Active Pursuits

Impressive mountain peaks tower above Waterville Valley, making it a great area for hiking and mountain biking. As always, your best source of information is the Appalachian Mountain Club's White Mountain Guide, which offers a comprehensive directory of area trails. Also check with Forest Service staff at the White Mountains Visitor Center in North Woodstock for information on local outdoor destinations.

From Waterville Valley, one popular 4-hour hike runs to the summit of Mount Tecumseh. The trail starts about 300 feet north of the ski lodge and has wonderful views as you climb. From the 4,000-foot summit, you can return via the Sosman Trail, which winds its way down beneath the ski lifts and along ski runs closed during summer.

Outdoor novices who prefer their adventures neatly packaged will enjoy the good Adventure Center at Waterville Valley (tel. 603/236-4666; www.waterville.com/info/summer), open for summer activities mid-May to early October. The center provides mountain- and touring-bike rentals, in-line skates, guided tours, lift access for bikers and hikers who want to barrel or walk back down the mountain, and information on area trails. If you just want to bring your own bike, you need to buy a trail pass ($6 per adult for the first day) to use the trails. The center then reopens as a Nordic Center in winter for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on more than 40 miles of groomed trails.