| Hiking Trails and Outdoor Recreation in the US National Parks, Forests and Monuments |  |
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New Hampshire White Mountain National Forest |
The White Mountains were formed by glaciers that retreated over 10,000 years ago carving narrow steep mountain passes called notches through granite. The White Mountains National Forest comprises almost 800,000 acres in the north central part of New Hampshire and extends into Maine and almost into Vermont covering a landscape that is a little larger than the State of Rhode Island. This landscape ranges from hardwood forests to the largest alpine area east of the Rocky Mountains and south of Northern Quebec. It covers 728,150 acres in NH and 49,346 acres in ME. There are areas of steep topography interspersed with numerous peaks and valleys. The Presidential Range includes Mt. Washington (elev. 6,288 ft.), the highest mountain east of the Mississippi River and north of the Carolinas. In total, nearly 50 peaks above 4,000 feet in elevation can be found in the White Mountains. Eighty-seven percent of New Hampshire is forested. Rivers and streams are common throughout the state with the largest being the Connecticut River, which serves as the VT-NH state line below Beecher Falls. Lakes and ponds are also common.
The White Mountain National Forest is one of the most heavily used forests in the country with over 6 million visitors annually. People come here to backpack, to camp and picnic, to enjoy scenic drives, to ski and even to go dog sledding.
White Mountain National Forest Offices
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