White Mountain National Forest

One of the most visited holiday areas in the White Mountains is the Franconia Notch (Gorge) State Park.The park features pleasant walking trails. A prime feature of the park was the "Old Man of the Mountains", a face in profile, but this rocky crag collapsed in May of 2003.

Crawford Notch State Park lies just north of Bartlett, New Hampshire. U.S. 302 cuts through the area offering scenic views of the surroundings. An 1826 landslide on Willey Mountain killed the Willey family as they were fleeing but left their house intact. Near the House is the visitors center for Crawford Notch State Park.Hiking trails and nature walks run through the park. Camping picnicking and fishing are also popular activities in this area.

North Conway basically consists of one single street, but one lined with massive factory outlets selling well-known brands of textiles (fabric sales), and outdoor and winter-sports equipment shops with incredible bargains - New Hampshire has no sales tax.The town is a resort for all seasons. The Conway Scenic Railway runs several excursions from the Conway rail station with a collection of antique locomotives.

Glen is a good base from which to explore nearby recreational areas, including the Mount Washington Valley. The area offers cross-country skiing.

The city of Berlin (pop. 10,000) has a long history although it was one of the last areas to be settled in New Hampshire. The town is known for it's logging and paper making industries and is one of oldest sites of continuous paper making. The city has several historical landmarks and buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Littleton Museum portrays life in the late 1800's in Littleton on it's living history farms. Interpreters dressed in period costume perform daily tasks, similar to the early settlers to this area.The museum building contains a large collection of historical artifacts. There is also a library with books, manuscripts, and a large photo collection.

Rumney is a small town located at the southern edge of the White Mountain National Forest. Rumney was originally granted to a group of settlers from Connecticut in 1761 but some failed to comply with the charter so the town was regranted to another group of settlers in 1767.

The small town of Center Sandwich lies just northeast of Squam Lake. It is the main town in the Sandwich region. The town is primarily a summer resort and craft center.

One of the most impressive of the White Mountain notches is Dixville Notch at the 127 acre Dixville Notch State Park. The park features a scenic gorge, waterfalls, and streams. Hiking trails take visitors to Table Rock and other nearby mountains.

Lincoln (pop. 1,300) is located at the west end of the scenic Kancamagus Highway in White Mountains National Forest. The town is a good base from which to explore the surrounding area.

Lost River Gorge & Boulder Caves features a self-guided tour that transports visitors back through millions of years of natural history. Some caves are difficult to enter. The Gorge has walkways and bridges so children can enjoy the hike.

Located within the White Mountains National Forest at 2,030ft/620m, the Pinkham Notch Scenic Area offers scenic views of the mountains, rivers and gorges. There are good hiking trails in the area.

The Polar Caves Park's main attractions are the caves which can be explored by foot on a series of trails. The caves are a result of glacial action from over 20,000 years ago.

Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, lived in this house in Rumney between 1860 and 1862.

The Squam Lakes Natural Science Center features natural history exhibits, live animals, as well as nature tours and a variety of annual events.

The New England Ski Museum in Franconia offers displays on the history of Nordic and alpine skiing, with art, photos, a video presentation, and other exhibits.