "Where's Bob?" "Oh, funny story ...." Descending the mountain was easier, although you may want to stop once or so to rest your brakes for a few minutes. Also, downshift on the way down to help your trans. We had great weather so the views were amazing, and it was well worth it, although it took an hour or so for my cheeks to unclench. Yes, the ones made for seating and not eating. read more

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Had a great time on this tour. Ray was a wonderful guide.! Would definitely take this tour again.

I can't give this too many stars based on the fact that I was not able to go up to the summit due to weather conditions. I do think if I would go up again I would have someone else drive. It can wreak havoc on your breaks. Here is a video of what it is like to got up. http://youtu.be/l-dGLxUGnZc read more

I loved it very friendly driver and funny . Half hr up and about the same coming down with a hr to enjoy at top well worth the price thank you for making my trip memorable read more

I hiked up Mount Washington as an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker a few years ago, so driving up it was quite a switch! The self-tour fee may seem expensive ($47 for one car and three people), but the audio tour on CD that's included was very helpful and informative. The road is treacherous at times, but that makes the journey that much more fun! Mount Washington is absolutely worth the visit if you are anywhere nearby. The views from the top are incredible! We were above the clouds. The extreme weather museum at the top offers some interesting history and perspectives of life at the top of the world. Don't miss the opportunity to visit this amazing place if you are ever in the White Mountains! read more

I am at odds with the auto road. It provides stunning views, as I found out this weekend, of the various vistas and mountains of the area. It makes you appreciate the driver negotiating the road and your car's ability to not to completely die on the road itself. However, it brings a lot of people to the summit that probably should not be there. At the summit, there is a museum, two gift shops, a cafeteria, and a weather observatory. I probably will not do it again (it is fairly expensive and I got a free ride because of a special program I was doing) but it was an interesting experience to have especially on a day of ever changing weather. read more

Decided on a total whim to do this, never having been to Mt. Washington or having any clue that I was getting into. I have an 11 yr old standard transmission Corolla..the struts are also on the way out so call me crazy right? It was a gorgeous drive up there on Saturday morning. I'm not going to say much about the 'course' because I think this is one those things you just have to do and not think too much about..I did notice I was one of the very few females actually driving up the mountain. I will say if you have a standard, just keep in mind that there may be 'traffic' in very steep areas and your car better have good pick up to get moving again. And that smell on the way down is probably your brakes smoking so take a break.. (there is also a dairy queen on the way back!) read more

Great views, really really fun road. I tried to keep up with Travis Pastrana's time, but there were too many people in front of me. I still listen to the CD on a regular basis commuting to and from the office. Not a dangerous road, but you will have to be alert, and preferably not drunk. There have only been 3 deaths since 1861 on the road. Bring a jacket. read more

This is perfect and fun filled toll road. People tend to overwhelm with the road but if you drive in first gear under 20 miles an hour. You will not have any problem climb up and descend road again. If you have fear for height, do everyone's favor, use tour. However, if you do have normal driving skill and common sense, you will not have any problem. One piece of advice is lower the angle of side mirrors so that mirrors show you the edge of the road. That way you know you will not drive too dangerously. Other than that, have great time. We all did have fun! read more

Get there early on holidays or weekends. We arrived about 10:30 July 5th and had a two car wait, but when we exited at about 2:15, the line extended a quarter mile down the highway, at least 100 cars. The driving is a little difficult and you will need to come back down in 1st gear, and also have good brakes. If hard driving is not for you, consider the train. The summit area was interesting but we would have liked a movie presentation and/or a bigger museum. The hiking was very rocky and difficult. Bring water and don't go down without good footwear and fitness. Overall worth the $40 (1 car with 2 adults) and drive to get there. read more

This was the most amazing ride to the top. For those afraid of heights maybe not recommended as the shoulders of the road drop hundreds of feet. The 25 min ride to the to the top was so worth it. A bit pricey for entry to the road but during autum the views were something you would see in paintings. Highly recommended !!! read more

Paul was our tour guide, he was awesome! Very knowledgeable, has been doing it for 40 years!

