Category: Itineraries

Upper Ammonoosuc River Paddle-Hike

By Karrie Thomas, NFCT Executive Director
PUBLISHED APRIL 12, 2017, Reposted from the Northern Forest Canoe Trail’s Blog

 

I plan on revisiting the Upper Ammonoosuc River this summer and combine a paddle with a hike of the Percy Peaks Loop. Bill Schomburg, a dear NFCT friend who passed away recently, told me about Percy Peaks and the Cohos Trail, which crosses the NFCT on the Upper Ammo, when I first met him in 2014. I think these two intersecting trips will make a great weekend.

Paddle!

I paddled the Upper Ammonoosuc from Gord’s Corner Store in West Milan to the new Stark Access (NFCT Map 7) in the spring 2015. The river in this stretch is quiet and meandering. In June, a canopy of soft spring green bends over the river along the way. I also have driven through the valley in fall and recommend it as an exceptional trip for foliage viewing.

A slow moving ten miles can take half a day with time to stop for lunch and enjoy the scenery. At normal flows wide golden sand bars pop up next to deep swimming holes making lovely picnic spots and good fishing. The river is road-side, but you don’t notice. In the last mile or so houses become visible until the leaves are fully flushed out.

The Stark access is a convenient take out with good parking on river left just above Stark Village. If you enjoy class II rapids as I do, you will want to continue downstream another quarter-mile to the Stark covered bridge to take advantage of some fun whitewater.

Put in at Gord’s Corner Store at the intersection of Routes 110 and 110-A. Here, NFCT constructed stairs lead down to the water, and you can park at the store. Gord also has a deli to supply your lunch, offers a shuttle service and rents canoes, so everything you need is right there!

If you haven’t had enough paddling, the river continues quietly for another five miles to Emerson Road (the way to Percy Peaks) or eight miles beyond that to the Connecticut River in Groveton. The character remains quiet with a few punctuated rapids and a number of dam carries. See the NFCT trip planner tool for details.

Hike!

The Percy Peaks Loop is described in detail on the Hike New England web site and is recommended by the Cohos Trail as one of the Dozen Best Day Hikes. I have scouted these unique twin mountains from the river and roadside. Their broad granite slab-covered tops have captured my imagination every time. This 6.7 mile hike is reported to take a half day.

Where to Stay

  • Camp or take a room at Percy Lodge and Campground.
  • Paddle up and camp at one of the three NFCT campsites along the Upper Ammonoosuc (river access only). NFCT trip planner, NFCT Map 7 and the NFCT Guidebook for information.
  • Rent the Ammo Cabin situated right on the river from Gord’s Corner Store. Drive in or paddle up, this rustic cabin rental is a great place to hang out, fish and play in the river.
  • Stay at the Stark Village Inn for a charming, traditional Bed & Breakfast experience.

A Complete Guide to Must-Visit Coffee Spots in New Hampshire’s Grand North

Contributed by Jess Walter

On a chilly New Hampshire morning, there’s nothing like a cup of hot coffee to get you feeling toasty. From the Great North Woods to the White Mountains, New Hampshire’s majestic Grand North boasts plenty of local coffee spots where guests can find fine food, artisanal brews, and friendly service. Start your day with a delicious cup of joe at one of these top Grand North hotspots.

Moose Muck Coffee House

This rustic coffee house is located in Colebrook, and serves coffee that’s delicious either hot or cold.  In the winter, sit by the fire and warm up with an espresso, or sit outside and cool down in the summer with an iced mocha. If you or your friends aren’t big fans of coffee, Moose Muck also serves fresh smoothies, tea, and hot cocoa along with a wide variety of breakfast and brunch foods.

Le Rendez Vous Bakery

This little cafe in Colebrook serves up authentic French recipes that come to you straight from the bakeries of Paris. Certified Bakers Marc Ounis and Verlaine Daeron serve up delicious French bread, pastries, and other delicacies in the Colebrook-based hotspot. Customers can sit, relax, and enjoy a strong cup of hot coffee with their sweet treat.

