Defined by its vast expanses of pristine wilderness, quaint, charming towns, rugged Atlantic coastline, and densely forested mountains presenting ever-changing autumn foliage, New Hampshire has some of the most beautiful landscapes in the country. Numerous state parks, nature preserves and recreations areas around the state offer visitors the chance to soak up this natural beauty, which include the region’s highest peak, Mt. Washington, the White Mountain National Forest, which has black bears and moose, and the White Mountains, which form part of the Appalachian Trail. Here are some of New Hampshire top spots for enjoying the great outdoors.
1. Harbor Hill Camping Area
Nestled in the beautiful Lakes Region of New Hampshire near the picturesque town of Meredith, Harbor Hill Camping Area is a quiet family-friendly campground with a variety of camping sites and excellent facilities. The camp offers a range of options, including primitive tent and standard tent sites to full hookup sites with water, electricity, and sewerage for both small and large RVs and trailers. All sites have picnic tables, fire pits, grills, plenty of shade and ample space, and access to restrooms with coin-operated showers, potable water, and toilets. Recreational facilities include a swimming pool, sports courts and playgrounds, a recreation hall, and a large athletic field, and the region offers excellent hiking and mountain biking.
189 NH-25, Meredith, NH 03253, Phone: 603-279-6910
2. Ellacoya State Park
Located in Gilford on the southwest shore of Lake Winnipesaukee, Ellacoya State Park is a 65-acre state park with 600 feet of beautiful beachfront. The 600-foot long sandy beach boasts breathtaking views across the lake to the Sandwich and Ossipee mountains and features an accessible bathhouse with showers, a changing area for swimmers, and a pavilion. The beach and surrounding park is ideal for picnicking with families, and the park has campsites with three-way hook-ups, water and electricity, picnic tables, fire rings, and comfort stations with showers and vault toilets. A small park store sells refreshments and souvenirs. More New Hampshire beaches
280 Scenic Dr, Gilford, NH 03249, Phone: 603-293-7821
3. Danforth Bay Camping & RV Resort
Danforth Bay Camping & RV Resort is a sizeable family-style camping resort in one of the most picturesque areas in New England. Located a short way from North Conway, the resort is spread over 185 forested acres with two miles of lake frontage on Danforth Bay and boasts over 300 spacious campsites for tent and RV camping. Sites range from spacious, wooded plots and pull-through sites for large RVs and trailers to quieter, more intimate nooks for pop-up tents, and several overnight cabins are available, ranging from rustic to deluxe with all the mod-cons. Modern restrooms have potable water, flushing toilets, and hot showers, and there are plenty of recreational activities such as hiking, mountain biking, golf, and tax-free outlet shopping in the area.
196 Shawtown Rd #4154, Freedom, NH 03836, Phone: 603-539-2069
4. White Mountain National Forest
Mount Washington State Park is a 60.3-acre area of land on the summit of Mount Washington, the summit of the Northeast's highest peak, and is surrounded by the magnificent 750,000-acre White Mountain National Forest. Spectacular views from the 6,288-foot summit extend as far as 130 miles to Vermont and New York on a clear day and a modern summit building known as Sherman Adams building houses the Sherman Adams Visitor Center, the historic Tip-Top House, the Mount Washington Observatory and its museum, as seasonal cafeteria, gift shop, and restrooms. The White Mountain National Forest provides a variety of camping from family-friendly campgrounds, to popular backcountry sites and tent camping in the wilderness.
1598 Mt Washington Auto Road, Sargent's Purchase, NH 03589, Phone: 603-466-3347
5. Jacobs Brook Campground
Tucked away in the scenic Upper Valley historic town of Orford, Jacobs Brook Campground is a comfortable family campground with a unique character. Catering to camping families without any frills, the pet-friendly campground is set on 38 acres of beautiful landscapes surrounded by dense forests offering plenty of shade and tranquility. The campground has 75 sites for tents and RVs with picnic tables, fire pits with grills, optional electricity and water hookups, and modern restrooms with toilets, showers, and potable water. There is an in-ground swimming pool that is open seasonally, a children’s playground, and a dump station for RVs, and activities include swimming and fishing in a local mountain brook, hiking, and mountain biking.