I suppose people are used to everything being safe due to threat of lawsuit. I mean obviously nobody would let someone drive up a road that has your vehicle inches from a 1000+ ft drop with no guard rail right? No they really do allow this! And yes you have to be smart and careful. I suppose that is why people are so shocked by how insane this road is when they are on it! This is one of the few things that has not turned into Fisher Price. That said if you have a fear of heights do NOT go on this road. Once you are above the tree line there is nothing around to hide the fact that you are on a twisty, narrow road with no protection. My wife was in tears and although we made it to the top we turned around immediately. Keep car in low gear and no brakes are needed really. Why 3 stars? Well I am disappointed that such a great outdoors location has been spoiled by a road going to the top. The next day I hiked all the way up to the top from the bottom and once you crest the 1000' pile of rocks at the top you see cars, tons of people and gift shops etc. I do not want to see someone up top stuffing their face with fries after I just hiked 4 miles with 4,000 ft elevation change. The road is cool but I wish it were not there. read more

I will definitely be heading back to visit Mt Washington again, the experience was awesome. My first day there the mountain was only open to the tree line due to high winds. I will say please heed the sign that states if you have a fear of heights you will not appreciate this driving experience, they aren't kidding, the road does become very narrow and it's very steep. The following day I went back and drove all the way to the summit. I loved the whole experience there, I spent more than half a day there. I went mountain biking and all in all a great experience and a wonderful adventure. I will definitely be back to visit again. read more

I was absolutely TERRIFIED driving up the Mount Washington Auto Road. It is definitely not for people with even a mild fear of heights. There are no guard rails, hair-pin turns galore, and steep, steep drop-offs. Part of the road is dirt, too, which adds to one's anxiety as your car climbs up the steep side of this the tallest mountain in NE. I was white-knuckle driving the entire way up, and could not imagine how I would get back down. Obviously I managed it safely, since I am here writing this review! I give it 2 stars because obviously the views are stunning and this part of the country is truly breathtaking. But this auto road is a nightmare (and it is $$$$$$$)!!! read more

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I was petrified going up this mountain with the family. I could not look out the windows. My kids thought it was fantastic. Once at the top, I was fine. The views are breathtaking and amazing. It was crowded the day we went up, but worth it. The road up and down the mountain is pretty scary, not for the fainthearted to say at the very least. At least I can say, like the bumper sticker, "I SURVIVED THE RIDE" read more

Mt. Washington Auto Road - At the top of Mount Washington - Tours Near Me - Gorham, New Hampshire

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Sorry but $45 to get the ever living sh?? scared out of yourself. Also a good chance of ruining your car's brakes or transmission. Not for the wife who was horrified and made me turn around 3/4 of the way up. Sorry but not for everyone. Make sure you have a newer car or else. read more

It was the Columbus Day weekend and my friends and I had decided to go check out Mount Washington Observatory in NH. We didn't realize how terrifying the drive was until we got to the entrance: $26 dollar per car/driver + $8 per adult passenger / $6 per child under 12. That's $50 we have to pay to drive ourselves up a very steep and narrow road with no guard rails at the edge of the mountain. The whole drive is 8 miles long. It takes about 25-35 mins to get to the top moving at 15-20mph. You cannot go fast than that, and believe me, you do not want to go faster than that even if you can!! The road was so narrow that it could barely fit two cars side by side, let alone an SUV and a pickup truck!! We passed by many, many pickup trucks on our way up. We were so afraid that we would get accidentally bumped off the cliff that we thought we were going to have heart attacks. You don't have to go all the way to the top, as there are several pull-off points along the road both going up and down. However, if the weather is nice (not when we went though, it was misty and windy), do try to go to the top of mountain. After all, it's the tallest mountain in the Northeast region and you paid a lot for admission! Once you're at the top, there's really not much to do. There is a snack bar, a restroom, the Tip-top house and a small souvenir shop (REALLY REALLY SMALL). Other than that, most visitors go there to take a couple of photos and they leave. Now it's time to head back down! The constant braking will overheat and damage your vehicle so I recommend stopping at all pull-off locations, unless you have a newer model car or SUV that can lock in 1st gear. Alternately, you can take a shuttle up but I hear the ride is even scarier. Worst case scenario, you can always hike. :) P.S. - Remember to bring a winter jacket. It's cold up there! read more

Test your bravery. If your afraid of heights, this is not the drive to make. Started off well when there were trees. Road seemed a little narrow, but we are brave travellers. Around 5,000 feet up at the 6 mile mark the pavement and trees end. Breath taking views. Pictures and memories to last a lifetime. But if your afraid of heights...like me...it's terrifying. We chickened out and turned back around at the 6 mile mark. There are no guardrails on this road and it is very narrow. There are plenty of places to stop, take a breather, take great pictures, cool off your brakes or in my case turn back. Next time we visit we will take the train or shuttle up. Amazing pictures of being up in the clouds. Some day I plan on going to the top, just not driving it myself. read more