Mostly Muffins

While the main attraction at this Colebrook shop is most certainly their delicious muffins, you can also enjoy a cup of freshly brewed coffee as you eat. You can get your coffee and your muffins to go from the shop’s convenient drive-thru, or you can soak up a little sun in their outdoor seating area. Guests are also able to enjoy breakfast sandwiches, fresh fruit cups, cinnamon buns, and more breakfast treats.

 

Water Wheel Breakfast and Gift House

This quaint breakfast spot in Jefferson offers friendly service and home cooking that’s bound to satisfy any appetite. You can enjoy French toast, Belgian waffles, fresh fruit and more as you sip your coffee. If you’re a visitor to New Hampshire, you can even pick up a souvenir or memento at the Water Wheel gift shop, which sells everything from locally sourced cosmetics to the owner Tricia’s famous fudge.

White Mountain Cafe & Book Store

Curl up with a cup of joe and your favorite book at this cozy coffee spot, located in Gorham. You can enjoy delicious organic brews, and if you’re feeling hungry, try a fresh sandwich, a hearty soup, or a homemade dessert. The coffee shop’s bookstore features works from New Hampshire authors, and a rotating art gallery celebrates local artists.

Waterfall Watching Is A True Spring Pleasure!

When the temperatures warm up under the gorgeous blue skies of spring, the sun goes to work on the snowpack at the higher elevations sending torrents of icy water cascading down from the mountains, into waiting rivers that carry it to the sea. These are the days that are perfect to go Waterfall Watching in New Hampshire’s North Country.

There are literally hundreds of waterfalls scattered throughout the region. Some are hidden, only to be seen by backcountry hikers and sportsmen, while others were conveniently crafted in the last Ice Age next to, or a few steps from, the road.

Waterfalls are beautiful any time of the year, but in the spring, they cascade at their mightiest, so it’s a good time to watch the power of nature and be mesmerized by the sight and the sound of the rushing water.

A few of our favorite falls follow:

SILVER CASCADE AND FLUME CASCADE: These twin falls are located side by side a few miles east of the Omni Mount Washington Hotel, at the top of Crawford Notch. They are located right alongside Route 302, with a parking lot across the road from both of them. (Be sure to watch for traffic as you cross, as this is a busy road!)

Both have been delighting visitors for more than a century, inspiring Thomas Starr King to write in his 1887 book, The White Hills:  “The Flume and Silver Cascade pouring down from Mount Webster have gladdened the eyes of almost all visitors, for they are visible from the road.”

GLEN ELLIS FALLS AND CRYSTAL CASCADE: These falls are located relatively close to one another in Pinkham Notch, a few miles south of the Mount Washington Auto Road on Route 16. Both are well marked and accessible by an easy walk along trails.

Children will love the quarter-mile trek to Glen Ellis Falls because the trail goes through a tunnel under the roadway. The two-tiered falls are one of the loveliest, dropping about 65 feet.

Park at the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Pinkham Notch base camp and take the three-tenths of a mile walk up the Tuckerman Ravine Trail to see Crystal Cascade. It is especially impressive as Mount Washington shrugs off winter and the water drops down 60 feet to another 20-foot plunge.

BEAVER BROOK FALLS: These falls are a great treat any time of the year. Located about 2.5 miles north from downtown Colebrook on Route 145, there is a pretty little wayside with tables, so go on a nice day, and be sure to grab some picnic fixings.

The falls drop broadly over the rocks for about 100 feet.

BABY FLUME: On the downside of Route 26, a stone’s throw east from The Balsams in Dixville Notch, Flume Brook pours through Baby Flume, creating its own gorge. There is a parking area for visitors, as well as picnic tables and the gorge itself is just a few steps from your car.

HUNTINGTON CASCADES: Right across the road from Baby Flume is another Dixville Notch waterfall, Huntington Cascades. For just a few minutes of walking on level ground you’ll be rewarded by the sight of the pretty, two-tiered fan of water close to 100 feet high.

GARFIELD FALLS: This is a waterfall for the true adventurer, for it requires setting out along one of the well-maintained logging roads in Pittsburg.

For this trip, you will want to be sure the gas tank is full. Take Route 3 to Magalloway Road. Turn onto Magalloway Road, and follow it for 12.2 miles until you get to a fork in the road. Stay straight — you don’t want to go over the bridge — and continue for another mile.

