Destinations
New Hampshire outdoors
Granite peaks, notch passes, and lake country: New Hampshire packs alpine hiking and famous fall color into a small state.
New Hampshire is small, but it punches above its size outdoors. The White Mountains anchor the north, a sprawling national forest of granite peaks, deep notch passes, waterfalls, and the highest summits in the Northeast. The Lakes Region in the center wraps around big Lake Winnipesaukee for swimming and paddling, and a short, busy seacoast caps the southeast corner. The state has no national park, so your trip is built around the White Mountain National Forest and a strong set of state parks rather than one headline destination.
Start with Franconia Notch State Park, a 6,400-acre mountain pass with the Flume Gorge, Echo Lake Beach, the Cannon Mountain tramway, and the classic Artist Bluff view. Crawford Notch State Park covers another 5,000-plus acres with reliable trails up to Arethusa Falls, Mount Willard, and Mount Webster. For the big objective, Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeast, with famously violent weather; treat it as a serious day, not a stroll. Smaller parks like Echo Lake and Weeks round out easier days for families.
Timing matters here. Summer (June to August) is warm and green, with lake days in the 70s F to low 80s F and the best window for high-summit hikes. Fall is the marquee season: foliage peaks around the second week of October near Franconia, a little earlier up north and later down south, and the notch roads glow. Spring is muddy and the highest trails hold snow into June. Winter brings real cold and serious wind on the summits.
Pack for fast-changing mountain weather even in summer. Layers, a rain shell, sturdy footwear, and more water than you think you need, because temperatures on Mount Washington and the Presidentials can drop 30 to 40 degrees F below the valley and conditions can turn in an hour. For lake days, swap in swim gear and sun protection.
State park reservations
New Hampshire booking basics
White Mountain weather and lake weekends both need backup plans, but for different reasons.
Booking note
New Hampshire campsites can be reserved online through ReserveAmerica up to 11 months in advance.
Agency
New Hampshire State Parks
State park directory
New Hampshire state park system places
A source-backed inventory layer for planning breadth. Full Kit Authority guides are marked when a park has imagery, camping detail, rules, and packing notes.
76 directory entries
0 full guides live
- Official page
Ahern State Park
State Park
Ahern State Park spans 128 acres with 3,500 feet of shoreline on Lake Winnisquam.
- Fishing
- Paddling
- Biking
- Hiking
- Winter Sports
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Androscoggin Wayside Park
State Wayside
Androscoggin Wayside Park lies along the Androscoggin River within the Thirteen Mile Woods, a scenic spot for picnicking, fishing, and canoeing.
- Picnicking
- Fishing
- Paddling
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Bear Brook State Park
State Park
Bear Brook State Park, with over 10,000 acres, is the largest developed state park in New Hampshire.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Biking
- Swimming
- Fishing
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Beaver Brook Falls Wayside
State Wayside
Beaver Brook Falls Wayside is a 7.3-acre park popular for hiking and picnicking around a scenic waterfall.
- Hiking
- Picnicking
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Bedell Bridge State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Bedell Bridge State Park is a 74-acre park along the Connecticut River, the former site of a historic two-span covered bridge.
- Fishing
- Paddling
- Picnicking
- Nature Trails
- Historic Site
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway
State park system area
The Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway carries passengers in enclosed cable cars to the 4,080-foot summit of Cannon Mountain for panoramic views.
- Winter Sports
- Picnicking
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Cannon Mountain Ski Area
State park system area
Cannon Mountain is New Hampshire's only state-owned premiere ski area, offering 11 lifts servicing 285 acres of skiing in Franconia Notch State Park.
- Winter Sports
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Cardigan Mountain State Park
State Park
Cardigan Mountain State Park spans 5,655 acres and features trails to the 3,121-foot treeless granite summit of Mount Cardigan.
- Hiking
- Camping
- Picnicking
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Cathedral Ledge State Park
State Park
A mile-long auto road leads to the top of 700-foot Cathedral Ledge, a popular rock and ice climbing wall with views across the Saco River Valley.
- Hiking
- Biking
- Picnicking
- Nature Trails
- Climbing
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Chesterfield Gorge Natural Area
State park system area
Chesterfield Gorge is a dramatic rock canyon with towering 70-foot walls and a popular hiking trail.
- Hiking
- Picnicking
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Clough State Park
State Park
Clough State Park sits on the shore of 150-acre Everett Lake with a 900-foot sandy beach for swimming and grilling.
- Swimming
- Paddling
- Fishing
- Biking
- Nature Trails
- Boating
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Coleman State Park
State Park
Coleman State Park lies on the shore of Little Diamond Pond in Stewartstown, known for excellent trout fishing in New Hampshire's remote north country.
