The Notch Hostel

The Notch Hostel Affordable shared and private rooms just one mile off Exit 32 (Lincoln/North Woodstock/Kancamagus Hw
(226)

Whether you’re hiking, biking, skiing, climbing, or kayaking, make the Notch Hostel your White Mountains basecamp.

“On Franconia Ridge, I see my past, present, and future. To my left is Cannon. I am facing Garfield now, and to my right...
09/04/2026

“On Franconia Ridge, I see my past, present, and future. To my left is Cannon. I am facing Garfield now, and to my right is Agiochook. A representation of who I am, how far I’ve come, and the person I’m growing into. It is here, on this ridge, where I am free.” Shilletha Curtis

Since starting the White Mountains Direttissima on August 27th, Dragonsky has made notable progress toward her goal of becoming the first known Black person to connect all 48 4,000-footers in the White Mountains on foot.

In that time, she’s covered approximately 60 miles, climbed over 20,000 feet of vertical gain, and summited the following:

Moosilauke, South Kinsman, North Kinsman, Flume, Liberty, Lincoln, Lafayette, Garfield, Owl’s Head, Galehead, South Twin, North Twin, and Zealand.

Dragonsky’s tentative plan is to go over the Bonds today, the Hancocks on Saturday, and reach her next road crossing at the Kancamagus Highway shortly after.

We are proud to serve as Dragonsky’s sponsor and base camp for this impactful thru-hike.

Help us cheer Dragonsky on as she continues this historic journey, and consider supporting her fundraiser benefiting hikers of color across New England. Visit her IG profile to donate to !

Online bookings are now live for the winter season, December 4th through March 27th. Book today to secure your preferred...
09/01/2026

Online bookings are now live for the winter season, December 4th through March 27th. Book today to secure your preferred dates for winter adventures!

By the way, we're starting to see the first signs of fall here in the mountains. The nights have grown chillier, and a few leaves are changing color. The hostel is open for business now through October 30th, and we still have space available during peak foliage. We’ll close for stick season in November.

See you at The Notch! ❄🍁

http://notchhostel.com

That time when Odie and I wandered around the Saddlebacks for a while, this day in 2020. I miss the days when the Hiker ...
09/01/2026

That time when Odie and I wandered around the Saddlebacks for a while, this day in 2020. I miss the days when the Hiker Yearbook bus used to pull up to the Whites. Grateful for the opportunity to have spent so much time with Odie over the years. Hikers hike!!! Matthew Odie Norman Hawk Mains

Sugar and No Rush, on the same porch! Both Appalachian Trail legends, for opposite reasons: Sugar set the women’s overal...
08/28/2026

Sugar and No Rush, on the same porch! Both Appalachian Trail legends, for opposite reasons: Sugar set the women’s overall self-supported speed record for the AT last summer, while No Rush aspires to never finish the AT. They serendipitously met this morning at the Notch, and posed for this picture alongside fellow legend Walmart, as well as Scatter, Long Stride, Moses, Zen, and the Jam Tram.

Hikers hike…or not!

At 5:30 this morning, Philip dropped Dragonsky off at the Ravine Lodge to begin a self-supported White Mountains Diretti...
08/27/2026

At 5:30 this morning, Philip dropped Dragonsky off at the Ravine Lodge to begin a self-supported White Mountains Direttissima. If she succeeds, she will become the first known Black person to complete this harrowing 240-mile route connecting all 48 4000-footers in NH.

What's more, Dragonsky is hiking to raise $2000 for Summits In Solidarity, a local nonprofit dedicated to fostering racial justice and equity outdoors. You can donate through her Instagram bio.

Shilletha "Dragonsky" Curtis is a seasoned thru-hiker, who climbed Kilimanjaro and hiked approximately 600 miles on the PCT earlier this year. She is also the author of Pack Light: A Journey to Find Myself, which details her historic thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.

Dragonsky comments from Day 1: "I forgot that descending Beaver Brook Trail is a bear. Morale was down, but Mt. Wolf brought it back around."

We are proud to serve as Dragonsky's sponsor and base camp for this momentous occasion. Please join us in hyping her up and donating to her fundraiser in support of hikers of color in New England!

The 27-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail from Franconia Notch to Crawford Notch has about 8,800 feet of climbing and...
08/22/2026

The 27-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail from Franconia Notch to Crawford Notch has about 8,800 feet of climbing and descent. Thruhikers generally hike it in one to two overnights.

In 2018, one ambitious thruhiker convinced us to slackpack him over this section in a single day, and he succeeded. Since then, only two other groups of thruhikers has ever attempted or completed this feat while staying with us—Ducky, Ghost, and Showtime in 2021, and Jimbo Poppins, Jammies, Alpaca, and Bucko in 2025. This is probably one of the most demanding road-to-road sections of the entire Appalachian Trail ever to be attempted by a current thruhiker in a single day. We do not encourage/recommend it to anyone.

This past Wednesday, Copperhead and Dipper, both trail runners training for a marathon after their thruhike, decided to go for it.

After a 5:45 a.m. drop-off at Crawford Notch, Copperhead and Dipper spent fifteen and a half hours traversing this incredible stretch, finishing at the Flume Visitor Center just before 10 p.m. When they pulled back into the hostel, a crowd of hikers was waiting in the parking lot, cheering in the dark. It was a moment.

The two described their hike as profound and unforgettable. They reconnected with fellow thruhikers they hadn’t seen in a long time, and proved something to themselves too; just how much grit and endurance they had in them to do very, very hard things.

Huge congratulations to Copperhead and Dipper. They will forever live on our wall as part of the 302 single-day Hall of Fame.

One of the many relationships that started at the Notch ❤️ Steve Yale and Kaitlin have arrived in the Whites. Everybody ...
08/18/2026

One of the many relationships that started at the Notch ❤️ Steve Yale and Kaitlin have arrived in the Whites. Everybody zero!

Trail magic last Wednesday was so much fun. Polarsteps provided tons of fresh fruit, cold drinks, and grilled cheese ing...
08/15/2026

Trail magic last Wednesday was so much fun. Polarsteps provided tons of fresh fruit, cold drinks, and grilled cheese ingredients. Our friends brought great vibes and sandwich-making skills. We got to hang out with dozens of hikers.
We're planning more magic later this month! Stay tuned for a date, and comment to let us know what kind of trail magic you're goping to run into.

What a great crew of hikers we've got here this weekend! Here are Sticks, Barney, and Apollo making breakfast for a hous...
08/08/2026

What a great crew of hikers we've got here this weekend! Here are Sticks, Barney, and Apollo making breakfast for a house full of hikers. Dozens of eggs, bacon, and chocolate chip pancakes 😋🥰

Days with bad weather forecasts are sometimes the most fun here at the hostel.

Address

324 Lost River Road
North Woodstock, NH
03262

Telephone

+16033481483

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Notch Hostel posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Hotel

Send a message to The Notch Hostel:

Shortcuts

Share

Category