221 properties in 145 towns, from a tenth of an acre to Nash Stream Forest’s 39,601
of trail open to off highway vehicles in summer 38
~1,200 mi
The Division of Parks and Recreation’s figure, across state, club and private ground together
longest wheelbase the Mount Washington Auto Road takes 55
176 in
And 93 inches wide including mirrors. A private toll road, so these are the road company’s limits rather than the state’s
acres of wilderness on the White Mountain National Forest 5
149,500
Six areas, from the 5,552-acre Great Gulf to the 45,000-acre Pemigewasset. The same page counts 23 developed campgrounds and 1,200 miles of hiking trail
designated roadside campsites on four forest roads 6
57
Gale River Loop 13, Old Cherry Mountain 9, Haystack 11, Town Hall 24. Elsewhere the forest orders decide
the Forest Service’s length for the Kancamagus byway 15
34 mi
The Federal Highway Administration measures the same road at 26.5 miles. Both figures are stated on this page
Three of them are National Scenic Byways: the White Mountains Trail, the Kancamagus Highway and the Connecticut River Byway
Diesel north of the notches
Cold starting and fuel quality are the brief. The state park on the summit of Mount Washington is built to take winds over 200 miles per hour, which tells you what the weather does up there, and the forest roads below it are listed as not maintained for winter travel. Anything travelling late in the season needs its glow system, fuel heater and water separation right before it leaves.
Range matters less here than out west, but no agency publishes a fuel distance on the byway or anywhere north of Errol, so this guide states none. Fill at the towns that ring the forest and treat the gravel as a closed loop.
Modern diesels make strong torque and return good range, which is why so many expedition vehicles run them. They are also tightly managed by emissions systems that do not forgive neglect or bad fuel. A diesel specialist has the scan tools to read what the engine is reporting and the experience to tell a failing sensor from a failing part.
Typical work
01Fuel system diagnosis and repair
02Turbocharger and boost faults
03Diesel particulate filter, exhaust fluid and EGR diagnosis and repair
04Cooling system and glow plugs
05Scheduled maintenance at the intervals these engines need
How to choose a diesel shop
The tools and the attitude toward emissions faults tell you most of what you need to know.
01Ask what diagnostic equipment they have for your make. For a Sprinter that means Mercedes-capable tools, not a generic code reader.
02Ask how they approach emissions faults. The right answer is diagnosis and repair. Removing or defeating emissions equipment on a road vehicle is illegal in the United States, and a reputable shop will not offer it.
03Ask what they recommend for fuel filtration in the places you travel.
04Ask what they see fail on your engine and at what mileage. Specialists know the pattern.
What to have ready before you ask for a quote
Codes and context save diagnostic time.
01Year, engine and mileage
02Warning lights or fault codes, and when they appear
03Recent service history
04Any tuning or modifications
05Where you are headed next
Questions people ask
Why does my diesel go into limp mode?
Limp mode is the engine protecting itself after a fault, often in the emissions, boost or fuel systems. The stored codes tell a specialist where to start. Clearing the code without fixing the cause only moves the breakdown to a worse place.
Is a diesel right for overlanding?
Diesels offer range and torque under load, which suits heavy vehicles and long distances. They also cost more to maintain, and their emissions systems need clean fuel and regular highway running. It is a fair trade for many travelers and the wrong one for some.
Can I find diesel service far from a dealer?
Yes, but independent shops with the right tools are spread thin. Tell us where you are based and where you travel.
How high is New Hampshire?
From Conway at 461 feet to Mount Washington at 6,288.
Altitude decides what your engine, your brakes and your lungs have to work with, and how late in the year the passes open.
PittsburgThe Connecticut Lakes, and the last paved miles before Canada1,317 ft
ErrolThe junction town between Umbagog and the Thirteen Mile Woods1,228 ft
ColebrookThe Connecticut River town below Dixville Notch and Diamond Pond Road1,027 ft
BerlinThe city beside Jericho Mountain and its 4x4 trail1,012 ft
FranconiaThe north end of the Franconia Notch Parkway928 ft
LancasterThe Connecticut River side of the northern forest867 ft
LincolnThe western gate of the Kancamagus Highway835 ft
LittletonInterstate services on the western side of the forest824 ft
GorhamAt the foot of Pinkham Notch, six miles from the Auto Road794 ft
JacksonBelow Carter Notch, and one end of the Town Hall Road order760 ft
North ConwayThe commercial strip on the forest’s eastern side526 ft
PlymouthSouthern approach on Interstate 93 to Tripoli Road511 ft
LaconiaLakes Region services on the way north498 ft
KeeneThe southwest, and the approach to Pisgah State Park482 ft
ConwayThe eastern end of the Kancamagus, on the Saco461 ft
Passes, high roads and summits
Mount WashingtonThe state high point, and a 58.8-acre state park on its summit. USGS publishes 6,288 feet; our own reading of the elevation surface at its map point gives 6,2756,288 ft
Mount Washington summitMount Washington Auto Road6,288 ft
Mount AdamsOur own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, on the northern Presidentials in Coos County5,788 ft
Mount JeffersonOur own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, above the road that carries its name5,696 ft
Mount LafayetteOur own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, over the east side of Franconia Notch5,237 ft
Mount MoosilaukeOur own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, above the road the Dartmouth Outing Club plows4,795 ft
Cannon MountainOur own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, on the west wall of Franconia Notch State Park4,077 ft
Mount ChocoruaOur own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, the summit with its own camping and fire order3,467 ft
Carter NotchOur own reading of the elevation surface at its map point. No road crosses it, which is why Pinkham carries the traffic3,398 ft
Jefferson NotchOur own reading of the elevation surface at its map point. The Forest Service publishes no summit figure for the road that crosses it3,005 ft
Jefferson NotchJefferson Notch Road3,005 ft
Kancamagus PassOur own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, the high point of the byway2,869 ft
Kancamagus PassKancamagus Scenic Byway, Route 112: Lincoln to Conway2,869 ft
Pinkham NotchOur own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, on Route 16 below the Auto Road2,031 ft
Kinsman NotchOur own reading of the elevation surface at its map point, where Route 112 leaves Lincoln westward1,872 ft
Franconia NotchFranconia Notch Parkway, Interstate 93: The Flume Gorge to Echo Lake1,826 ft
Bear NotchBear Notch Road, Forest Road 26: Bartlett to the Kancamagus Highway1,771 ft
Sandwich NotchSandwich Notch Road1,380 ft
Pass, road and summit elevations are the figures published by the agency that manages them. Town elevations are the town’s or county’s own
figure where it publishes an exact one; the rest are from the U.S. Geological Survey (3D Elevation Program at the place’s official coordinates),
retrieved September 18, 2026. Every source is listed at the foot of the page.
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