By: Eilís Donohue, Interpretive Ranger at Franconia Notch State Park A few weeks ago, I drove up I-93 to Franconia Notch State Park (FNSP), and pulled into my new home and workplace: the Lafayette Place Campground. I am one of two Interpretive Rangers stationed here at FNSP for the 2019 season. For the rest of […]
The NH State Park Experience
Pawtuckaway’s Mountain Trail: A trail worker’s perspective
By Kyle Krupa, Interpretive Ranger at Pawtuckaway State Park Buckle in, folks. Today’s post is a long one. For outdoor enthusiasts living on the southern side of the state, the caldera mountains of Pawtuckaway are some of the most accessible and rewarding summit’s for a casual weekend day hike. From the top of South Mountain […]
Hiking Home(s): Monadnock and Bear Brook State Parks
By Nell Davis, Interpretive Ranger at Monadnock State Park Oliver Wendell Holmes said “Where we love is home. Home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.” For me, this rings true: home is encapsulated in places I love, specifically natural areas. Working seasonally, my coworkers are constantly rotating in and out of my […]
Rhododendron Bloom Report: June 26, 2019
Hey folks- I was at the grove on Tues 6/25 this week-it was a bit wet, so I didn’t get much in the way of pictures. Now is the time when exact prediction of “peak” bloom gets quite tricky-the way I see it, the local weather has a great influence on timing. If it stays […]
The Corps of Our State Parks
By Molly Ryan, SCA Interpretative Ranger for Bear Brook State Park, Wallis Sands State Park, and Odiorne Point State Park. If you have ever visited Bear Brook State Park, you may have used the bathhouse at Catamount Pond, hiked one of the over 40 miles of trails, or rented a restored cabin at Bear Hill […]
From Tourist to Tour Guide
By Sarah Sherwood, SCA Franconia Notch State Park Interpretive Ranger and NH Corps Member June 12, 2019 was arguably the most exciting day of service for the Interpretive Rangers of the SCA New Hampshire Corps. On this sunny Wednesday we departed Bear Brook State Park, our home of five months, and went our separate ways […]
Animal of Interest: Eastern Red-Spotted Newt
By Eilís Donohue, SCA Interpretive Ranger for Franconia Notch State Park Prime salamander spotting season has come and gone—but wait, there’s still a chance to catch a glimpse! Among enthusiasts of these lovely and delicate amphibians, the nocturnal spring migration from their hibernation spots to breeding pools is known as the Big Night. Often it […]
Wildflower Watch: Spring Blooms
By: Simone Maule, 2019 SCA Interpretive Ranger Now that the warmer spring weather is here we have had a number of new neighbors pushing their way into the forest understory: wildflowers! Here is a closer look and some more information about a few of the common species you can find growing in Bear Brook State […]
7 Ways to Leave No Trace While Exploring State Parks
By: Thomas Cummings, SCA Interpretative Ranger for Umbagog Lake State Park Exploring New Hampshire’s State Parks is a great way to spend a summer. From lounging on the beach to hiking up mountains, there is bound to be something to do for everyone. With more people going outside and recreating in the parks it is […]
Spring Sense of Wonder
By Nell Davis, Interpretive Ranger for Monadnock State Park As an SCA-Americorps Interpretive Ranger living at Bear Brook State Park, I have spent the last two and a half weeks running outdoor field trips for 3rd or 4th grade students from local schools. Each school comes to Bear Brook for a day, and we take […]