As my final days as a Parks and Recreation Intern came to a close, I decided it would be a neat and insightful project to administer a survey regarding the New Hampshire State Parks. The goal of the survey was to understand more about what New Hampshire State Parks mean to a target age demographic […]
Author: andrew-keohan
Hi all, nice to meet you, I’m Andrew Keohan a Business and Tourism major up at Plymouth State University. For those of you not familiar with the small college town of Plymouth, it’s nestled beneath the towering wilderness of the White Mountains, a perfect spot to be for outdoor adventure. In my final year at Plymouth, I am excited and looking forward to blogging for the NH State Parks. When I am out on weekend adventures, I will be going to parks and recreation areas I am familiar with and others I don’t have a clue about. My goal is to give my blog readers an experience of what it is actually like to go to these parks and make you want to get up and get outdoors in the beauty of what New Hampshire has to offer. Hopefully, I will blog about places you had no idea existed, if not, well they are still worth going to again! If I can get just a couple of my readers to go out and want to experience the places I have been than I’ve done my job!
Not Your Casual Day at The Beach
Sun-bathers and leisurely swimmers were noticeably absent from Hampton Beach State Park last Sunday but a rare breed of ‘penguins’ did flock to the oceanfront for the 13th annual Penguin Plunge! And no, these were not the adorable creatures with little beaks and wings from Antarctica but dedicated humans who dared to jump in the […]
The “Other Side of the Mountain”
As skiers and riders make their last turns down Cannon Mountain, some employees are just preparing to begin their evening on the mountain. At 3pm, the Mountain Operations team gathers for their daily meeting. Staff members from each department (Snowmaking, Grooming, Patrol, Lift Operations, Terrain Park, Events, and Snow Sports) meet to forecast the upcoming […]
Nansen Milan Winter Recreation
Passing by the Milan Lumber Company, I knew I was headed in the right direction… Located just outside the North Country hub of Berlin, Milan Hill State Park is well worth the drive. The park is home to Nansen Ski Club (oldest ski club in America) where cross-country skiing and other winter sports have been […]
Cross Country Skiing at Bear Brook
It’s amazing how a few inches of snow changes the course of outdoor recreation we New Englander’s participate in. The recent coating of flakes led me to give cross-country skiing another try for my second time ever. With hiking and biking trails transformed to snowshoe and cross-country ski terrain, I couldn’t have chosen a better place […]
AMC’s Cardigan Lodge
The ride to Appalachian Mountain Club’s (AMC) Cardigan Lodge is an adventure in itself. As you proceed down the back roads of Alexandria, AMC sign leads the way. Trust them, not your instinct or GPS device and eventually you’ll arrive at your destination, Cardigan Lodge. One might consider it the “road less traveled” and more […]
Pure Tranquility at White Lake State Park
While driving down White Mountain Highway (Route 16) on a brisk Thanksgiving eve, I proceeded to take a left onto State Park Road in Ossipee, New Hampshire. As the road narrows, pine trees thicken on either side, suggesting that I had arrived at a peaceful place. At road’s end I discovered the glacial depression known as White Lake. Looking […]
Try the park less traveled…
Less frequently visited than many other state parks (although gaining popularity amongst mountain bikers), Ahern State Park is conveniently located just outside downtown Laconia, off Route 106 North. It remains nicely secluded from the hustle and bustle of the Lakes Region on the shores of Lake Winnisquam. Mountain biking, jogging and walking are some of […]
Pedaling Along the Pemigewasset
Catching some of the last rays of sunshine before Sandy rolled in, I trekked to well-known Franconia Notch State Park last Saturday. If there’s one park in New Hampshire that’s most convenient to drivers and also has the best variety of year-round outdoor activities, in my opinion, it would have to be here. Although I’ve […]
This Train is Bound for Crawford!
Welcome to the world of the Conway Scenic Railroad where ‘P’ on the side of the tracks signifies miles to Portland, ‘irons’ refers to bridges, and ‘hobo jungles’ were a place of gathering for those who rode the rails for free during the Great Depression. On a cold, wet, foggy Friday morning I easily found […]