This is for all you explorers and adventurers out there… I have been living in Pawtuckaway State Park and exploring the trails for the past 2 months, and although that seems like ample time to get the “lay of the land”, I see something new every day. There are some wonderful areas of the park […]
Author: Discover Power of Parks SCA Interpreters

Grandma conquers Franconia Notch State Park
When I first told my family that I would be one of the Interpretive Rangers at Franconia Notch State Park this summer, the first question my grandmother asked, was “So when are we gonna visit Vicky?”. On August 7th, my mom, dad, and grandma, left home in Cleveland, Ohio and drove about 12 hours to […]

Lonesome Lake Trail: A guide to one of Franconia Notch State Park’s most cherished hikes
Lonesome Lake Trail can be accessed through the south parking lot of Lafayette Place Campground in Franconia Notch State Park. The trail is very well marked by trail signs and faithful yellow blazes. Although this trail does go through the campground – it’s not a leisurely stroll through the park. This moderate, family-friendly hike is […]

DIY: Leave No Trace, Bear Brook Style
The amenities of Bear Brook State Park that are spread across its 10,000 acres attract mountain bikers, campers, hikers, anglers, and families who seek varying degrees of adventure and relaxation. With thousands of visitors each year, Bear Brook sees many faces and supplies the ingredients for fun and memorable visits to each of those visitors. […]

Fidgety Fish of Umbagog Lake
On Thursday August 16,2015, Umbagog Lake State Park hosted a New Hampshire Fish and Game’s “Lets go Fishing” event. Every summer, New Hampshire Fish and Game, the Umbagog Wildlife Refuge, as well as NH State Parks, work hard to plan and organize a full day of activities that encourages folks to get out and go […]
Tired of being bitten by bugs? Hire a bat.
Ah, summer. Sun, sand, vacations, and millions of mosquitoes. The quest to combat these pesky bugs (and thousands of others) can take up a good portion of your summer. A simple solution, however, is to enlist the help of a member of the animal kingdom. Bats. Bats? Yes, bats. Bats might not be the first […]

Trekking through Time
Before Pawtuckaway’s woods belonged to the state park, the lands were privately owned by families who hoped to make a prosperous life. Living in the mountains is not an easy feat, and many of the families struggled immensely. The soil of New England is very rocky and acidic which is not ideal for growing crops. Farmers […]
A Hidden Gem in the Notch
In the shadow of Cannon Mountain, lies a resident of Franconia Notch State Park that is hidden away. It doesn’t get all the glitz and glory of the Flume Gorge. It doesn’t have an aerial tram leading up to its majestic beauty. It doesn’t even have a museum that talks about its past. But still, […]
Happy Campers
Each weekend I wonder who I’m going to meet around the Bear Brook campground, how many people are going to come to my programs, and then I cross my fingers for beautiful weather. One of the many things I love about this job is interacting with so many friendly people, and gaining a slight glimpse […]
A Magical Time of Year for the Loon Fanatics
“Have you heard the loons yet?” This was a question that I had been asked by so many people after moving to New Hampshire. I thought maybe it was just coincidence, or a topic of small talk familiar among the northerners in the spring. It wasn’t until I experienced the Common Loon for the first […]