Backpacking the Northeast: Small States, Big Trails
Why New Hampshire Might Be the Best-Kept Secret on Your East Coast Loop
Most people blow past New Hampshire on I-95, chasing lighthouses in Maine or lobster rolls in Boston. But if you’re the kind of traveler who prefers pine needles to pavement and sunrise from a fire tower over bottomless mimosas - hold up. You might’ve just found your East Coast highlight.
Backpacking the Northeast is about more than ticking off major cities. It’s about finding the soul of the region - and spoiler alert: New Hampshire’s got it in spades. Big granite peaks. Quiet hostels tucked into small towns. Trails that feel like you’ve stepped out of time. It’s where the Northeast trades rush hour for river crossings and street noise for the call of a loon.
🥾 Welcome to the Wild Heart of New England
New Hampshire may be small, but it punches way above its weight when it comes to backpacking cred. The White Mountains are legendary - and for good reason. Towering ridgelines. 4,000-foot summits. The Appalachian Trail cuts a rugged path straight through, daring you to trade your city sneakers for trail runners.
Looking for something off the A.T.? The Kinsman Ridge Trail, Franconia Notch, and the Presidential Traverse will all wreck your quads in the best way. But it’s not just about elevation. It’s about the way the clouds hang low over the peaks, the silence in the pines, the bunkmates you meet in a trailhead hostel who turn into lifelong hiking buddies.
🛏️ Hostel Life, New Hampshire Style
There’s no glitz here. No rooftop infinity pools or pillow menus. Just real-deal hostels with bunks that smell like cedar, trail maps on the walls, and staff who’ll point you toward the nearest swimming hole like it’s a sacred rite.
Whether you crash at the COHO Hostel in Conway, The Barn Door Hostel in Rumy, or a hidden gem in a converted farmhouse down a dirt road, New Hampshire hostels offer something most cities can’t: connection. To the land, to fellow travelers, to yourself.
Most spots here are run by folks who actually live the lifestyle — hikers, climbers, wanderers who believe in bunkbeds over boardrooms. You’ll swap stories over beer, share granola with strangers, and learn why hosteling here feels different. Because it is.
No concierge. Just a campfire. No spa. Just a soak in a cold mountain stream.
🧭 Make It a Loop: Your Northeast Backpacking Route
New Hampshire slots perfectly into a Northeast road trip or rail adventure. Here’s a rough sketch for your route:
Start in NYC: Hit the International Student Center - a hostel in Upper West Side, then head north.
Connect through Massachusetts: Stop in Boston or Western Mass for a city break or forest recharge.
Hit New Hampshire: Basecamp in the Whites. Stay for the trails. Linger for the lake dips and dirtbag community.
Loop to Vermont or Maine: For maple syrup mornings or Acadia-bound detours. Check out Black Elephant Hostel for a boutique stay in a quaint town.
Back down through Rhode Island and Connecticut: Because every state’s got a story, and you’ve got time.
This region was made for hostel-hopping and trail-blazing. Everything’s close together, but each state brings its own flavor. New Hampshire? It’s the earthy, quiet rebel of the bunch. The one with muddy boots, sunburned shoulders, and a trail mix pouch that never seems to run out.
📌 Why Backpackers Love It
Budget-Friendly: Hostels in NH are way cheaper than hotels or even most Airbnbs — especially in peak fall season.
Easy Access to Trails: You can literally walk out the door and be on a hike in 10 minutes.
Community Vibes: Whether you're solo or with a crew, these hostels attract kindred spirits.
Off-the-Beaten-Path: While other travelers crowd New York and Boston, you're stargazing from a hammock in the woods.
Don’t Just Drive Through
Backpacking the Northeast isn’t about the fast track. It’s about slowing down long enough to hear your own breath on a ridge. To laugh with strangers over a shared pasta pot. To find a place like New Hampshire - not flashy, not loud, but deeply alive.
So next time you map out your East Coast loop, draw a big damn star on the Granite State. Take the long way. Bring your boots. And maybe - just maybe - leave a day or two unplanned.
Because New Hampshire isn’t just a stop. It’s the reason you’re traveling this way in the first place.