This Historic Cog Train Climbs to the ‘Top of New England’ and Has Some of the Most Glorious Fall Foliage Views

The Mount Washington Cog Railway is where history, innovation, and scenic fall foliage come together—forming an unforgettable autumn adventure on New Hampshire’s Mount Washington, the tallest mountain in New England.

“It is the world’s first mountain-climbing railroad, and it was invented by New Hampshire native Sylvester Marsh, who thought there should be an easier way than hiking for people to visit the summit,” Tim Lewis, a retired broadcast journalist and journalism educator at Northern Vermont University–Lyndon, tells Travel + Leisure. “The thought came to him during a hike up Mount Washington in 1857, when bad weather closed in on him and a friend, and the pair barely made it to the two hotels—the Summit House and Tip Top House—on top of the 6,288-foot peak.”

Lewis, whose father, Norman “Jitney” Lewis, ran steam trains on the Mount Washington Cog Railway between 1950 and 1967, identifies as a “Cog Kid.” Currently, he’s a Mount Washington Railway prosopographer (a role not affiliated with the railroad) and founder of The Jitney Years project, researching the thousands of people who worked on the railroad over the years.

What to Expect

Today, more than 150 years later, visitors continue to visit this part of New Hampshire and board one of the Mount Washington Cog Railway’s custom-built biodiesel locomotives. From the base station to the summit, the train climbs about three miles.

“‘The Cog’ takes you to the summit of Mount Washington through a constantly changing landscape. You begin at the base surrounded by the brilliant colors right up close,” says Kate Sullivan, the host of New Hampshire Life. “As the train climbs, you’ll notice the temperature drop and the forest change—from dense trees to the open alpine zone, where you’re above the tree line with wide views in every direction. In every season, this view is my favorite, but in fall it is amazing.”

Lewis adds that you’ll see colorful leaves for the first mile and a half of the trip. “After you cross Jacob’s Ladder [the steepest section of the Cog Railway], you are heading into the alpine zone… the forest and the leaves are now all below you,” he says.

While “The Cog” is open year-round, the fall months, Lewis says, are better weather-wise. “It is crisper and, on good days, clearer with visibility going miles further than during the hazy days of summer,” he explains. But the weather is also incredibly variable. “You should be ready with coats, gloves, and layers to keep you comfortable as those changes occur. Snow and ice are not unusual. That happens in summer months as well,” he adds. Notably, the facilities at the summit are closed from late October through the beginning of May; during this time of year, the train terminates at Waumbek Station, which sits at 4,000 feet.

If there’s one way to describe the ascent, it would be “steep.” The average grade is over 25 percent, and some sections even go up to 37.4 percent. The entire journey is about three hours, with passengers spending one hour at the very top; here, you can explore Mount Washington State Park’s Sherman Adams Visitor Center, the rooftop observation deck, the Mount Washington Observatory, and the Tip Top House Museum. There are also gift shops and food concessions.

Tickets, Seating, and Schedule

Booking tickets in advance is recommended, but not required. During the main season, departures run on the hour, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Passengers are asked to arrive at the station at least 45 minutes early to pick up tickets and explore. Base ticket prices vary between $60 and $100—in early October 2025, a standard mid-week adult ticket is $100—and, upon booking, you can select your platform, as a couple of different trains depart at the same time, and your seat.

As far as where you want to sit, Lewis and Sullivan have a few recommendations. “I personally like sitting close to the front. I like looking out the sides but also the main window, so I can watch it climb or descend the tracks. I also like being near the guide; the ride doubles as a moving history lesson, with stories about the railway and plenty of fun facts about the mountain’s trees, wildlife, and surroundings,” says Sullivan.

When debating whether to pick the left or the right side, you can be confident knowing that both offer some sort of incredible view. “Inside the coach, I am partial to the left side; as you face up the mountain, Burt’s Ravine falls away from the track above Waumbek Station, and the northern Presidential Range and Great Gulf appear after Skyline,” says Lewis, referencing an area above the tree line at an elevation of about 5,500 feet. “The right side gives you a closer look at the change in the flora and fauna as you climb into the alpine zone, plus a great view of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Lake of the Clouds Hut on the far ridge at Jacob’s Ladder.”