Beyond vibrant fall foliage, northern New Hampshire’s famous peaks conceal an abandoned lumber town, a wartime bomber crash, and decades of haunting lore. Here is what remains hidden along the region’s popular hiking corridors.
(Photo: DenisTangneyJr / Getty)
Published October 26, 2026 03:01AM
From the world-famous UFO abduction of Barney and Betty Hill to the mountainside crash of a WWII-era bomber, the forests of the White Mountains are full of rich legends, oddities, and strange happenings alongside spectacular mountain vistas and vibrant fall foliage, making it a perfect destination for fall travel.
Here are five mysterious places to visit that continue to inspire stories and legends in the White Mountain region, among locals and visitors alike.
1. Livermore Ghost Town
Location: Livermore
The Lore: Beneath layers of moss and decaying leaves lie rusty artifacts, scattered bricks, and the occasional stone foundation that are the only remnants of the former lumberjack town of Livermore that once stood in the area.
According to local history, Livermore was incorporated during the early years of the logging industry in the White Mountains. A little less than a century later, the town would be vacant, turning Livermore into a hidden ghost town in the 20th century.
How to Visit: Livermore is located off Route 302 via a hike down Sawyer River Road and can be explored through trailheads in the area.
2. Mount Waternomee Bomber Crash Site
Location: Woodstock
The Lore: U.S. Army plane engines, parts, and fuselage pieces twist into the ground and surrounding landscape on the side of Mount Waternomee, along with carefully placed American flags showing the crash site is still visited by hikers.
A challenging trek into the forest in Woodstock reveals the wreckage of the Douglas B-18A bomber that crashed in January 1942. The bomber took off on its mission: to patrol the North Atlantic for German U-Boats during World War II. However, disaster struck on return to the airfield in Western Massachusetts as flight miscalculations and wind unexpectedly sent the plane over the White Mountains, and the bomber subsequently crashed on Mount Waternomee.
Survivors were rescued by locals during a snowstorm, and the wreckage remains gnarled and woven into the surrounding mountainscape—a stark reminder of the unforgiving nature of New England terrain and weather.
How to Visit: The trail is accessible via a hike down Walker Brook Road off Route 118, and the remaining wreckage commands respect for an era past.
3. Barney and Betty Hill UFO Incident Marker
Location: Lincoln
The Lore: Flashing lights, dark skies, and gray visitors from another galaxy. The connection to outer space feels a little closer in northern New Hampshire as thousands of stars illuminate the night sky with minimal light pollution. It’s no surprise the White Mountains are home to the chilling Barney and Betty Hill UFO abduction legend.
According to the Hills, the couple traveled home through the White Mountains a half century ago when a white light in the sky appeared to follow them down U.S. Route 3, the primary highway through the White Mountain region. The couple observed the strange light as it zipped around before their car made an unsettling vibration sound, and the couple recalled hearing an ear-piercing beep. Shortly afterwards, the couple reported an unknown craft abducted them. Chunks of missing time and disturbing memories of the event prompted the couple to notify the Air Force the following day, and the incident became one of the most famous UFO abduction stories in the world.
How to Visit: The same journey can be traveled today on Route 3, and at night, it’s even more chilling to imagine the strange light that followed the Hills as they drove through the region. The historic marker is located along Route 3 in Lincoln, and visitors can read the story on the plaque and ask themselves: What do you believe happened?
4. Profile Lake
Location: Franconia
The Lore: Profile Lake rests just below a towering cliff where the rock formation known as the Old Man of the Mountain stood watch over Franconia Notch before its collapse in 2003.
In the early 20th century, just below the cliff stood the Profile House, a sprawling, luxurious inn that catered to travelers who visited the Old Man of the Mountain. A fire tore through the resort, leveling it, and virtually no sign that it ever existed remains. Decades later, the stone face itself crumbled after numerous attempts to secure the face to the side of the mountain failed, and the stone succumbed to the elements and time.
Although the cliff face is no longer recognizable, locals continue to remember the natural oddity that inspired legends, folklore, and poetry, including a poem by writer Nathaniel Hawthorne.
How to Visit: A short paved walk from the parking lot off Exit 34B on Route 93 leads to the base of Profile Lake, where the Old Man Memorial has been erected. Craggy trails wind around the lake perimeter where visitors can venture further into the woods below the jagged rock cliff and around the grounds of the old site of the Profile House.
5. Mount Chocorua
Location: Albany
The Lore: The rocky summit of Mount Chocorua rises above the landscape in Albany and is home to the haunting legend of the Pequawket Chief Chocorua. A few variations of the story exist; the most common version ends with a white settler murdering Chief Chocorua on the mountain.
How to Visit: The mountain features several moderate hiking trails looping through the region where many hikers claim to have heard haunting sounds in the woods. The area is heavily visited for its trails and panoramic views of the valley around the mountain. Whether fact or tall tale, the legend serves as a reminder of the tumultuous history of the settlement of the surrounding region.
Nearby, a historic marker off Route 16 in Tamworth recounts the Chocorua Legend.