There is a parking area at the head of the trail leading down to the falls, an easy hike that includes some stairs. Follow the sound of the surging water and there are the falls, a pretty 40-foot drop in the East Branch of the Dead Diamond River.

History says that Garfield Falls was such an obstacle during log drives that men would be lowered by ropes to open jams and that if the logs had wedged up too tight, they’d be blown apart by dynamite.

There is no such drama today and it is a quiet and relaxing place. Below the falls, the water continues on placidly and once summer arrives there are places where you can dip your toes if you dare.

Waterfall Watching Tips:

Be sure to wear good sturdy footwear, especially in the melting season, because the ground will be wet and the rocks will be slippery.

The warmer the day, the nicer it is for a picnic lunch! A number of waterfalls have places where you can picnic and enjoy your lunch along with the ambiance, and many local restaurants will pack you a lunch to go.

Bring along a camera and play with your aperture settings to capture the mood and flow of the waterfalls.

Use caution if tempted to climb up the rocks beside the falls — you don’t want to slip and injure yourself.

Ride the Wilds on Coos County’s ATV Trail System

By Eileen Alexander

Fresh air, wildlife, pristine lakes and streams, towering spruce trees, majestic views and an exciting and varied trail system are ready and waiting for you when you go ATVing on the Ride the Wilds trail system in Coös County in northern New Hampshire.

To the wide open spaces and miles and miles of trails to ride, add the friendly welcome you’ll receive whenever and wherever you stop — for gas, for food, for shopping, for lodging, or just to chat with folks — and you’ve conjured up the perfect day, weekend or weeklong ATV adventure in New Hampshire’s great outdoors.

The 1,000+ miles of Ride the Wilds trails make it possible to ride from the Gorham-Berlin area on the east side of Coös County clear over to Colebrook, Pittsburg and Stratford on the county’s western and northern borders, promising great days of riding without trailering your rig from place to place!

Ready to Ride the Wilds for some excellent ATVing? The 2017 season opens on Memorial Day weekend. Here are a few highlights of what you can expect.

Jericho Mountain State Park

Jericho Mountain State Park, located off Route 110 west of downtown Berlin, is New Hampshire’s newest state park, with more than 80 miles of varied terrain and trails designed to let you experience ATVing at its best. Whether you’re looking for an easy ride or more challenging terrain, you’ll want to return again and again as more trails are added to the 7,200-acre park that includes beautiful Jericho Lake and 2,454-foot Jericho Mountain. When you’re ready to take a break from ATVing, take a dip in the lake or eat your picnic lunch in the pavilion. Daily park fees are $4 for adults and $2 for children 11 and under.

Jericho has camping facilities, too. Twenty primitive campsites are available at the park: five cabins, four tent sites, and nine RV sites, with toilet and shower facilities and a coin-op laundry. Find the details at http://www.nhstateparks.org/explore/state-parks/jericho-mountain-state-park.aspx

For a change of pace while at Jericho, you might want to make a run on the 20-mile loop from the park down to Gorham and back up to Berlin.

Eat & Sleep

Northland Restaurant and Dairy Bar, 1826 Riverside Drive, Berlin
A favorite eatery of local residents. Burgers and fries, lobster rolls, daily specials and homemade pies. A NH Grand Certified Best of Business. (603) 752-6210

151 Main Street, Berlin
Located in downtown Berlin. Large breakfast and lunch menu. (603) 752-4419

SAALT Pub, 111 Main Street (Route 16), Gorham
Delightful pub fare, from burgers and fries to international dishes like Vietnamese Beef, Moroccan Chicken Couscous and the Middle Eastern Plate. Supper served Wednesday through Sunday. A NH Grand Certified Best of Business.

Royalty Inn, 130 Main Street, Gorham
A 90-room resort in downtown Gorham, with indoor pool, health and fitness club, game room, laundry facilities, and on-site restaurant.

Town & Country Motor Inn, Route 2, Gorham
A local landmark offering 160 rooms, dining room, lounge, indoor heated pool, sauna, Jacuzzi and game room.

Millsfield Pond

Over 100 miles of great riding await you in Millsfield, on lands owned by Bayroot LLC. Located 15 miles north of Berlin on Route 16 in the towns of Dummer, Millsfield and Errol, the trails ascend to mountaintops with fantastic views, and go clear around the pond on trails and logging roads, for hours of riding pleasure. The Millsfield Pond area is home to remote ponds and streams and plenty of wildlife, so don’t forget your camera!

