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A LUPINE LOOP (5 HOURS)
Magnificent meadows of wild lupine flowers
delight the June visitor to the White Mountains. To sample this
wildflower treat here in Jackson, drive by The Inn at Thorn Hill
(Thorn Hill Road) and the Paisley and Parsley home (Route 16B just
past Tin Mine Road.) and you can view within sight of the local
roads some seasonal displays of lupine which vary from one year to
the next based on weather.
 An “official” lupine festival takes place near Bethlehem, NH. toward
the end of June.
The
visit to this northern village makes a perfect day trip from
Jackson. Drive through the magnificent Crawford Notch on Route #302.
Stopping at the waterfalls along the highway is a must at this time
of year because the snow melt and the spring rains enhance the
already spectacular sight of these cascades.
In Bethlehem take a left onto #142 to the town of Franconia. In
Franconia, turn right on #18 and follow #18 until you come to #117.
Turn left onto Route #117 to Sugar Hill. This small hamlet on
Lafayette Road consists of an historical museum, an antique country
store, a renowned pancake house, several hotels and the most
photographed field of lupine in New England. On your return, watch
for the stately wildflowers which can be seen blooming in smaller
patches throughout the mountainsides and meadows all along the
route.
If you want to view more mountain gardens, return to Jackson through
the Honeymoon Covered Bridge and pull in to the town office building
on the right. Walk the Heritage Path which commemorates the first
one hundred families who settled in Jackson, the village where
“memories meet mountains.”
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