Coos: Sweeping Views, Waterfalls and Trails

In Coos, travel ideas range from extensive trails and mountain panoramas to museums and seasonal events. The OHRV trail system Ride the Wilds in Coos County includes more than 1,000 miles of interconnected trails. At Jericho Mountain State Park, you can ride ATVs, UTVs, trail bikes and snowmobiles. For those who prefer to travel on foot, the Cohos Trail offers a very different scale: it runs from southern Crawford Notch through the Great North Woods to the Canadian border near Pittsburg. There are numerous options for day hikes along the entire route.

Hiking Trails, Waterfalls and Sweeping Views

At Dixville Notch State Park, hiking trails meet a striking landscape of a gorge and waterfalls on two mountain streams. Trails lead to Table Rock and into the surrounding mountains. One particular highlight is Baby Flume: the waterfall is less than 0.1 miles from a roadside parking area and drops a total of 18 feet in three tiers. The summit grounds of Weeks State Park offer a different perspective. From there, the 360-degree panorama stretches across the Presidential Range, the Green Mountains, the Kilkenny Range, the Percy Peaks and the Upper Connecticut River Valley.

Cycling and winter outings also add to the options. Moose Brook State Park has trails for hiking and mountain biking. Milan Hill State Park offers more than nine miles of groomed cross-country ski trails; its observation tower affords views of mountain ranges in New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and Canada. Outing ideas can therefore be tailored to different activities: from hiking among gorges and mountains to mountain biking and cross-country skiing on groomed trails.

Lakes, Rivers and Wildlife Watching

There are different options on the water, too. Lake Francis is a 2,000-acre lake near the Connecticut Lakes; from Lake Francis State Park, you can explore the upper Connecticut River by canoe. On the Androscoggin River near Mollidgewock State Park, beginners and experienced paddlers alike can canoe and kayak; canoes and kayaks are available to rent there. Birds, deer and moose can be spotted at Umbagog Lake State Park. Its remote campsites and cabins are accessible only by boat—a key difference from the paddling options described at other bodies of water.

For those who like to combine a trip with fishing or swimming, there are other specific options: Moose Brook State Park offers fishing on the Peabody River and Moose River, as well as a swimming area fed by Moose Brook. Coleman State Park offers trout fishing at Little Diamond Pond and in nearby streams. At Forest Lake State Park, visitors can enjoy a 200-foot-long sandy beach on Forest Lake and mountain biking.

History, Culture and Seasonal Experiences

The region’s history is reflected in a range of themes. The Nansen Ski Jump was built from 1936 to 1938 by the City of Berlin and the National Youth Administration in partnership with the Nansen Ski Club. For many decades, it hosted major ski jumping championships. The Berlin Falls House Museum Heritage Center displays artifacts and stories about immigrants who settled in Berlin and the surrounding area, William Wentworth Brown and the Brown Company. The Moffett House & Genealogy and Sports Museum is dedicated to Berlin’s sports history, including the NH Hockey Legends Hall of Fame and the Nansen Ski Club. The Maynesboro and Thompson Barns are the last surviving remnants of Brown Company logging.

The Great North Woods Center for the Arts also combines events with a look back at history. Its history includes 1789, when Hezekiah III and Margaret Parsons built a log cabin and log barn on this property. The center welcomes visitors for concerts, theater performances, art exhibitions, educational programs, community events and cultural celebrations. Berlin hosts the annual Riverfire Festival every fall. The Lancaster Farmers Market adds to these seasonal experiences: it is held on Saturdays from May through October and features local produce, baked goods, cheese, eggs, milk and work by local artisans.

To plan your trip, start by choosing your focus: hiking trails and scenic overlooks, motorized tours, water activities, or culture and history. The destinations described here offer a variety of themes rather than a single type of outing. Choose your hotel to match the experiences you want to shape your trip.

Discover more destinations: Gorham, Colebrook, Lancaster, Errol, Whitefield, Groveton, Berlin, Dixville Notch, Dummer, Carroll, Milan.

View the broader travel overview: New Hampshire.