Cardigan Lodge
Mount Cardigan rises out of the Shem Valley as a beacon for outdoor lovers. Next to 5,000-acre Mount Cardigan State Forest, Cardigan Lodge is located on a 1,200-acre reservation owned by AMC and is a short 2-hour drive from Boston.
Season dates
Full-Service
Brief closure from March 26, 2023 - April 27, 2023
Self-Service
Entire lodge rentals available in the Spring, Fall and Winter seasons
Showers
Meals included
Charging station
Private rooms available
Wifi
No dogs overnight
Whether snowshoeing, backcountry skiing, hiking, or camping, Cardigan Lodge offers the perfect setting to easily enjoy the outdoors. Guests can access more than 50 miles of hiking and historic ski trails, built by the Civilian Conservation Corp., directly from the lodge and choose from numerous routes up to Cardigan Mountain’s 3,121-foot treeless granite summit. Known as ‘Old Baldy,’ Mount Cardigan is a three-peaked mountain with Cardigan the highest, flanked by the neighboring summits of South Peak and Firescrew. The 360-degree panorama includes views of Mount Monadnock, the White Mountains, Camel’s Hump in Vermont, and Pleasant Mountain in Maine.
Group and individual walk-in campsites are available for reservations and are easily accessible for those wishing to camp and enjoy the quiet forest, waterfalls, and swimming in the Lodge’s nearby pond. A small retail store offers books, maps, gear, gifts and other last-minute items. Our Demo Center offers guests the opportunity to try out Deuter backpacks and LEKI poles for free.
During full service, your stay includes dinner, breakfast, and trail lunch, along with provisions such as linens, soap, and towels. On warm days, relax on the porch or take a swim in the pond after your hike. If you prefer to be indoors, there is a large dining room with tables and a comfortable sitting room on the main floor, as well as a small library/game room downstairs. Please note that dogs are not allowed in the lodge at any time.
Breakfast is served family-style at 8 a.m. Hot beverages are available at 6:30 a.m. Trail lunches are made to order and available for pick up at breakfast. Dinner is served family-style at 6 p.m. Meal reservations are available to campsite guests.
You can also rent the entire lodge during late fall, winter or spring, and have the option to prepare your own meals in the fully outfitted kitchen. During this time, a pillow with fresh case is provided. Guests bring their own linen or sleeping bag.
Learn more about AMC’s cancellation policies for lodging and programs.
From southern New Hampshire, Boston and its suburbs
- Take Interstate 93 North to Route 104 West (Exit 23, New Hampton, N.H.).
- Take Route 104 West, about six miles to Route 3A North in Bristol, N.H.
- Follow directions below from Bristol.
From northern New Hampshire
- Take Interstate 93 south to Route 104 West (Exit 23, New Hampton, N.H.).
- Take Route 104 West, about six miles to Route 3A North in Bristol, N.H.
- Follow directions below from Bristol.
From New York City (and Hartford Conn., western Massachusetts)
- Take Interstate 95 North (Connecticut Turnpike) to Interstate 91 North (by New Haven, Conn.).
- Take Interstate 91 North into Vermont to Interstate 89 South (near White River Junction, Vt.).
- Take Interstate 89 South to Route 4 East (Exit 17, Enfield, N.H.).
- Take Route 4 East for 25 miles to Danbury, N.H.
- In Danbury, take Route 104 East for 5.5 miles.
- Turn left onto Cass Mill Road and go about 3.5 miles.
- Turn right onto Washburn Road.
- Cross a bridge, then take the first left onto Mount Cardigan Road.
- Follow Mount Cardigan Road for 3.6 miles and stay left at the intersection with Brook Road.
- Take Shem Valley Road 1.5 miles to Cardigan Lodge (stay right at the fork in the road 100 yards).
From Bristol, New Hampshire
- Take Route 3A North toward Plymouth for 2.1 miles.
- Turn left onto West Shore Road at the blinking light (Our Lady of Grace stone church is on the far-left corner).
- Proceed 1.9 miles and then go straight onto Cardigan Mountain Road where West Shore Road turns right.
- Go 1 mile on Cardigan Mountain Road, then turn left onto North Road.
- Go 1 mile on North Road, then right onto Washburn Road in Alexandria, N.H.
- Go 200 yards and bear right onto Mount Cardigan Road.
- Follow Mount Cardigan Road for 3.6 miles and stay left at the intersection with Brook Road.
- Take Shem Valley Road 1.5 miles to Cardigan Lodge (stay right at the fork in the road 100 yards).
Upper and Lower Nature Trails (Easy): This 1-mile loop includes interpretive displays as you explore the nearby forests of Cardigan State Forest. Step out straight from the Lodge and follow the signs to the loop, and be sure to bring a pair of binoculars for any wildlife sightings on your journey.
Mount Cardigan (Strenuous): Hikers of all ages enjoy a hike up Mount Cardigan, with its 360-degree views of surrounding White Mountains. Start just outside Cardigan Lodge on the Manning Trail, hiking 0.2 mile to the intersection with the Holt Trail. Follow the Holt Trail for 1.8 miles to the summit of Cardigan, then head north along the Mowglis Trail to the summit of Firescrew Mountain and reconnecting with the Manning Trail. Continue on Manning Trail back to Cardigan Lodge.
Explore more hikes in the area in AMC’s Southern New Hampshire Trail Guide.
Cardigan Lodge Accessible Areas
Dining and living room areas are accessible. Sleeping rooms and restrooms are not accessible.
All Persons Trail
The Cardigan All Persons Trail is a one-mile out-and-back trail accessible from the Cardigan Lodge parking lot and can be enjoyed by visitors in wheelchairs, hikers with walkers, families with strollers, and more.
Service Animals
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), businesses and organizations that serve the public must allow people with disabilities to bring their service animals into all areas of the facility where customers are normally allowed to go. This federal law applies to all businesses open to the public, including AMC managed lodging and visitor centers, where service animals are welcomed.
A service animal at AMC facilities must be under the control of its handler. Under the ADA, service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless the individual’s disability prevents using these devices or these devices interfere with the service animal’s safe, effective performance of tasks. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls.
These rules do not apply to emotional support animals because they have not been trained to perform a specific job or task, they do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.
For more information about our policies, click here.
Our Commitment to Sustainable Operations
AMC has a long-standing commitment to using its huts, lodges, and sporting camps as models for sustainable operations and environmental stewardship. At Cardigan Lodge we use solar panels and have a car charging station. Our food is locally sources and we trade food waste with a local farmer for firewood and snowplowing services. Cardigan Lodge also offers environmental education opportunities.