Eat & Sleep

Log Haven Campground, Restaurant & Lounge, Route 26, Millsfield
Home-cooked meals and daily specials, including burgers, pasta, salads and seafood, and a complete selection of beer, wine and spirits. Open year round. 

A Peace of Heaven B&B, 601 US Route 26, Millsfield
Comfortable rooms and a hearty breakfast. Direct access to Ride the Wilds from the front door. 

Pittsburg

Forest roads, ATV trails, scenic overlooks, and views of Lake Francis are all part of your ATV experience in Pittsburg, New Hampshire’s northernmost town. Choose from over 120 miles of trails on the gigantic 8,000-acre Perry Stream Land and Timber Company tract, where muddy wallows rub shoulders with graveled roads and woods trails. Bring your pole if you’d like to try a little fishing along Perry Stream or Indian Stream.

Eat & Sleep

At Bear Tree, 118 Glen Road, Pittsburg
The Glen and Bear Tree have eleven Lakeside cabins, a six-guestroom lodge, a four-guestroom Inn and five woodland cabins.  No direct trail access.

The Rainbow Grille, 609 Beach Road, Pittsburg
Gourmet fare in New Hampshire’s northernmost town. Listed as the “area’s stand-out dining” by the Boston Globe. A NH Grand Certified Best of Business. Direct trail access.

Murphy’s Steakhouse at Bear Tree, 3329 North Main Street, Pittsburg.
The wide-ranging menu appeals to a variety of tastes. Eat in the dining room or on the patio. A NH Grand Certified Best of Business. No direct trail access.

Buck Rub Pub & Lodge, Route 3, Pittsburg
Burgers, made-to-order pizza, fried chicken, steak tips, and excellent seafood. Wine and beer on tap, a pool table and video games. Buck Rub Lodge offers clean, comfortable efficiency units as well. Direct trail access.

Tall Timber Lodge, 609 Beach Road, Pittsburg
Offering accommodations since 1946. Both cabin and room rentals available. Direct trail access. NH ATV Registrations are sold at the Lodge.

Lopstick Lodge, 45 Stewart Young Road, Pittsburg
A four-season lodging property, with 54 housekeeping cabins. A NH Grand Certified Best of Business for its outdoor adventure packages and Orvis-endorsed outfitter service. Direct trail access from some of the cabins.

Stewartstown, Colebrook, Columbia and Dixville

Over 120 miles of trails are maintained by the Metallak ATV Club. Part of the trail system includes a trail head at Coleman State Park that will take you over Sugar Hill to The Balsams and over the Dixville Peaks and Nathan Pond trail connecting to Greenough Pond Road and The Millsfield Club trail system.

Eat & Sleep

Spa Restaurant, 869 Washington Street, West Stewartstown
A family-friendly restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Well-known for its prime rib and daily specials. Eat in or take-out. Direct trail access.

Ledges Motel, Route 3, Stewartstown
Smoking, non-smoking, and pet-friendly rooms, some with kitchenettes, plus a laundry room onsite and a large parking area! Direct trail access. (603) 246-8988

Moose Muck Coffee House, 25 Parsons Street, Colebrook
Open for breakfast and lunch. All the soups, sandwiches, salads and pastries are freshly made. A NH Grand Certified Best of Business. Direct trail access. (603) 237-4677

Mostly Muffins, 51 Parsons Street, Colebrook
One-hundred varieties of muffins, plus whoopie pies, cinnamon rolls and breakfast sandwiches served on home-made buns. Order from the counter, or at the drive-through. (603) 237-4582

Diamond Peaks Motel & Store, Route 26, Colebrook
Comfortable lodging open year-round, and located about six miles from downtown Colebrook. The store carries a large variety of convenience items and essentials. Try the breakfast sandwiches and pizzas made fresh daily. Direct trail access.

Parsons Street, Route 26,Colebrook
Luxury suites designed for a lodging experience that is inviting, warm and memorable. Also features a fine dining restaurant with outstanding cuisine and wonderful wines.

