Outdoor Recreation: Parks

White Mountain National Forest

URL: http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/white_mountain
Address: 719 North Main Street, Laconia, NH 03246
Phone: (603) 528-8721

The 773,386-acre forest is New Hampshire's biggest tourist attraction. (The actual New Hampshire acreage is 714,336. The total acreage includes a portion of the national forest that's in Maine.) It covers nearly 80 percent of the entire White Mountains region. More than 6 million people come here each year to enjoy the 45 lakes and ponds, 750 miles of fishing streams and more than 1,200 miles of hiking trails. Forty-nine towns are within the forest's boundaries. The land is administered by the United States Forest Service. Note that this land is a designated forest, not a park. This means that the land is managed for multiple uses, including timber, water, recreation and wildlife. Approximately 60,000 cords of wood are commercially harvested per year. Over half of the land is closed to timber harvesting, including the 114,932 acres set aside as a designated wilderness area. Wilderness areas do not allow roads, mechanized vehicles (including bicycles), power tools or permanent structures. The White Mountain National Forest is mostly known for its mountains, including the 48 mountains known as the 4,000 Footers. The crown jewel of the mountains is Mount Washington at 6,288 feet. Other presidentially-named mountains are Adams, Eisenhower, Garfield, Jefferson, Lincoln, Madison, Munroe and Pierce. An excellent guide to the mountains and their trails is the Appalachian Mountain Club White Mountain Guide. You can get this book in all New Hampshire bookstores and most stores that sell hiking equipment.