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 […]
Tag: Discover the Power of Parks
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 Feast in our Forest
As the Interpretive Ranger at Pawtuckaway State Park, I have the pleasure of living in the woods all season. My cozy campsite offers many appealing features; nighttime calls from my Barred Owl neighbor, a view of a misty wetland, sights and sounds from Pileated Woodpeckers, and the simple pleasures of cooking over a propane burner. […]
Wondrous White Lake Walk
They take a deep breath in. It’s controlled and elated, with each inhale they bring themselves further away from the distant memory of stress, and soothed into a nubile state of complacency. As the air leaves their lungs, consumed of its oxygen it becomes a carbon slurry. The breath lofts up, bounding straight for the […]
The Spirit of The Notch
As I drove into Franconia Notch State Park, bright eyed and bushy tailed, I was experiencing everything for the first time. Yet, in a way, every visitor, whether a veteran or a first time explorer, is gazing at new scenery every minute, hour, or day. For, The Notch is forever changing. As a Floridian, I […]
Woods Whisperer
The journeys and adventures I’ve had in the park pale in comparison to the journeys and adventures I’ve had with my new friends here. I’ve found that the combination of those two have made my experience here truly spectacular! As the Bear Brook Interpretive Ranger I have an exciting opportunity to experience the different moods, […]
Campsites 101
Ready to find the perfect match for your family trip or weekend getaway? New Hampshire is home to 75 state park properties – many with campsites abounding. While most have the standard fire ring and picnic table, not all are created equal. At Greenfield State Park, the campsites offer much more than the standard package. […]
“Every sunset brings the promise of a new dawn.”
When you commit yourself to ten months of service, something with a definitive end, it is easy to get wrapped up in the world of countdowns. I can tell you that there’s only one weekend left of interpretive programming left at Bear Brook, Pawtuckaway, Umbagog, and Franconia Notch State Parks, but that’s not what we’re […]
Ponding Adventures
Earlier this spring, all of your Discover the Power of Parks interpreters were introduced (or re-introduced) to an activity that would become the ‘bread-and-butter’ program of some of our summers. We were handed nets that smelled vaguely of pond water, three white plastic bins, and a dicotomous key with some strange and slightly frightening creatures […]