Apres Ski in Cannon Mountain

Cannon Mountain Village

Sandwiched within scenic Franconia Notch State Park, Cannon’s base areas feature simply the basics.

Cannon Mountain does not feature a mountain village at its base area. The only on-mountain village to speak of would refer to Mittersill Alpine Resort’s collection of approximately 50 condominium units tucked into the corner of the ski area. While it does have its own exit from Interstate 93, the tram base area consists solely of the Tram house building, the New England Ski Museum, and the Franconia Notch State Park headquarters. The main base area does include a rental shop, a gear shop, a tuning shop, and cafeteria options along with the Cannonball Pub. As the mountain categorizes itself as a ski area, not resort, guests may need to leave the immediate area for their lodging, food, and shopping needs.

Cannon Mountain Restaurants, Bars & Apres Ski

Nearby towns are spread out amongst the rugged White Mountains, but many offer excellent north country restaurant and bar options.

Due to Cannon’s location within the state park, visitors may often need to drive to find restaurants and bars in the area outside of the base area offerings. Due to the presence of the large White Mountains, towns can often be spread out in this part of the state, though the drive can often be worth it. Such hole-in-the-wall restaurants may be hard to find, but knowing the inside scoop could lead to a perfect New Hampshire mountain meal for you and your guests.

Indian Head Resort, just a short ten minute drive down NH-3 from Cannon, has a full-service restaurant and bar, including meal plans for visitors to save money if they are staying on-property. Down the road, Woodstock, NH has a number of food options. A local favorite, the Woodstock Inn, Station, and Brewery has a large and varied menu including north country favorites, along with plentiful beer options made right in-house. The bar also offers live music most weekend nights, and is always rotating in seasonal brews created by their own brew masters.

Cannon Mountain Activities

Skiing dominates winter activities in the White Mountains, though other mountain recreational activities are available throughout the year.

Skiing has been the name of the game at Cannon Mountain during winter since the 1930s when the Civilian Conservation Corps cut the first ski trails. For those looking for different recreation, ice climbing or winter hiking options within Franconia Notch State Park are endless. Be prepared, however, as weather conditions can change quickly and violently in the winter.

During the fringe seasons, kayaking is allowed on Echo Lake near the mountain’s base, and weather is typically more favorable to hiking. Rock climbing is a big attraction on the cliffs within the notch during summer months.

Cannon is also the home to the New England Ski Museum, documenting the list of accolades the mountain has acquired along with other historical ski artifacts from the region. The aerial tram, located nearby, also operates year-round for visitors looking for a ride to the summit.