The Keazer Farm Bed & Breakfast, 11 Harvey Swell Road, Colebrook
Four cozy rooms in the 1840s inn that is situated on 400 acres of woods and fields. Includes a full country breakfast with the inn’s own eggs and maple syrup. Direct trail access.

The Northern Comfort Motel, 1 Scott Phillips Highway, Colebrook
Triple AAA rated. Nineteen rooms paneled with tongue and groove pine, heated outdoor pool, basketball court.

Notch View Resort Inn and Campground, 54 Forbes Hill Road, Colebrook
A bed and breakfast inn and campground located on 34 acres of a former dairy farm; offers OHRV rentals. Direct trail access.

Colebrook Country Club, 15 Abenaki Lane (off Route 26), Colebrook
Family owned and operated, with direct access to the Ride the Wilds ATV trail system. Eighteen ground-floor rooms in the motel, and a cocktail lounge open every afternoon and evening.

 

Stratford

You’ll find the longest lineal ATV trail system in New England in Stratford, where there are more than 120 miles of trails that crisscross about 30,000 acres of private land. These trails will take you through wide sweeps of undeveloped land that encompass the mountains, bogs, pastures and vistas of New Hampshire’s Grand North.

Eat & Sleep

Trailside Lodge, 382 Percy Road, North Stratford
Stay in the main lodge or in one of the cabins. Direct access to the ATV trail system.

Big Rock Campground and Cabins, Route 3, North Stratford
A full-service, family campground. Offers a variety of campsites for both tenting and RVing as well as cabins. Direct trail access.

Blueberry Hill Inn, Café and Campground, 484 Route 3, Stratford
A variety of accommodations in the inn, a cabin, and the campground. The full breakfast includes blueberry specials from blueberries picked on the inn property. Direct access to the ATV trails, and a heated garage for your ATV!

Connolly Cabins & Campground, 16 Martha’s Way, Stratford
The ATV trails runs right through this property. Two-bedroom year-round cabins, rustic cabins, tent sites and a campground for rigs and RVs.

 

Success & Milan

A three-mile city trail connects Jericho Mountain State Park in Berlin to the trails in Success, where you’ll discover 25 miles of excellent trail riding. A connector trail comes in from Maine at Success.

Eat & Sleep

Milan Village Deli and General Store, 727 Main Street, Milan
Pizza, made-to-order sandwiches, deli meats and cheeses, locally grown fruits and veggies, and lots of convenience items. (603) 449-3322

Mahoosuc Inn, 877 Milan Road, Route 16, Milan
A pet-friendly bed and breakfast with six rooms.

DuBee Our Guest Bed and Breakfast, 2 Bridge Street, Milan
Five comfortable rooms, and a delicious family-style breakfast.

Errol

The Umbagog ATV Club maintains 42 miles of trails on Bayroot LLC lands in Errol, north of Route 26.

Eat & Sleep

150 Main Street Lodging on the Androscoggin, 150 Main Street, Errol
A nine-room guest house. Fall asleep to the sounds of the river rushing by.

Errol Motel & Housekeeping Units, Route 26, Errol
Find recently remodeled rooms and pet-friendly lodging at the Errol Motel.

More Fine Riding

The Kilkenny Trail Riders of Lancaster, the Presidential ATV Club of Gorham, and the Androscoggin ATV Club of Berlin maintain many additional miles of trails.

BONUS: Many North Country towns have opened some roads and streets to accommodate ATVs to access area businesses and to connect trails. Look for the signs and please obey the speed limit.

Save the date: Jericho ATV Festival

It’s not too early to make plans for this year’s Jericho ATV Festival Presented by Progressive, with exhilarating ATV riding, mud races, poker run, freestyle shows, helicopter rides, music, food vendors, and displays. Demo the new ATV’s and SxS’s from major manufacturers. Downtown Block Party & Torchlight ATV Parade. Mark your calendar for August 4 & 5, 2017!

About ATV Clubs

ATV clubs in Coös County help maintain the trails, plan events and provide information on ATVing opportunities throughout the region. All welcome new members. Dues support trail maintenance and building projects.

Many of the region’s ATV clubs plan weekend events like Poker Runs or ride-ins throughout the riding season. Click on Ride the Wilds button on the New Hampshire Grand homepage at www.nhgrand.com or on the links, below, for up-to-date information on parking, trail conditions and special events.