Mt. Washington Auto Road - No guardrails. Must be very brave to drive this road. We were 5,000 feet up in this pic. - Tours Near Me - Gorham, New Hampshire

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Been driving up the Auto Road for over a period of nearly 50 years, in good weather, bad, and absolutely horrible conditions. It's never the same, always amazing. Looking forward to my next visit as soon as the road reopens in the spring. One big caveat: Don't attempt the drive if you are afraid of heights, or don't want to tackle mountain driving, including steep grades, curves, and no guardrails. In that case, take of the the Auto Road tour coaches instead. read more

My fiancé and I fortunately had clear and sunny skies the day of our drive, so the views we had driving up the mountain were nothing short of amazing. As the passenger it was slightly jarring at times being so close to the edge as we drove up as I am afraid of heights; nonetheless it was a great experience! There is plenty of parking at the summit, and after walking up some steps to the observation area we had plenty of photo ops and wonderful views. At the summit there is also a museum, gift shop, and tables to sit and/or eat. Definitely a must for any tourists in the area. read more

This is a must!!! I recommend driving up Low and slow, like your barbqueing some ribs!!!! It's and 8 mile ride which takes about a half hour, and there are many pull offs if you have to get your nerve together at the higher altitudes. The narrow road can be nerve racking, but it is wide enough for 2 vehicles no problem. At the top 6200 feet above sea level, you can access many trails that scatter about the peak, and catch views in every direction, some say you can sea the ocean in the east on a very clear day. It's absolutely beautiful at the top and you will definitely want to hike about for a while. The visitor center at the top has great food, that affordable and actually really good. It was really cool meeting people there as they get quite a bit of through hikers stopping in for some warm food on the trail. 2 Hot dogs and 2 bowls or really good clam chowder were 14.00, not too bad i'd say. If your leery, you can either take a tour which lets you hike around for 1.5 hours at the top, or the Cog Railroad which many people opt for. The line for the RR is long and it's not too affordable if you asked me. However you get to the peak , just do it and enjoy!!!! read more

Delayed review ..but honest This is a great place for beautiful views. I drove up w/my small kids. The drive up/down can be nerve wracking (if u r afraid of heights), but spectacular! We drove up w/ground temps about 75deg.F., & reached the top & found those temps to be about 30deg colder w/whipping winds. The winds were VERY intense (almost felt like my little ones could be blown off the mountain)! There's a very small weather museum at the top & store (about $1 to enter museum). Funny thing ..the building is literally chained to the mountain (gotta see that)! Check weather conditions before you think of going as weather is EXTREMELY DIFFERENT @TOP! I would definetly go again. Very nice trip. At the start of your drive up, you receive a cd which narrates (history, facts, etc.) the drive very nice touch! read more

Unfortunately this place was only halfway open on the late-spring, cloudy/foggy day we were in the area, but the view from 4000 feet was not bad. And the bumper sticker and CD almost seem insulting if the cost is going toward maintaining the road which was in quite good shape. Woman at the front could've been a bit less....irked....by taking $27 from us, but she's the gatekeeper for many out-of-state plates and I reckon it gets old quick. read more

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Highly recommend the informative multiperson auto coach van tour of Mt. Washington. Going up I was a little skittish from the heights, but the calm demeanor of the tour driver had a calming effect. Since he was still alive after making the trip so many times, I figured I'd make it out okay as well. The top was like being on a different planet. 70 mile an hour winds found only in hurricanes/tornadoes results in being bent over as you try to navigate the forces. The crowd at the top was on the elderly side. With the clouds outside and the elderly grouped inside waiting for their train, I overheard a person remark that it reminded him of what god's waiting room was probably like. The highlight of the museum for me were the postcards of the cats who called the place their home. Inga and Morty immortalized in postcards. read more

$31 per car + $9 per adult additional passenger. ($7 for kids). This might be interesting if you've never been to the West, where there are lots of mountains (much taller) to drive up and not pay $40. Felt like the Disneyland of really tall hills. read more

I did this drive around two years ago. This is a beautiful and at times slightly scary 8 mile drive which takes you to the top of Mt Washington. It is helpful to have a companion who can click pictures on the way. There are also many lookout points where you can stop. Carry a jacket as weather can change by the time you reach the top!! Drive carefully and enjoy the view!! read more

