10 Beautiful Locations for Cross Country Skiing in NH

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Cross country skiing in NH is the perfect way to get out and enjoy the winter wonderland that New Hampshire becomes during the snowy season. Of course, flying down the slopes at a NH ski resort is fun too, but if you’re looking for a more laid back version of that, cross country skiing in NH is it.

XC skiing in New Hampshire is an amazing way to get great exercise while enjoying those gorgeous NH winter snowscapes! Whether you’re looking for nordic skiing in NH at full amenity resorts or you prefer New Hampshire cross country skiing at places that are less hustle and bustle and more peace and quiet, you’ll find it on this list of XC ski New Hampshire locations!

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When is NH XC Skiing Season

You’ll typically find New Hampshire XC skiing locations open as early as mid-November and as late as mid-April, depending on snow and weather conditions, of course. February is often considered a great time of year to take your next NH cross country skiing trip!

Cross Country Skiing in NH

A close up of someones feet while they have fun in New Hampshire cross country skiing — New Hampshire cross country skiing is always a great winter activity!

Great Glen Trails, Gorham NH

With over 45km of well-groomed and backcountry New Hampshire XC skiing trails, Great Glen Trails is a great place to go for all skill levels. There are day passes and season passes available for purchase, and as an added bonus, a season pass for an adult gets ALL their children 17 and under in free right along with them! There’s also a ski shop for rentals and purchases, a wax room, locker room, private and group lessons, and more at this great XC ski New Hampshire location.

Jackson XC, Jackson NH

This Jackson NH cross country skiing spot has 50+trails on over 100km, with a variety of groomed and backcountry trails for varying levels of difficulty. You can purchase a day pass or a season pass, and there are also a variety of classes and clinics available for those looking to improve their XC ski skills, as well as rentals available onsite. Plus, you’re in Jackson, with plenty of fun things to see and do!

Mt Washington Valley Ski Touring and Snowshoe Center, Intervale NH

Mt. Washington Valley Ski Touring & Snowshoe Foundation has 45km of NH XC trails of what they refer to as “easy rolling terrain.” With views of Mt Washington, most of the cross country trails in this NH location are rated as easy, so this is a great place to go cross country skiing with the family! You can pay for a daily or seasonal membership, and if you need XC skis, you can pick those up next door at Ragged Mountain Equipment.

Nordic Center at Waterville Valley, Waterville Valley NH

The Nordic Center at Waterville Valley is a great place to go XC skiing in New Hampshire! Not only do you have access to the 70+km of trails, but these White Mountains XC trails are perfect for those who are looking for well-groomed trails to get out and enjoy this gorgeous area of New Hampshire. Rentals, lessons, and trail passes are available onsite, and as an added bonus, there are even multiple dog friendly XC NH trails at the Nordic Center at Waterville Valley!

A family holds up their poles excitedly while XC skiing in New Hampshire — XC skiing in New Hampshire is a fantastic family winter thing to do.

Nansen Ski Club at Milan Hill State Park, Milan NH

With a claim to fame of being the oldest continuously operating ski club in the country, Nansen Ski Club at Milan Hill State Park offers 12km of volunteer groomed, and challenging, hilly XC skiing in northern New Hampshire. You can join the Nansen Ski Club with a membership, or simply leave a donation onsite at the end of your visit. There is a warming hut with supplies for loaning out, but amenities are scarce and there is no final sweep done for the day, so ski at your own risk!

Windblown Cross Country, New Ipswich NH

Family run, Windblown XC offers 40km of well-groomed cross country trails in southern New Hampshire of varying difficulty levels. Private and group lessons are available by reservation, and rates are payable onsite by cash or check only. Rental gear is also available at Windblown Cross Country, and there are a few accommodation options on the property if you’d like to stay overnight. The base lodge offers meals and a cozy place to warm up in after a fun day of nordic skiing in New Hampshire.

Purity Spring XC & Snowshoe Reserve, Madison NH

Purity Spring XC & Snowshoe Reserve has 20km of cross country and snowshoe trails that wind their way around scenic Purity Lake. Mostly ungroomed, these XC NH trails are for intermediate to advanced nordic skiers, and tickets, lessons, and rentals are found at the King Pine Ski Resort rental and tune shop.

Loon Mountain Resort, Lincoln NH

For great cross country skiing in Lincoln NH, check out the XC trails at Loon Mountain Resort. With 20km of XC trails with views of the beautiful Pemigewasset River and Black Mountain. Many are historic logging roads and trails are groomed weekly. Onsite rentals are not being offered for the 2022-2023 season, so bring your own equipment!

Bear Notch Ski Touring Center, Bartlett NH

If you’re looking for scenic XC skiing in New Hampshire, Bear Notch Ski Touring Center in Bartlett is an excellent choice! With over 65km of views that include unspoiled rivers, frozen waterfalls, and picturesque meadows, this is scenic NH XC skiing at its finest. There are challenging hills for the more advanced XC skiing crowd, and you can pay with a day or season pass. Rentals and lessons are available at XC ski NH center, and the onsite warming hut offers hot cocoa, tea, coffee, snacks, and a few other things to help warm you up after your nordic ski session.

Bretton Woods Nordic Center, Bretton Woods NH

For one of the largest cross country ski areas on the East Coast, Bretton Woods Nordic Center at the beautiful Mount Washington Resort offers 100km of gorgeous XC NH trails for skiers of all skill levels. Onsite rentals and lessons are available, plus all the fantastic amenities found at one of the top ski resorts in New Hampshire, Bretton Woods.

There are so many fun ways to enjoy winter in New Hampshire, so whether you’re looking for downhill skiing at ski resorts, snow tubing spots, dog sledding excursions, or nordic skiing in NH to get out and get away from it all, New Hampshire has you covered. Have fun playing in the snow!