- Fishing
- Hunting
- Boating
- Camping
- Winter Sports
- Hiking
- Paddling
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Connecticut Lakes Headwaters Working Forest
Working Forest
The Connecticut Lakes Headwaters Working Forest provides recreation on 146,000 acres of privately owned commercial forestry lands.
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Paddling
- Horseback Riding
- Biking
- Picnicking
- Winter Sports
- Nature Trails
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Crawford Notch State Park
State Park
Crawford Notch State Park has 5,775 acres providing access to hiking trails, waterfalls, fishing, and mountain views.
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Wildlife Viewing
- Camping
- Picnicking
- Biking
- Nature Trails
- Winter Sports
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Daniel Webster Birthplace
State park system area
The Daniel Webster Birthplace is associated with the birth and early childhood of statesman Daniel Webster and offers a glimpse of 1700s farm life.
- Picnicking
- Historic Site
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Deer Mountain Campground
State park system area
Deer Mountain Campground sits in Connecticut Lakes State Forest near the Canadian border with 25 primitive sites and prime moose viewing.
- Camping
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Paddling
- Picnicking
- Nature Trails
- Wildlife Viewing
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Dixville Notch State Park
State Park
Dixville Notch State Park spans 127 acres with breathtaking views along a scenic gorge and waterfalls on two mountain brooks.
- Hiking
- Picnicking
- Nature Trails
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Echo Lake State Park
State Park
Echo Lake State Park is a place for swimming and picnicking, with hiking trails that lead to Cathedral Ledge State Park.
- Swimming
- Hiking
- Paddling
- Fishing
- Biking
- Picnicking
- Winter Sports
- Nature Trails
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Eisenhower Memorial Wayside
State Wayside
Eisenhower Memorial Wayside Park is a seven-acre memorial park honoring President Dwight D. Eisenhower with views of the Presidential Range.
- Picnicking
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Ellacoya State Park
State Park
Ellacoya State Park sits on the southwest shore of Lake Winnipesaukee with a 600-foot sandy beach and a 37-site RV campground.
- Swimming
- Picnicking
- Fishing
- Boating
- RV Camping
- Playground
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Endicott Rock Historic Site
State park system area
Endicott Rock may be the oldest public monument in New England, inscribed in 1652 to mark the assumed headwaters of the Merrimack River.
- Historic Site
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Flume Gorge
State park system area
The Flume is a natural granite gorge extending 800 feet at the base of Mount Liberty, with walls rising 70 to 90 feet.
- Hiking
- Winter Sports
- Picnicking
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Forest Lake State Park
State Park
Forest Lake State Park, one of the ten original state parks created in 1935, spans 397 acres with a 200-foot sandy beach on Forest Lake.
- Swimming
- Picnicking
- Biking
- Fishing
- Boating
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Fort Constitution Historic Site
State park system area
Fort Constitution State Historic Site sits on New Castle Island overlooking the Piscataqua River and the Atlantic Ocean, preserving ruins of a fort renovated in 1808.
- Picnicking
- Historic Site
New Hampshire State Parks
Show 52 more New Hampshire entries
- Official page
Fort Stark State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Fort Stark Historic Site is a former military installation on New Castle Island overlooking the Piscataqua River, Little Harbor, and the Atlantic Ocean.
- Fishing
- Paddling
- Picnicking
- Nature Trails
- Historic Site
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Franconia Notch State Park
State Park
Franconia Notch State Park is a spectacular mountain pass in the heart of the White Mountain National Forest, traversed by a unique parkway.
- Swimming
- Fishing
- Boating
- Hiking
- Biking
- Camping
- Winter Sports
- Wildlife Viewing
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Franconia Notch State Park - Echo Lake Beach
State Park
Echo Lake, at an elevation of 1,931 feet, offers views of Mt. Lafayette and Cannon Mountain along with swimming, fishing, and boating.
- Swimming
- Fishing
- Boating
- Paddling
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Franconia Notch State Park - Lafayette Place Campground
State Park
Lafayette Place Campground provides 97 wooded tent sites as a base for hiking, biking, fishing, and swimming in the White Mountains.
- Hiking
- Biking
- Fishing
- Swimming
- Camping
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Franklin Pierce Homestead Historic Site
State park system area
The Franklin Pierce Homestead was the home of the 14th president of the United States and is a fine example of New Hampshire village architecture.
- Historic Site
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Gardner Memorial Wayside Park
State Wayside
Gardner Memorial Wayside Park is part of the 6,675-acre Gile State Forest, with a picnic area and trails to Butterfield Pond and an old mill site.
