No matter how comfortable you are in a kayak, these ponds have a lot to offer, especially if your goal is simply to get lost in the magic.
Author: Sophia Hartley
I am a senior at the University of Chicago, and I am thrilled to be interning with the State Parks this summer. As I explore New Hampshire’s parks, I will be sharing my experiences through the blog! My goal is to get off the beaten path and encourage others to explore parks they might not have realized hold their next adventure.
Camping? Add These Parks to Your Bucket List
What makes a good campground? Your answer might be different from mine, so I have compiled a list of campsites that all offer different experiences—hopefully one will tickle your fancy.
A Summer in the Parks: The Art of Exploration
I spent my summer in a burgundy minivan rolling around the hills of New Hampshire, stopping at every state park I could find. It was incredible. Traveling alone to new destinations and trying to capture their beauty through the lens of my camera taught me a lot about what it means to “enjoy the outdoors.”
The White Mountains Region: You Might Need Four Wheel Drive
The White Mountains Region is slightly different from the areas I have explored over the past ten weeks. Various organizations manage the land, and sometimes the jurisdictions can get a little confusing. Hopefully, by the end of this post, you will have a clearer understanding of how some of the state park properties fit in. […]
The Seacoast Region: What Ocean is that Anyways?
New Hampshire packs quite the punch in its 18 miles of Atlantic coast. Portsmouth and adjacent beaches might be the stars of the show, but there are plenty of park properties worth exploring if you’re in the mood to learn a little something about the area’s history. Beaches Galore I didn’t spend much time at […]
Hiking with Kids
If the long-term goal is to help your children become lovers and stewards of the great outdoors, to instill wonder, then patience is key. Letting them ogle at ant holes and stick their fingers into tree roots helps them discover the tempo of the world around them. It’s a slow and steady beat, something we’re not used to.
The Monadnock Region
Some have deemed Monadnock as New Hampshire’s “cultural corner.” Others, like myself, have a hard time spelling the name. But, once you get past the iffy phonics, the region is quite lovely. This southwestern corner of the state had me exploring miles of forest, castle ruins, and one of the best campgrounds I’ve seen yet.
The Lakes Region: Beach Day!
The weather has been a bit sporadic this summer, to say the least. But feverish, sunny days have been popping up more frequently over the past few weeks, and luckily the state parks system has a plethora of beaches available for a quick dip.
The Merrimack Valley Region: Bears, Brooks, and Everything In Between
Who knew that the biggest developed state park in New Hampshire was only 18 minutes away from a Target? Not me until I Googled it, but that’s the beauty of the Merrimack Region! There are five charming state parks within an hour of Concord and Manchester. So if you have been looking for an excuse to not get outside this summer, this post is not it.
The Great North Woods: A Tree Lover’s Paradise
This region of the parks system seems out of reach for many, but the trip is doable if you have a long weekend. Most parks in this region are two to three hours away from Concord, but there are pockets of the wild up in these woods that will make it worth your while.