Peace & Tranquility at Lake Francis

by Caleb Savage, Interpretive Ranger at Lake Francis State Park

You might as well leave your cell phone devices at home. Why you might ask? Well, when you enter the Great North Woods (Grand Bois du Nord) the vast magnitude of wilderness will along prevent you from making any phone calls.

When I first entered the state of New Hampshire way back in January I had no idea that you could drive four plus hours and still be in the Granite State. However throughout this Summer into the first few days of Fall I have met people who have traveled all the way from Arkansas, and I recently just saw a Texas License Plate! So why do people drive all the way to the most northern town in NH, and the largest township east of the Mississippi?

Many folks arrive for the recently established 1,000 miles of ATV trails known as “Ride the Wilds.”

Others drive to the Great North Woods for the pristine fishing in the area, where many sections of the Connecticut River have trophy fish sections, may I remind you only fly-fishing along these sections.

Drive off Rte 3 onto River Road, travel a mere 1.8 miles past an old covered bridge and there is quaint Lake Francis, the reason thousands of people venture up here each summer. You won’t hear any traffic or motorized boats, except for people trolling for fish. The only sound you might hear is the majestic call of one of the loons residing on the lake. This is the reason why campers have been coming here for years upon years… peacefulness!

I’ve met some folks who have been coming to camp up at Lake Francis since the ‘60s, some 10-15 years, and others having their first experience. Asked why they keep coming back? They typically answer because it’s just so quiet and peaceful.

So come up to the Lake Francis State Park to experience the vast wilderness that surrounds the area, and find out why people keep returning year after year!