For any really serious exploration of the White Mountains, you'll want some supplemental guides and maps to keep you on track. Here's a short list of recommended materials, most of which are available at area bookstores:
- AMC White Mountain Guide (Appalachian Mountain Club). This comprehensive tome-like book is full of detailed information on all the hiking trails in the White Mountains; it is the definitive hiker's bible for the region. Get the latest edition you can; the 28th edition was published in 2007. It goes nicely with the AMC White Mountains Map Set, of which a new edition was also published in 2007.
- White Mountains Map Book (Map Adventures, 2000). This colorful, sharply printed map shows nearly 400 hiking trails, distances, and a GPS grid. The text gives an overview of what you'll find on about 75 day-hikes, along with info on camping. It's a good choice for those planning 2- or 3-day hikes. It's published by Map Adventures (tel. 207/879-4777; www.mapadventures.com) in Maine.
- 50 Hikes in the White Mountains (Backcountry Publications, 2004). This popular guide, written by Daniel Doan and Ruth Doan MacDougall, describes a good selection of mountain rambles in the high-peaks region around Mount Washington. You'll find everything from easy strolls to overnight backpacking trips.
- Ponds & Lakes of the White Mountains (Backcountry Publications, 1998). The White Mountains high country is studded with dramatic tarns (many left by retreating glaciers). This 350-page guide by Steven D. Smith lists 68 trips to help get you there.
- Waterfalls of the White Mountains (Backcountry Publications, 1999). Waterfall lovers will get their money's worth from Bruce and Doreen Bolnick's guide to more than 100 mountain waterfalls, including roadside cascades and backcountry cataracts, reachable by anything from a short hike to a 20-mile excursion.