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Picnicking
- Nature Trails
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Governor Wentworth Historic Site
State park system area
Governor Wentworth Historic Site preserves the remains of a northern plantation built by New Hampshire's second Royal Governor before the American Revolution.
- Historic Site
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Greenfield State Park
State Park
Greenfield State Park is a 400-acre park on Otter Lake with 255 campsites, making it the largest campground in the NH State Park system.
- Swimming
- Picnicking
- Camping
- Paddling
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Biking
- Winter Sports
- Nature Trails
- Playground
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Hampton Beach State Park
State Park
Hampton Beach State Park provides year-round recreation with Atlantic oceanfront facilities along miles of sandy beach.
- Swimming
- Fishing
- Picnicking
- RV Camping
- Beach
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Hannah Duston Memorial Historic Site
State park system area
The Hannah Duston Memorial, erected in 1874, is the first publicly funded statue in New Hampshire, on an island at the confluence of the Contoocook and Merrimack Rivers.
- Picnicking
- Nature Trails
- Historic Site
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Jenness State Beach
State Beach
Jenness State Beach is a family location with an Atlantic oceanfront setting ideal for swimming and picnicking.
- Swimming
- Picnicking
- Fishing
- Beach
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Jericho Mountain State Park
State Park
Jericho Mountain State Park offers miles of trail riding for ATV, UTV, and snowmobile enthusiasts, plus swimming and fishing at Jericho Lake.
- Swimming
- Fishing
- Paddling
- Picnicking
- Winter Sports
- Hiking
- Camping
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Kingston State Park
State Park
Kingston State Park is a 44-acre park on Kingston Pond with two bathhouses, a quick drive from the seacoast and Boston.
- Fishing
- Paddling
- Swimming
- Picnicking
- Playground
- Nature Trails
- Boating
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Lake Francis State Park
State Park
Lake Francis State Park lies on the shores of the 2,000-acre Lake Francis in the Great North Woods region, popular with hunters and anglers.
- Camping
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Paddling
- Swimming
- Picnicking
- Winter Sports
- Nature Trails
- Boating
- Playground
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Lake Tarleton State Park
State Park
Lake Tarleton State Park is a 48-acre undeveloped park on 315-acre Lake Tarleton, offering an unguarded swimming beach with views of the White Mountains.
- Swimming
- Fishing
- Hunting
- Picnicking
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Livermore Falls Recreation Area
State Recreation Area
Livermore Falls Recreation Area is a Pemigewasset River access site within Livermore Falls State Forest with river swimming and boat launching.
- Swimming
- Paddling
- Picnicking
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Lodges at Coleman State Park
State Park
The Lodges at Coleman State Park in Stewartstown offer direct access to OHRV and snowmobile trails plus nearby fishing and boating at Little Diamond Pond.
- Fishing
- Boating
- Winter Sports
- Hiking
- Paddling
- Hunting
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Madison Boulder Natural Area
State park system area
Madison Boulder Natural Area is home to one of the largest glacial erratic boulders in North America, designated a National Natural Landmark in 1970.
- Nature Trails
- Winter Sports
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Milan Hill State Park
State Park
Milan Hill State Park is a hilltop campground with a fire tower offering views of mountain ranges in New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, and Canada.
- Hiking
- Picnicking
- Fishing
- Paddling
- Wildlife Viewing
- Camping
- Winter Sports
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Miller State Park
State Park
Miller State Park sits on the 2,290-foot summit of Pack Monadnock in Peterborough and is the oldest state park in New Hampshire.
- Hiking
- Picnicking
- Winter Sports
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Mollidgewock State Park
State Park
Mollidgewock State Park lies along the Androscoggin River within Thirteen Mile Woods Scenic Area, offering 44 tent sites and great paddling.
- Camping
- Fishing
- Paddling
- Swimming
- Picnicking
- Boating
- Wildlife Viewing
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Monadnock State Park
State Park
Mount Monadnock, at 3,165 feet, has a bare rocky summit providing expansive views and was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1987.
- Hiking
- Camping
- Picnicking
- Winter Sports
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Moose Brook State Park
State Park
Moose Brook State Park sits in the White Mountains just north of the Presidential Range, with fishing, a spring-fed swimming area, and 59 campsites.
- Fishing
- Swimming
- Biking
- Hiking
- Camping
- Picnicking
- Winter Sports
- Nature Trails
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Mt. Sunapee State Park
State Park
Mount Sunapee State Park is a major year-round recreation area in the Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee Region with skiing, a lake beach, and a campground.