46 High Bridge Rd, Orford, NH 03777, Phone: 603-353-9210
6. Crawford Notch State Park
Crawford Notch State Park is a 5,775-acre park at the center of Crawford Notch, a significant pass through the White Mountains in northern New Hampshire. Nestled between Bretton Woods and Bartlett, the park includes the Willey House historical site and is home to the Dry River Campground with 36 sites, fire rings, picnic tables, restrooms, showers, toilets, and laundry facilities. Activities include hiking, mountain biking, backpacking, and nearby points of interest include the Mt. Washington Cog Railway and Auto Road and the Storyland theme park. Several hiking trails lead to Arethusa and Ripley Falls.
1464 US-302, Hart's Location, NH 03812, Phone: 603-374-2272
7. Pawtuckaway State Park
Pawtuckaway State Park is one of the largest state parks in southeastern New Hampshire and is named after the Pawtuckaway Lake and the Pawtuckaway Mountains, which form part of the park. Extending from the west shore of the lake to the west side of the mountains, the 5,000-acre preserve offers a wide range of recreational activities such as boating, fishing, swimming, canoeing, paddle-boarding, hiking, orienteering, and mountain biking. Thirty-two miles of hiking trails lead up the 900-foot summits of North and South Pawtuckaway mountains and to the 783-acre lake, which has many coves and little islands. Park amenities include five overnight cabins, nearly 200 campsites, a boat launch, a ball field, a playground, and plenty of picnic areas with tables.
128 Mountain Rd, Nottingham, NH 03290, Phone: 603-895-3031
8. Bear Brook State Park
Bear Brook State Park is a 10,000-acre preserve in Allenstown and one of New Hampshire's largest state parks. The natural reserve and state park is named after the Bear Brook stream that runs through the park and is home to beautiful Northeastern coastal forests and other landscapes. The park features a variety of points of interest and attractions such as the Old Allenstown Meeting House, the New Hampshire Snowmobile Museum, and the Richard Diehl Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Museum, all of which are located in historic buildings that were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Amenities at Bear Brook State Park include over 40 miles of hiking trails, an archery range, picnic areas with tables, camping sites, swimming and fishing ponds, a ball field and children’s playground, and a physical fitness course.
157 Deerfield Rd, Allenstown, NH 03275, Phone: 603-485-9874
9. Coleman State Park
Coleman State Park is a state park on Little Diamond Pond in Stewartstown that offers activities such as camping, hiking, picnicking fishing, and ATV riding. Located 12 miles east of Colebrook in New Hampshire's remote north country, Coleman State Park is an excellent spot for fishing with Little Diamond Pond and nearby streams packed with trout and other fish. The campground at Coleman State Park offers 25 campsites, including sites for ATV camping with direct trail access, water, and electric hookups, picnic tables, fire rings, and comfort stations with hot showers and vault toilets. Several hiking trails connect with the 1000 mile of trails for snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and OHRV riding.
1166 Diamond Pond Rd, Stewartstown, NH 03576, Phone: 603-237-5382
10. Greenfield State Park
Greenfield State Park is a 400-acre state park in Greenfield that is an outdoor enthusiasts’ heaven with dense forests, ponds, and bogs, and a wealth of recreational activities to enjoy from hiking, camping, backpacking, and picnicking to swimming, fishing, non-motorized boating, and mountain biking. The Greenfield State Park Campground features 256 sites with 25 available on a first-come/first-served basis and offering picnic tables, fire pits with grills, and modern restrooms with toilets, showers, and potable water. Family group campsites are available for up to 40 people, and a small park store sells refreshments and souvenirs.
973 Forest Rd, Greenfield, NH 03047, Phone: 603-547-3497
11. Jericho Mountain State Park
Tucked away in the White Mountains in Berlin, the Jericho Mountain State Park, also referred to as Jericho Lake State Park is a 230-acre park is centered around the 7,200-acre Jericho Lake to the south. The lake offers an array of activities ranging from boating and fishing to kayaking and swimming to land-based recreation around the lake like hiking, mountain biking, ATV and UTV trail bike riding, picnicking, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and camping. There is a ride-in/ride-out campground with water and electric hookups, picnic tables, fire rings, and comfort stations with showers and vault toilets, fully-equipped overnight cabins, and a modern Visitors Center, and the park hosts the Jericho ATV Festival every year.
