The White Mountains region is filled with great rocky wonders, like Elephant Head in Crawford Notch and the precipitously balanced Glen Boulder in Pinkham Notch. Take any hike in our neck of the woods, and you are bound to see something geologically notable. If you are after some guaranteed glacial erratic sightings though, as well as lofty rock walls and cliffs, there’s nothing like the Boulder Loop Trail in Albany, NH.
This 3.5-mile loop trail is located along the eastern stretches of the Kancamagus Highway, making it a great hike near Conway, NH. To access it from the Kanc, drive across the picturesque Albany Covered Bridge – we’d recommend taking some time before or after your hike to wander down to the edge of the Swift River to admire one of the White Mountain’s most popular covered bridges.
Follow signs for the parking lot and pay your $5 day use fee at the trailhead kiosk (cash only) or display your White Mountain National Forest annual pass. Recreation fees help to maintain the trails and facilities that you will find throughout WMNF.
You can tackle the Boulder Loop Trail from either direction. Take a clockwise route if you would like to follow the numbered informational posts in proper order…but if you’d rather see some big, spectacular boulders right off the bat, we recommend going counterclockwise.
This time around, we opted for the latter and enjoyed climbing around and under the glacial erratics found along the first portion of this path. In time, we passed through leafy forests and along a narrow trail between blackberry brambles before hitting a hallmark of trails in our region: steep stone steps.
Don’t despair if you need to take a few breaks on the ascent – there are plenty of fun things to spot while you catch a breath, like caterpillars, chipmunks, and wood frogs, as well as the first signs of fall if you choose to hike in early September.
In little time, you will reach the trail junction at the summit.
Follow the spur trail to your left to access the Boulder Loop’s most iconic section, which is filled with the scent of sun-soaked pine boughs, soft mountain breezes, and amazing views of surrounding peaks and rocky ledges. Take your time exploring, and enjoy a summit snack (but pick your spot carefully, as many side trails at the summit lead to precipitous drop-offs).
After you’ve had your fill of the scenery, retrace your steps back to the trail junction and continue along the loop. More diversions wait on your way down, like viewpoints looking back at the summit cliffs and a massive wall of light-colored rock just begging for a photo op.
Since this hike is a shorter one, you probably have plenty of time left in your day. Why not take a ride across the Kancamagus all the way to Lincoln, NH, stopping at points of interest along the way? We rank driving the Kancamagus Highway as one of the best ways to explore the White Mountains region.
Before you hit the trail, double check: do you have the 10 Essentials, like a topographic map, good hiking boots, water, and snacks, as well as a NH Hike Safe card ? Have you told a friend or family member your hiking plan? While the Boulder Loop Trail is a shorter hike, it’s always best practice to hike sensibly in the White Mountains.