Mt. Washington Auto Road - Tours Near Me - Gorham, New Hampshire

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Mt. Washington Auto Road Management, Thank You so much for giving my boyfriend and I one special day of beauty that we will not soon forget. Thank You for opening the Auto Road to the many ATV riders from all over the country. We drove our ATVs up to the top of Mt. Washington this year; 2014 and had the time of our life. It was a crisp fall day with the leaves just turning. The Ride was on our BUCKET LIST. Thanks for the memories and we will be sure to tell our friends and family just how beautiful Mt. Washington is and how well maintained the Auto Road is for a safe and pleasurable drive both in the car and on ATVs. Nice work! You have a little piece of Heaven there!!!!!!! read more

I have driven this road 2 times in the past and it was never in the bad shape that is it in now. The dirt sections of the road are really washed out from all the rain on both sides and is hardly wide enough for 1 car yet alone 2. They do not limit the number of cars on the road at once and I went of a clear day and it was a traffic nightmare sitting on the edge of a cliff waiting for the road to give way. The idiots that drive on the regular roads are same idiots that drive on this road as well. They make a TON of money charging $60.00 for a car of 4 and you can see there is very little maintenance done on the road. STOP THE MONEY MACHINE FOR A DAY and FIX THE ROAD before someone dies again!!! read more

We traveled over 8000 miles and this was to be one of the trip highlights. When we got to the gate the ticket guy said our Chevy Silverado longbed crewcab was 3 inches too long to be admitted. Come on the width of your palm? Nowhere was this stated until we had traveled here and paid for a campground. 2 dogs so their overpriced van tours weŕe out of the question. We told the guy the same truck has been up Pikes Peak, Going to the Sun Road, and multiple loops through every National Park. His answer was "This is Mt Washington!. As soon as we turned around a huge dump truck went right up the road. read more

2 stars. 2 stars because I like to now call this the Mount Washington Auto Road of Terror! Friday August 12th, decided to take a scenic drive up to Mount Washington. Paid $38 dollars for a driver and passenger to take the road up. The top of the Mountain was covered in clouds with 25% visibility. We were ok with that. We asked at the bottom if it was raining up top, they said nope no rain. At about mile 5 it started drizzling, mile 6 sideways rain, visibility 0! Couldn't see the front of our car! There are no guardrails, a 4,000 foot drop to our right, and it's two-way narrow roads. I put my head into my lap, I couldn't watch. The driver was white knuckled also not sure how this would go. (btw, driver is experienced with driving in the mountains). Once up top, there is a Visitor Center with a museum, bathrooms, gift shop, and lunch bar. I suggest going out to the Observation Deck...super windy, I could lean forward with just the wind holding me up. All in all, happy we went, next time I'll hike up. Side rant: If every car is paying upwards of $29 to drive up, I think some of that needs to go to Guardrails! read more

As a passenger in a car that only made it 3/4 up the mountain due to the driver having a mild panic attack, I can't say that this was the most amazing experience I've ever had. Some things in life you will look back on and think "I'm glad I did that," but in the moment all you can think is "what was I thinking??" This was one of those moments. Let me tell you a story: Mother and daughter (me) only have a couple hours to kill in NH until heading back to the airport and returning to pleasantly-flat Florida. It's finally a beautiful day with almost no clouds and we never got a chance to get to the top of Mt Washington due to weather being cloudy and rainy. The morning of the dreaded drive, we had run into an elderly couple who brazenly say they are going to drive to the top of Mt Washington. This gives us a false sense of courage, and we think "Hey, if they can do it, so can we." We arrive at the auto road, pay the fee and hope for the best. Things are going well at the bottom of the mountain. The road is lined by trees and you don't feel the altitude too much. The road is still paved at this point and it is curvy but tolerable. Now we are above tree-line and that initial courage has gone out the window, over the edge of the mountain to its death. Then the road becomes gravel and seemingly even more narrow than in the beginning. Panic begins to set in. My mom starts to question that initial bravery, "what were those old people thinking??" Then she becomes too afraid to stop at any of the designated turn around spots because they are on the outside of the mountain. Oh god, we are going to have to be towed down the mountain and we'll miss our flight. Thankfully there was a "hole" in the mountain and she stops, backs into the hole and we made a three point turn. I have voted this to be my Most Terrifying Moment Ever Riding the brakes on the way down leads to the pleasant smell of burning rubber. I don't know that I've ever been so happy to leave an outdoors activity. We didn't talk about it for a week or so. The memory was too fresh. In the end I'm happy that we did it because of course we can laugh about it now, but just fair warning that this drive is not for the faint of heart!! read more