298 Jericho Lake Rd, Berlin, NH 03570, Phone: 603-752-4758
12. Mollidgewock State Park
Spanning 46 acres along the Androscoggin River within Thirteen Mile Woods Scenic Area close to the town of Errol, Mollidgewock State Park is a small but beautiful recreational area that offers a wealth of outdoor activities such as camping, picnicking, canoeing, hiking, fishing, hiking, and wildlife watching. The Mollidgewock State Park Campground offers 44 tent sites, two of which are remote sites for primitive camping, while the others have picnic tables, fire rings, and comfort stations with showers and vault toilets. The Androscoggin River is fantastic for fishing, canoeing, and kayaking, and the surrounding Thirteen Mile Woods Scenic Area is a good place for wildlife and bird watching.
1437 Berlin Rd, Errol, NH 03579, Phone: 603-482-3373
13. Monadnock State Park
Monadnock State Park is a 1,017-acre state park located on and around 3,165-foot Mount Monadnock in Jaffrey. Surrounded by thousands of acres of protected highlands, the park offers a wealth of year-round outdoor recreational activities, including hiking, backpacking, picnicking, camping, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. There are two campgrounds in the park for tents and pop-ups, along with five isolated hike-to sites and basic facilities such as a bathhouse with showers and playground. Several longer hiking trails lead to the summit of Mount Monadnock, and there are plenty of shorter hikes around the state park.
169 Poole Rd, Jaffrey, NH 03452, Phone: 603-532-8862
14. Moose Brook State Park
Moose Brook State Park occupies 755 acres at an elevation of 1,070 feet in Coos County and offers unparalleled scenery and a variety of outdoor activities. Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression and opened to the public in 1936, the park is tucked away in the White Mountains Region just north of the Presidential Range and boasts pristine landscapes of forested valleys and rugged mountains, and the meandering Peabody and Moose Rivers that flow through the park and into a shallow pool. The park is home to many hiking and mountain biking trails, and swimming can be enjoyed in the pool, which is full of clear, cold mountain water. Moose Brook State Park also features plenty of campground sites at Moose Brook State Park makes it a great destination. The campground opens for walk-in camping beginning on May 5th.
30 Jimtown Rd, Gorham, NH 03581, Phone: 603-466-3860
15. Mount Sunapee State Park
Mount Sunapee State Park is a popular recreation area in the Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee Region that offers a range of year-round activities from hiking to cross-country skiing. The park features the 4,085-acre Lake Sunapee, which has a beautiful beach where visitors can enjoy sunbathing, swimming, boating, fishing, kayaking, and canoeing. Situated about a mile from the beach, a seasonal campground offers lean-to and platform sites for family camping with picnic tables, fire rings, and comfort stations with showers and vault toilets, and other activities in the park include hiking, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing in the winter. A winding road leads up to Mount Sunapee, and the state park's extensive trail system is used in all seasons for hiking and winter for snowshoeing.
86 Beach Access Road, Newbury, NH 03255, Phone: 603-763-5561
More ideas: Things to do in Bethlehem
16. Hancock Campground
Located at the western end of the scenic Kancamagus Highway in the heart of the White Mountains, Hancock Campground has sites for tents, RVs, and trailers with picnic tables, fire rings, and comfort stations with vault toilets. The campground is open year-round, however, no services are offered in the winter months, and the nearby Lincoln Woods Visitor Center provides a wealth of information about the area. Several excellent hiking trails lead into the Pemigewasset Wilderness, and other activities in the area include hiking, picnicking, horseback riding, mountain biking, wildlife watching.