- Winter Sports
- Swimming
- Paddling
- Hiking
- Camping
- Disc Golf
- Fishing
- Picnicking
- Biking
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Mt. Washington State Park
State Park
Mount Washington State Park is a 58.8-acre parcel on the 6,288-foot summit of the Northeast's highest peak, surrounded by the White Mountain National Forest.
- Hiking
- Picnicking
- Historic Site
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Nansen Ski Jump State Historic Site
State Historic Site
The Nansen Ski Jump, constructed in 1936-38, has a 171-foot steel tower and was for almost fifty years the largest ski jump in the eastern United States.
- Historic Site
- Picnicking
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Nansen Wayside Park
State Wayside
Nansen Wayside Park spans 14 acres near the Androscoggin River at the base of the Nansen Ski Jump, popular for picnicking, fishing, and boating.
- Picnicking
- Fishing
- Boating
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
North Beach
State park system area
North Beach is a family location with an Atlantic oceanfront setting and a sandy beach ideal for swimming and picnicking.
- Swimming
- Picnicking
- Fishing
- Beach
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
North Hampton State Park
State Park
North Hampton State Beach is a family location with an Atlantic oceanfront setting ideal for swimming and picnicking.
- Swimming
- Picnicking
- Fishing
- Beach
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Northwood Meadows State Park
State Park
Northwood Meadows State Park spans 674.5 acres in a wilderness setting with a vast wetlands area and a pond popular for fishing and non-motorized boating.
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Paddling
- Horseback Riding
- Biking
- Picnicking
- Winter Sports
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Odiorne Point State Park
State Park
At Odiorne Point State Park picnickers can enjoy ocean views and explorers can uncover evidence of the park's military history along a network of trails.
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Paddling
- Biking
- Picnicking
- Playground
- Winter Sports
- Nature Trails
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Pawtuckaway State Park
State Park
Pawtuckaway State Park offers a 700-foot family beach, a mountaintop fire tower, marshes, and a field of glacial erratic boulders.
- Hiking
- Beach
- Camping
- Fishing
- Paddling
- Climbing
- Biking
- Picnicking
- Winter Sports
- Horseback Riding
- Wildlife Viewing
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Pillsbury State Park
State Park
Pillsbury State Park is a primitive park sprinkled with ponds and wetlands, home to moose and loons and crossed by the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway.
- Paddling
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Biking
- Winter Sports
- Nature Trails
- Camping
- Picnicking
- Wildlife Viewing
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Pisgah State Park
State Park
Pisgah State Park includes over 13,300 acres of rough forested terrain and is the largest property in the New Hampshire state park system.
- Hiking
- Horseback Riding
- Biking
- Winter Sports
- Nature Trails
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Rhododendron State Park
State Park
Rhododendron State Park is named after its 16-acre grove of Rhododendron Maximum, the largest in northern New England and a National Natural Landmark.
- Hiking
- Picnicking
- Winter Sports
- Nature Trails
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Robert Frost Farm Historic Site
State park system area
The Robert Frost Farm Historic Site was home to poet Robert Frost and his family from 1900 to 1911 and offers tours, displays, and a trail.
- Nature Trails
- Historic Site
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Rollins State Park
State Park
Rollins State Park sits on the south slope of Mt. Kearsarge, where a 3.5-mile scenic auto road climbs to a wooded picnic area and a half-mile trail to the summit.
- Hiking
- Picnicking
- Wildlife Viewing
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Rye Harbor State Park
State Park
Also called Ragged Neck, Rye Harbor State Park is a rocky coastal peninsula with grassy lawns and scenic views of the Atlantic Ocean, the Isles of Shoals, and Rye Harbor.
- Fishing
- Picnicking
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Sculptured Rocks Natural Area
State park system area
Sculptured Rocks Natural Area spans 272 acres where the Cockermouth River carved a narrow bedrock canyon and potholes on its way to Newfound Lake.
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Silver Lake State Park
State Park
Silver Lake State Park spans 80 acres with a sandy 1,000-foot beach curving along 34-acre Silver Lake, plus canoe and kayak rentals and miles of hiking trails.
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Swimming
- Picnicking
- Playground
- Paddling
- Winter Sports
- Beach
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
South Beach - Hampton Beach State Park
State Park
Hampton Beach State Park (South Beach) offers year-round recreation along an expansive beachfront with sand dunes, a pavilion, and an RV campground with full hookups.
- RV Camping
- Fishing
- Swimming
- Picnicking
- Horseback Riding
- Beach
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Taylor Mill Historic Site
State park system area
Taylor Mill Historic Site preserves the 200-year-old Taylor up-and-down sawmill on the 71-acre Ballard State Forest in Derry, restored to operating condition.