The state maintains information about ATV trails in Coös County, including a NH Bureau of Trails downloadable map. http://nhstateparks.org/experience/atving/trail-information.aspx

Androscoggin Valley ATV Club
PO Box 534, Berlin, NH 03570
www.avatvclub.org
[email protected]

Great North Woods Riders ATV Club
PO Box 218, Pittsburg, NH 03592
www.greatnorthwoodsatv.org
[email protected]

The Kilkenny Trail Riders ATV Club
PO Box 64, Lancaster, NH 03584
www.kilkennytrailriders.com

Metallak ATV Club
PO Box 318
Colebrook, NH  03576
www.metallakatvclub.com

Millsfield ATV Club
16 Chasebrook Circle, Litchfield, NH 03052
www.millsfieldatv.com
[email protected]

North Country ATV Club
PO Box 161, North Stratford, NH 03590
www.northcountryatv.com
[email protected]

Presidential OHRV Club
PO Box 152
Gorham, NH  03581
www.presidentialohrvclub.com

Umbagog ATV Club
PO Box 71, Errol, NH 03579
[email protected]

Rentals & Guided Tours 

You don’t have to own a rig to enjoy the sport of ATVing. These businesses can provide a complete package for a day of riding enjoyment, including an ATV, instructions and all the safety equipment required. Drive yourself or enjoy a guided tour.

Absolute PowerSports (rentals, sales and service)
461 Main Street, Gorham, NH 03581
www.absolutepowersportsnh.com

Bear Rock Adventures (rentals & tours)
545 Beach Road, Pittsburg, NH 03592
www.bearrockadventures.com

Dalton Mountain Motorsports (sales & service)
475 Lancaster Road, Lancaster, NH 03584 www.daltonmountainmotorsports.com

Jericho Outdoors (rentals, tours, sales and service)
232 Jericho Road, Berlin, NH 03570
www.jerichooutdoors.net

Moose Poop ATV Tours
Muzzy Hill Road, Milan, NH 03848
http://www.moosepooptours.com/contact.htm

White Mountain ATV Rentals (rentals & tours)
299 Main Street, Gorham
www.whitemtatvrental.com

Explore the Androscoggin Valley in the Winter

Written by: Glenda and Gordon Globetrotter (aka anonymous!) Hometown: Boston

Bio: We just celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary with a wonderful weekend in the historic Androscoggin Valley. Although we love international travel, there is nothing like returning to one’s roots to rekindle fond memories and discover new adventures.

Glenda spent childhood summers on her grandparents’ farm in Berlin and wanted to take some time reminiscing about those idyllic days roaming the “City that Trees Built,” the moniker given to Berlin during the 1920s when the Brown Corporation’s papermaking complex along the Androscoggin River was the largest in the world. I wanted to break in my new cross-country skis at Great Glen Trails in Gorham, and also experience Mt. Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast, in winter. Here’s our suggested itinerary for a fun weekend in a region surrounded by beautiful mountain peaks and the echoes of an historic past.

Friday evening: Settle into your comfortable room at the Town & Country Inn & Resort in Shelburne, and grab a swim in the indoor pool or hit the health club before dining at the Inn’s restaurant. The T&C is famous for its prime rib, or try one of the daily specials.

Saturday morning: Head to Great Glen Trails early (it’s first come, first serve) to get a seat on the Mt. Washington SnowCoach, a heated coach with special tracks to help it navigate the twists and turns of the mountain during snow season and that delivers you to treeline at about 4,200 feet. Dramatic at any time of year, the sub-Arctic, treeless landscape is especially beautiful in winter with its jaw dropping views that stretch for miles in every direction!

Late morning: After your Mt. Washington adventure, grab a cup of Fair Trade coffee and a home-baked goodie at the White Mountain Café and Bookstore in downtown Gorham, which also carries excellent teas (Glenda’s favorite!) If you’re feeling peckish, dig into one of their sandwich specials or slurp a cup of soup, and check out the Good Karma board (it’s all about thankfulness and paying it forward). A stroll along Main Street will help your digestion, and the unique shops are a feast for the eyes. You’ll find everything from a great hardware store (my kind of shopping!) to ladies’ fashions, artwork, antiques and collectibles, delicious fudge, and a fun selection of moose souvenirs. Bonus: shopping in New Hampshire is tax free!