133 Hancock Campground, Lincoln, NH 03251, Phone: 603-536-6100
17. Dry River Campground
Crawford Notch State Park is a 5,775-acre park at the center of Crawford Notch, a significant pass through the White Mountains in northern New Hampshire. Nestled between Bretton Woods and Bartlett, the park includes the Willey House historical site and is home to the Dry River Campground with 36 sites, fire rings, picnic tables, restrooms, showers, toilets, and laundry facilities. Activities include hiking, mountain biking, backpacking, and nearby points of interest include the Mt. Washington Cog Railway and Auto Road and the Storyland theme park. Several hiking trails lead to Arethusa and Ripley Falls.
1464 US-302, Hart's Location, NH 03812, Phone: 603-374-2272
18. Deer Mountain Campground
Deer Mountain Campground is a family-friendly campground in the Connecticut Lakes State Forest in Pittsburg and is an ideal base for exploring the 1,648-acre forest and recreational area. Resting next to the Connecticut River between Second and Third Connecticut Lakes, Deer Mountain Campground has 25 primitive tent sites with fireplaces, picnic tables, parking spaces, and access to vault toilets and drinking water. The campground is in an area that is renowned for excellent moose viewing as well as other activities such as hiking, swimming, and fishing in the river and picnicking.
5309 North Main Street, Pittsburg, NH 03592, Phone: 603-538-6965
19. Franconia Notch State Park
Nestled in the heart of the White Mountain National Forest in northern New Hampshire, Franconia Notch State Park passes through Franconia Notch, a mountain pass between the Kinsman Range and Franconia Range. Once the home of the famous Old Man of the Mountain, the park is home to several attractions, including the Flume Gorge and its visitor center, the beautiful lakes of Echo and Profile, and the historic site of the Old Man of the Mountain. Activities in the park include hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and snowboarding in winter, fishing, ice-fishing, and pleasure boating. The Lafayette Campground is located along the Franconia Recreational Trail and offers spacious wooded campsites with picnic tables, open fireplaces, and access to vault toilets and coin-operated showers.
Flume Gorge, Daniel Webster Hwy, Lincoln, NH 03251, Phone: 603-823-8800
20. Hampton Beach State Park
Hampton Beach State Park located on a peninsula where the Hampton River meets the Atlantic Ocean on the southeastern edge of New Hampshire. Set within the community of Hampton Beach, the 50-acre state park is bordered by Ocean Boulevard and has a large beach with lifeguards, a first aid and comfort station, public restrooms, an amphitheater, a pavilion, a children’s playground, and general information services. Activities in the park include swimming, sunbathing, beach-combing, picnicking, fishing, and RV camping with full hook-ups in the campground, as well as picnic tables, fire rings, and comfort stations with hot showers and vault toilets.
NH-1A, Hampton, NH 03842, Phone: 603-926-3784
21. Lake Francis State Park
Resting on the shores of Lake Francis, Lake Francis State Park draws outdoor-lovers and adventurers for hiking, camping, mountain biking, ATV riding, fishing and canoeing on the reservoir, and snow sports in winter. Lake Francis Campground offers 45 sites, including nine with electricity and water hookups and nine sites designed specifically for ATV camping. Campground amenities include picnic tables, fire rings, and comfort stations with showers, drinking water and vault toilets, and other facilities range from a children’s playground and hiking trails to a dump station and boat ramps for water-sports.
439 River Rd, Pittsburg, NH 03592, Phone: 603-538-6965
22. Milan Hill State Park
Tucked into the Great North Woods, less than three miles off the Androscoggin River, the Milan Hill State Park is a 102-acre state park in New Hampshire that features camping and a 1932 fire tower. Located in the town of Milan, the park makes an excellent base for enjoying all the great outdoor activities in the area such as hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing, ATV riding. The campground features standard tents, as well as four yurts, which offer a little more comfort than regular camping with bunk beds and furniture, and campsite amenities include picnic tables, fire rings, and comfort stations with hot showers and vault toilets. Just a short drive away, the Jericho Mountain State Park provides world-class hiking with trails for backpacking, walking, trail running, off-road biking, and mountain biking. More NH day trips
427 Milan Hill Rd, Milan, NH 03588, Phone: 603-449-2429
23. Pillsbury State Park
One of the more primitive and lesser-known gems of the state, Pillsbury State Park is home to a diversity of beautiful landscapes ranging from dense forests, lush wetlands, and tranquil ponds, and an array of wildlife including loons and moose. Located mainly in Washington and partially in Goshen, the park is also home to the headwaters of the Ashuelot River and offers a variety of recreational activities such as hiking, mountain biking, rustic camping with no electricity and limited running water. Mount Sunapee in the northern section of the park is connected to Mount Monadnock via the famous 51-mile Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway hiking trail.