- Historic Site
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Umbagog Lake State Park
State Park
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Wadleigh State Park
State Park
Wadleigh State Park sits on the southeast shore of Kezar Lake in North Sutton, with pine-shaded picnic sites, a sandy beach, boat rentals, and a three-mile loop around the lake.
- Fishing
- Swimming
- Picnicking
- Paddling
- Beach
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Wallis Sands State Park
State Park
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Weeks State Park & The John Wingate Weeks Historic Site
State Park
Weeks State Park preserves the former Mount Prospect estate of John Wingate Weeks atop Mount Prospect in Lancaster, with a house museum, fire tower, and 360-degree mountain views.
- Biking
- Picnicking
- Wildlife Viewing
- Winter Sports
- Historic Site
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Wellington State Park
State Park
Wellington State Park boasts the largest freshwater swimming beach in the New Hampshire State Park system, with hiking trails and picnic areas along the shore of Newfound Lake.
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Swimming
- Picnicking
- Paddling
- Beach
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Wentworth State Park
State Park
Wentworth State Park spans 50 acres on the shore of Wentworth Lake, with swimming, picnicking, fishing, and a group use area.
- Fishing
- Swimming
- Picnicking
- Playground
- Paddling
- Beach
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion
State park system area
Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion is the former home of New Hampshire's first royal governor, Benning Wentworth, a 40-room colonial-era house overlooking Little Harbor.
- Fishing
- Picnicking
- Paddling
- Winter Sports
- Historic Site
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
White Island Historical Site
State park system area
White Island Historical Site preserves the White Island Lighthouse Station at the Isles of Shoals, New Hampshire's only offshore lighthouse, rebuilt in 1859.
- Historic Site
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
White Lake State Park
State Park
White Lake State Park surrounds a crystal-clear lake within a nationally registered pitch pine forest, offering swimming, boat rentals, a hiking trail, and about 200 campsites.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Swimming
- Picnicking
- Playground
- Paddling
- Wildlife Viewing
- Winter Sports
- Beach
New Hampshire State Parks
- Official page
Winslow State Park
State Park
Winslow State Park sits on the northwest slope of Mt. Kearsarge in Wilmot, with a picnic area on an 1,820-foot plateau and a one-mile foot trail to the summit.
- Hiking
- Picnicking
- Playground
- Wildlife Viewing
- Winter Sports
New Hampshire State Parks
Inventory source: USGS PAD-US 4.1. Curated states also use official agency directories where available. Official reservations and rules remain state-specific, so use the state booking links above before committing to dates.
Getting around New Hampshire
Two airports cover the state. Manchester-Boston Regional (MHT) sits in southern New Hampshire and is the closest hub, roughly an hour (about 50 miles) to the Lakes Region and a bit over two hours to the heart of the White Mountains. Boston Logan (BOS) in Massachusetts has far more flights and is the practical choice for most visitors, about two hours (around 105 miles) to Lake Winnipesaukee and 2.5 to 3 hours up I-93 to Franconia Notch.
A car is essential; trailheads, notch parks, and lake towns are spread out and transit is minimal. The main artery north is I-93, which runs straight through Franconia Notch on a scenic parkway stretch. From the Lakes Region, plan on roughly 60 to 90 minutes north to the White Mountains. Crawford Notch and the Mount Washington area sit along Route 302 and Route 16 on the eastern side, about 45 minutes to an hour from Franconia by mountain roads. The seacoast around Portsmouth is about two hours southeast of the White Mountains. Distances look short on a map, but mountain roads and fall-foliage traffic slow things down, so build in extra time in October.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best time to visit New Hampshire parks?
Early fall is the standout, with foliage peaking around the second week of October in the White Mountains (earlier up north, later in the south). Summer, from June through August, is best for high-summit hikes and lake swimming, with valley temperatures in the 70s F and 80s F. Spring trails stay muddy and snowy at elevation into June, and winter brings severe cold and wind on the higher peaks.
Does New Hampshire have a national park?
No. New Hampshire has no national park, so outdoor trips center on the White Mountain National Forest and the state park system instead. Franconia Notch and Crawford Notch State Parks are the marquee destinations, and Mount Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast, anchors the high country.
What should I pack for hiking in the White Mountains?
Pack for fast-changing mountain weather even in summer: warm layers, a waterproof shell, sturdy hiking footwear, and plenty of water. Summits like Mount Washington can run 30 to 40 degrees F colder than the valleys, with wind and storms arriving within an hour. Add swim gear and sun protection if you are also planning Lakes Region days.