Kancamagus Highway
21.3 miles, 2,339 ft of climbing, 2.1% average grade.
Crank the Kanc is the series' odd one out, and its riders love it for that: 21 rolling miles up a National Scenic Byway through the White Mountain National Forest, climbing gently for an hour before the road tilts to a real 7% grind over the last four miles to Kancamagus Pass. It's the closest thing BUMPS has to a mountain time trial, aero bars appear here and nowhere else.
Highlights
- 21 miles of closed-shoulder scenic byway through the White Mountain National Forest
- A true TT: gradual for miles, then a hard 7% finale to the pass
- Finishes at the C.L. Graham Wagon Road Overlook
- Proceeds support local youth cycling
Must Know
- Pacing is everything: the first 15 miles feel deceptively easy and the last 4 collect the debt.
- There are no services on the highway, carry what you need.
- Black flies arrive in mid-May; warm up moving, not standing.
- Registration runs through Granite State Race Services.
Lodging
Conway and North Conway have the deepest bench of lodging in the White Mountains, motels, inns, and campgrounds at every budget. Book early; May is the start of tourist season.
Food & Views
- North Conway's main strip covers every post-race craving
- The Wagon Road overlook at the finish is the photo stop
- Sabbaday Falls, a short walk off the highway, is worth the stop on the drive back
Nearby Routes
- Road: Bear Notch Road and the Passaconaway loop
- Gravel: the forest roads off the Kanc's east half
- Hike: Champney Falls trail to Mount Chocorua
- MTB: the Marshall Conservancy and Sticks & Stones networks in Conway