100 Clemac Trail, Washington, NH 03280, Phone: 603-863-2860
24. Umbagog Lake State Park
Umbagog Lake State Park is a 1,360-acre park on the southern shore of Umbagog Lake Coös County that offers activities like swimming, boating, fishing, camping, canoeing, picnicking, hiking, and wildlife watching. The Errol-based park includes a campground with electrical and water hook-ups, three overnight cabins, along with remote campsites and cabins in isolated locations around Umbagog Lake that are accessible only by boat. Campsite amenities include picnic tables, fire rings, and comfort stations with showers and vault toilets. Visitors to the park can see a range of wildlife including deer, moose and several bird species, and other facilities in the park include a boat launch and fuel sales.
NH-26, Errol, NH 03579, Phone: 603-482-7795
25. White Lake State Park
White Lake State Park is a state park on the shore of the White Lake in Tamworth that is open year-round and offers a variety of outdoor and recreational activities such as hiking, mountain biking, backpacking, camping, picnicking, non-motorized boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, and winter sports. Resting along the shores of White Lake, a typical glacial lake with cold, gin-clear waters, White Lake State Park offers some of the best swimming in the White Mountain region. There is plenty of wildlife in the park to see such as beavers who build their homes on the lake, and many bird species and the lake is stocked with trout providing excellent fishing. The park has a day-use area and a campground with family campsites and amenities such as picnic tables, fire rings, and comfort stations with showers and vault toilets.
1632 White Mountain Hwy, Tamworth, NH 03886, Phone: 603-323-7350
The 25 Best New Hampshire Campgrounds near me today according to local experts are:
- 1. Harbor Hill Camping Area
- 2. Ellacoya State Park
- 3. Danforth Bay Camping & RV Resort
- 4. White Mountain National Forest
- 5. Jacobs Brook Campground
- 6. Crawford Notch State Park
- 7. Pawtuckaway State Park
- 8. Bear Brook State Park
- 9. Coleman State Park
- 10. Greenfield State Park
- 11. Jericho Mountain State Park
- 12. Mollidgewock State Park
- 13. Monadnock State Park
- 14. Moose Brook State Park
- 15. Mount Sunapee State Park
- 16. Hancock Campground
- 17. Dry River Campground
- 18. Deer Mountain Campground
- 19. Franconia Notch State Park
- 20. Hampton Beach State Park
- 21. Lake Francis State Park
- 22. Milan Hill State Park
- 23. Pillsbury State Park
- 24. Umbagog Lake State Park
- 25. White Lake State Park
Attraction Spotlight: Mount Washington Auto Road
The Mount Washington Auto Road is a scenic drive up New Hampshire’s Mt. Washington. Mt Washington, at the center of the White Mountains National Forest, boasts a summit of nearly 6,300 feet. Cars and drivers who reach the top may purchase the famous “This Car Climbed Mt Washington” bumper sticker at the Summit Stage Office, which is now a small museum and store.
The drive up Mount Washington allows visitors to pass through several different climate zones and take in dramatic views. Weather and foliage is constantly changing, and trees disappear once an altitude of approximately 4,200 feet is reached. The grade of the road averages 12% and is mostly paved, save for one mile of hard-packed gravel halfway to the summit. The road is open to vehicles from early May through October, weather permitting.
The drive begins in Gorham at the Great Glen Base Lodge. The Lodge is home to the Glen Café and serves as a hub for Nordic skiing and outdoor adventures. Tip Top House stands at the summit. The former hotel was built in 1853 and is believed to be the oldest surviving example of summit hostelry in the world. Today, it houses a small museum of exhibits on the Mountain’s history. Also at the summit is the Mt Washington Observatory, a private weather observation station. Built in 1932, it is the first mountain top weather station in the world. The Summit Stage Office, originally the ticketing office for the Cog Railway, is famously chained to the ground for extra protection from the notoriously windy and ever-changing weather at the summit. The building recorded the world’s highest wind speed ever observed by man, at 213 miles per hour, in April of 1934. Views from the summit can reach as far as 130 miles on a clear day, as far as the Atlantic Ocean.