Afternoon: If you’re a history buff or have roots in the region, like Glenda, make a stop at the Berlin and Coos County Historical Society. The friendly volunteers are exceptionally knowledgeable and can help you locate your ancestors or provide information about all aspects of the city’s paper mill industry or historical information about the region.

Berlin also has a comfortable Main Street with a nice collection of shops and eateries, and it’s worth a meander. Just a few steps up from Main Street is the PSNH Smith Hydro Peninsula Park that gives visitors a glimpse into Berlin’s papermaking past. The mostly flat walking path along the Androscoggin River leads to views of the historic International Paper Mill ruins, river-scoured rocks, the Presidential Mountain Range, Mt. Jasper and Mt. Forist.

Evening: We’d heard a lot of good things about Libby’s Bistro, located in an old bank on Gorham’s Main Street, and we weren’t disappointed. Chef Liz Jackson studied with Julia Child and is known for her menu creativity using seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. The Bistro has a casual French countryside vibe that complements the great food. For simpler fare, try the SAaLT pub.

Sunday: I got to try out my new cross-country skis at Great Glen Trails, which has 45km of classic and skate-groomed trails right at the base of Mt. Washington. After a couple of hours of fantastic skiing we grabbed a bite to eat in the Glen View Café before heading home.

We’re not going to wait another 25 years before returning to the Androscoggin Valley, and are already making plans to visit during the summer for hiking, ATVing and moose watching!

Snowmobiling, Ice Fishing, Dining and More!

Snowmobiling, Ice Fishing, Dining and more!

Written by: Gaston Gray Jay

Bio: I love to meet visitors to the Grand North, especially when they stop for lunch trailside and share their sandwiches and snacks with me. I’m rather chatty, but I have good manners and will eat right from your hand if you’ll let me.

Winter is the perfect season to visit Pittsburg, New England’s largest township, with a Main Street that is 23 miles long! From my high-flying vantage point, I can tell you that the local snowmobile club, the Pittsburg Ridge Runners, keeps the more than 200 miles of snow-covered trails perfectly groomed, so you can zoom along for hours through lush forests and around sparkling ice-covered lakes and ponds (and don’t forget to take a break from riding — I love treats!).

First Evening: Settle into one of comfy and cozy cabins at The Cabins at Lopstick, overlooking First Connecticut Lake and the mountains. After dark, step onto your porch and look up. With no light pollution here, the Milky Way stretches across the sky and thousands of stars twinkle so brightly you’ll easily be able to spy the Big Dipper and many other familiar constellations.

Morning: If you didn’t arrive with your own machines, The Cabins at Lopstick rents snowmobiles, so you can get right out on the trails. Be sure to pick up a map. The Pittsburg trail system is vast and well-marked, connecting you to trails in Canada, Vermont, Maine and points south in New Hampshire. The Pittsburg Ridge Runners boast that you can ride a different trail every day for a week and still find more to ride. As a frequent flier, I couldn’t agree more!

Lunch: Young’s General Store on Main Street stocks everything you need to pack a picnic lunch, from deli meats and subs to salads and pizzas. You can also gas up here and even register your snowmobile.

Evening: After a day on the trails, you’ll want to kick back and relax over good food and spirits. Head to the award-winning Rainbow Grille & Tavern at Tall Timber Lodge on Beach Road. Enjoy casual dining in the Tavern or opt for gourmet fare in the Grille, along with a full-service bar.

Day Two: For a change of pace, pack your fishing rod and try your hand at ice-fishing. There are plenty of fantastic spots, including the First, Second and Third Connecticut Lakes, Lake Francis and Big Diamond Pond. Expect to find lake trout in all the lakes and ponds, and cusk in First and Second Lake. Cusk, a freshwater fish that is a cousin to the eel, cooks up into a mighty fine chowder. A word of caution: taking salmon through the ice is not permitted.

Fish are sneaky creatures, so you’ll have to be patient. Hint! Hint! Bring your lunch or a couple of snacks to keep up your strength. If I’m in the area, I may pay you a visit.