How To Get Great Photos Of The Kancamagus

The Kancamagus Highway, officially numbered as Rt. 112, is a 34 mile stretch of natural eye candy for both photographers and NON-photographers alike.

The wide scenic views and close-up detail-types of photo ops are abundant throughout this epic shooters highway that runs between the towns of Lincoln and Conway in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

Join me in one of the most stunning journeys you can enjoy and use this post as a guide to taking your own stunning photos.

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List of Photo Ops Along the Kancamagus Highway

Here is a list of photo opportunities that you can visit  and get some great photos without to much trouble. The first 4 are very close together and will only take you a few hours to walk and photograph.

1. Albany Covered bridge

Heading west from Conway as most people do, this is the first chance for capturing some great photos of this spectacular region of the White Mountains in New Hampshire. It's the classic New England covered bridge. In fact, it's so photogenic that I included 4 photos from the Albany Covered Bridge below.

The first and easiest photo hot spot for you to experience is the covered bridge on the "Kanc" (the nickname for the Kancamagus). You can photograph the covered bridge from several different vantage points. You'll get the best results on a sunny day when the light is behind you.

I took several different approaches to photographing this area and was pleased with several of the images I grabbed.

Both the photo above and below were taken around lunchtime when the sun was high, but still behind me. I was at this location much earlier in the day, but the light was not as nice. Shooting this scene was greatly enhanced by having a blue sky and white fluffy clouds.

The photo below was taken FROM the Albany Covered Bridge looking southward. I often don't like backlit scenes as much, but I liked the compositional leading lines and the contrast between the blue and yellow colors.

My photographic efforts usually include some attempts at getting creative and I thought the image below offered a unique perspective. What do you see? Three Xs or the beautiful scene through the openings in the side of the bridge?

While you're there if you enjoy hiking there's a great hike, rated as moderately difficult, called the Boulder Loop Trail. It starts at the Covered Bridge and gives you a couple of great views worth photographing. Occasionally, I shoot a selfie using a tripod to get a full view, rather than the typical smartphone selfie you see so many of. 

Another view of the photographic scene that's available from the Boulder Loop Trail that starts at the Albany Covered Bridge. The clouds were just perfect to create these unique light patches on the fall foliage blanket covering these mountains.

2. Lower Falls

Next stop to take along the highway heading west is Lower Falls. It's  a popular spot for visitors to view the waterfalls, enjoy the Swift River, picnic, explore the rocks upstream, and grab some great photos. You can As you'll see there are plenty of tactics you can use to get some great images of Lower Falls.

The water level was unusually low, so I looked for photo ops other than the main waterfall. The most enjoyable way to enjoy the waterfalls is to climb out on the rocks. 

The Conway granite rocks, a type of Jurassic-aged (approximately 150 million years old) formed over millions of years from cooling magma. Glacial erosion and ongoing freeze-thaw cycles have uniquely shaped the landscape and continue to shape the rocks.

I composed the image above to include the three main elements of rocks, trees, and sky to be relatively equal, using the classic, sometimes overused, rule of thirds.

3. Rocky Gorge Scenic Area

Despite also being made of Conway granite like the Lower Falls, the Rocky Gorge scenic area has a contrasting look to its rock formations. They're not smoothed out like the Lower Falls area.

The jagged appearance is a result of the river carving through the hard, glacial-sculpted granite, creating a narrow chasm with cascades and waterfalls.

The water flow was so low that I was able to walk out onto the middle of the rocks and photograph the pedestrian Bridge at Rocky Gorge.

What I like about this image is the repeating yellow patches of color both above and below the bridge as well as the small yellow-leafed plant growing in the rocks.

4. Sabbaday Falls

Sabbaday Falls is less than than 7 miles to the west from Rocky Gorge and a short 0.6 mile hike to a scenic waterfall. There's easy access to a large parking lot directly off the Kanc Highway.

5. Bear Notch Road Scenic Views

There are 4 delightful scenic views on Bear Notch Road just off the Kancamagus Highway. They're all good in their own unique way and there are quite close to each other.

Occasionally I like to dive into abstracts and I really like the tapestry of colors I discovered at the first scenic view on the right side as you head north from the Kanc Highway.

The next three pull-offs on Bear Notch Road are on the left side of the road as you continue on toward Bartlett. The first two of the 3 were my favorite stops for photography.

Coming 10/25/2025:

• Sugar Hill or Hancock Overlook - pull over for panoramic foliage views of the White Mountains
• Lincoln Woods Trail - flat riverside walk with a footbridge across the Pemigewasset River, where you can also continue on to longer hikes!
• Scenic views from Bear Notch are super convenient.

5 Tips When Traveling The Kancamagus Highway

Here are a few helpful tips for you to know when visiting the Kancamagus area in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

1. Fill up your gas tank-or recharge your electric vehicle-there are no refueling stations for the entire length of the highway.
2. Bring along food and water. There are no restaurants, snack bars, or vending machines along your driving route.
3. Print up maps ahead of time. Cell phone signals are mostly non-existent for navigation and other information.
4. When you're in the mountains the weather can change rapidly and significantly. Wear multiple layers so that you can adjust for increases and decreases in temperature, wind, and precipitation.
5. Start on the east end of the highway if you only have a few hours to stay. There are several worthwhile attractions that are nearly spaced and closer to the Conway end, including a few moderate hikes to waterfalls.
6. Start early. You can avoid the crowds and insure getting a parking space if  you arise at the crack of dawn and begin your touring early. Additionally, the lighting is often much better for photography when the sun is low in the sky.

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Closing thoughts

The Kancamagus highway in the White Mountains of New Hampshire has a lot to offer nature lovers, hikers, and photo enthusists.

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