History: The Mt. Washington Auto Road is the United States’ oldest man-made attraction. The road opened August of 1861. Early visions from 1850 included horse-drawn passenger coaches, which would take visitors to a hotel and observatory at the Mountain’s peak. Construction of the road began in 1854. Laborers worked up to 12 hours per day, and lived in small shanties nearby. All major work had to be done by hand, and in the years before dynamite, blasting was done with black powder placed in hand-drilled holes. In 1856, when the road was halfway to the summit, money ran out and construction ended. In 1859, the Mount Washington Summit Road Company was formed and construction resumed. The road was immediately popular and doubled in business each year until 1869, when the new Cog Railway opened on the west side of the mountain. To lure guests back the road from the railway, the Road Company built the Summit Stage Office shortly thereafter. The onset of the motorized vehicle was a game changer. In 1899, Freelan Stanley of Stanly Steamer fame drove the first motorized vehicle to the summit. The first gasoline powered vehicle reached the top in 1902. Today, over 45,000 cars and motorcycles climb to the summit each year.
Ongoing Programs and Education: For visitors who opt not to take their own vehicles to the summit, several guided tours are available. Two hour guided tours combine a 30-minute ride to the summit in a 12-passenger van with one hour of time at the top to explore the historic buildings, visitor center and museum. Three-hour adventure tours are available during the summer months only and include options to exit the vehicle for short hikes on the way to the summit. Guides discuss local flora and fauna on the brief walks. During the winter months, Snow Coach Tours take guests to the tree line on a 12-passenger vehicle outfitted with snow rather than wheels. Bicknell’s Thrush Tours in early June visit the breeding grounds of one of America’s most rare and secretive Thrushes. The birds nest above 3,000 feet, only in the northeastern United States, to take advantage of the high moisture.
Annual events abound. Highlights include ‘North America’s Toughest 10k,’ which takes place each March. Participants ski, snowshoe, or ride fat-bikes to the summit. The final 6,000 meters of the race climbs over 2,200 feet. Ride to the Sky closes the road to cars and opens it up to motorcycles only for a weekend each June. Alton Weagle day celebrates “first ascents” each May. Creative first ascents have included first to walk backwards, wear a Daffy Duck costume, ride a pogo stick or push a wheelbarrow.
1 Mount Washington Auto Road Gorham, NH 03581, Phone: 603-466-3988
Things to Do in New Hampshire: Alpine Adventures
Located in the scenic White Mountains, NH, Alpine Adventures opened in 2006 with the first, fastest, and highest Zipline Canopy Tour in New England. It wasn't long before the company added the SkyRider and Super SkyRide Zipline Tours to its 300 acres of in Woodstock. To reach the zipline tours, visitors are transported in Pinzgauers, Swiss Army transport vehicles, which are also used in the Off-Road Adventures.
The Thrillsville Aerial Park at Alpine Adventures features the Climbing Tower, a treehouse, ziplines, rope ladders, cargo nets, bridges, and much more. The park also includes the BigAirBag© Stuntzone and a Quick Drop free-fall device. Visitors can get an adrenaline boost by tubing down the Colossus Stunt Damp and flying through the air into a giant air bag. The self-guided aerial course of Thrillsville introduces guests to exciting ziplines and challenges obstacle courses before they try the much larger versions, SkyRider, Super SkyRider, and the Treetop Canopy Tour.
Alpine Adventures' Tree Top Canopy Tour is New England's first true "treetop" canopy tour. Six different ziplines range from 250 feet to 1,000 feet in length, and travel through the treetops up to eighty feet above the ground. This is a great course for those who have never tried ziplining before or families with young children. The obstacles and ziplines become progressively longer and faster, ending with the Zip Six, an option 45mph free-fall.
Beginning with a descent from fifty feet off the ground inside Treewalk Village, the SkyRider Tour offers amazing views of the western White Mountains. Dual ziplines offer a chance for guests to race their friends to the Montego Bay Express, Hemlock Walk, and Area 51. SkyRider features five suspended bridges and five ziplines at a height of up to two hundred feet above the forest floor from 800 to 1,600 feet in length. The adventure ends with the "White Knuckle Pine," with speeds up to 50mph and an eighty-foot drop.
The Super SkyRider Tour has more lines and is faster, higher, and longer than any other zipline tour. This tour was designed for visitors wanting a more challenging and thrilling adventure with faster speeds and spectacular views. In addition to the extended Off-Road tour and new ziplines, participants will get more climbing elements, higher platforms, more suspension bridges, and two "zap-lines," a spin on the traditional zipline where it's up to the person to get to the other side. The zipline tour takes about three hours to finish and is available on a limited schedule.
The Off-Road Adventure Tour at Alpine Adventures transports visitors to the top of Barron Mountain to take in spectacular views during a low-speed roller coaster ride. Each season offers a different off-road tour. Summer offers great weather that can be enjoyed from the vehicle courtesy of a convertible top. Fall provides amazing foliage seen from above the trees, as well as with the occasional turkeys, deer, and moose seen along the trail. The extreme off-road capabilities of the Pinzgauers are displayed in the winter, while spring brings mud.
41 Main Street, Lincoln, New Hampshire, Phone: 603-745-9911
Attraction Spotlight: Loon Mountain, NH
From 1960 to 1961, when the Kancamagus Highway was being built between Conway and Lincoln, Sherman Adams saw much more than a road. Soon, more than one hundred square miles of wilderness would be open to the public, and he knew a good mountain for skiing was along the route. Loon Mountain in NH opened in 1966, after two years or preparation. Adams' legacy of "skier first" service, quality conditions, and hard work continue to exist at Loon today. Loon Mountain now provides 2,100 feet of vertical skiing with forty-seven trails, six terrain parks, six tree skiing areas, halfpipe, and superpipe.
Across from Loon Mountain's main parking lot is the Loon Mountain Adventure Center. The center offers numerous off-slope activities for everyone during the winter season. Activities available include guided snowshoe tours, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, ice skating, and an indoor climbing wall. Visitors can also take part in a zipline adventure, soaring over seven hundred feet across the Pemigewasset River before crossing back to the Adventure Center. Tubing is also offered for visitors looking for a thrilling ride down the mountain.
Snowshoe guided tours are offered at Loon Mountain that take participants to the summit of the mountain. Snowshoe tours include gondola access to the mountain's summit and snowshoe rentals. Once at the summit, guests will be able to enjoy a guided snowshoe walk lasting about two hours as they take in stunning views of Mount Washington and the peaks and valleys surrounding it. The tour is suited towards intermediate snowshoers due to somewhat challenging terrain, and ends with either a snowshoe walk or gondola ride back to the base.
The winter season isn't the only time to have fun at Loon Mountain. There's plenty to do during the summer and fall seasons as well. One such activity is the Gondola Skyride, the state's longest scenic gondola ride. The ride takes passengers 2,733 feet to Loon Peak's summit. Once at the top, riders will bind spectacular views of the White Mountains and a cool summer breeze. Also at the top are a mountaintop playground, summit glacial caves, a short nature path, and the summit observation tower that offers amazing vistas of the surrounding valley and peaks. The Summit Café offers delicious food and amazing views as well.
The Aerial Forest Adventure Park at Loon Mountain offers visitors an opportunity to test their agility and balance by traveling from one platform to another high in the treetops of the forest, soaring across ziplines, climbing ladders, and crossing bridges. The Adventure Park features five courses of various difficulty levels, providing fun for the whole family. The Aerial Forest is a Swiss design, consisting of elements and platforms ranging from nine to more than forty feet above the ground. A handful of the elements found in the Adventure Park include ziplines, Tibetan bridge, oscillating walk, trapeze bridge, chain loops, log suspension bridge, hanging wooden blocks, and log tightrope walk.
60 Loon Mountain Road, Lincoln, New Hampshire, Phone: 603-745-8111
