Chase Your Thrills in New Hampshire

Sponsored by VisitNH
It didn’t take long after the founding of this nation for New Hampshire — which became a state in 1788 — to start drawing travelers with its spectacular natural scenery. Just a few generations after the end of the Revolutionary War, tourists with a taste for adventure were making their way here by horseback or stagecoach (or, like Henry David Thoreau, in a homemade boat). But it was the arrival of rail lines in the mid-19th century that truly opened up the Granite State’s wild beauty to visitors, and they’ve been flocking here ever since.

Today it’s easy to get to New Hampshire. The hard thing? Deciding what adventures to embark on when you arrive. Biking, boating, hiking, camping … all these and more can be found in every region, and in welcoming towns whose Main Street businesses are ready to equip and inspire you for some Granite State thrill-seeking — be it wild or mild.

WOLFEBORO

Hailed as “America’s Oldest Summer Resort,” this pretty town on the eastern shores of Lake Winnipesaukee has another claim to fame that will delight American history buffs: One of the original Boston Tea Party rebels, Samuel Nowell, is buried here, his grave in Lakeside Cemetery marked with a brass medallion.

Do resist the urge to toss anything overboard, though, while cruising on the Millie B., the New Hampshire Boat Museum’s elegant replica of a 1928 mahogany speedboat. You’ll be too busy taking in the sights on a 45-minute tour that encompasses everything from grand waterfront homes to a loon sanctuary.

The Millie B. is a fine introduction to New Hampshire’s largest lake and its many splashy options for recreation. Wake Winni offers guided watersports like wakeboarding and waterskiing, as well as pontoon cruises and rentals. Goodhue Boat Company has pontoon rentals, too — as well as a fleet of sleek speedboats. Scuba divers, on the other hand, can explore underwater Winnipesaukee (which harbors an actual 19th-century shipwreck) on a charter with Dive Winnipesaukee.

Cradled between the Belknap and Ossipee mountain ranges, Lake Winnipesaukee has a number of summit trails whose lofty views tend to lure the hiking crowd. Yet the woods of Wolfeboro provide a more laid-back, under-the-radar option for exploring the local landscape: the 16 miles of multiuse trails maintained by the mountain-biking enthusiasts of the Wolfeboro Singletrack Alliance. Running through such scenic spots as the Sewall Woods Conservation Area, these trails connect with other systems like the 12-mile Cotton Valley Rail Trail — which begins, or ends, in the heart of Wolfeboro, making it easy to pair with a jaunt around downtown.

NEWBURY

Near the entrance to southern New Hampshire’s biggest ski resort, Newbury’s Mount Sunapee, lies a stone marker for a very different kind of run that once was made here. Back in Colonial times, the Province Road carried soldiers and supplies between the eastern ports and the Fort at No. 4 in Charlestown — the same town where General John Stark would muster New Hampshire militiamen for the pivotal 1777 Battle of Bennington.

You might notice Mount Sunapee’s own homage to that historic road — the “Province” ski trail — when enjoying a day of outdoor exhilaration at this Newbury resort. First opened in 1948, Mount Sunapee has grown into a year-round playground, with summer adventures that run the gamut from an aerial challenge course to a mountain bike park to high-flying rides on the Sunapee Express chairlift.

The resort sits amid the nearly 3,000-acre Mount Sunapee State Park, where outdoorsy type can run wild on more than 10 miles of trails or stake their claim overnight at one of nearly a dozen wooded campsites. If summiting Mount Sunapee (2,745 feet) feels daunting, gentler trails are waiting for you across Newbury, including at the trio of properties commemorating Newbury’s most famous resident: the John Hay Estate at The Fells, the John Hay National Wildlife Refuge, and Hay Forest.

A short drive from Newbury can open up even more options for excitement. Thrill to the beauty of Lake Sunapee, New Hampshire’s fifth-largest lake, on a narrated tour or dinner voyage with the family-owned Sunapee Cruises. Conquer an 18-hole championship course at Country Club of New Hampshire in North Sutton: It’s considered one of the best public courses in the state, with great mountain views to boot. Or set your sights even higher — meaning, 2,000 to 5,000-plus feet in the air — with a once-in-a-lifetime hang-gliding experience at Morningside Flight Park in Charlestown.

COLEBROOK

Incorporated in 1796, Colebrook takes its name from, surprisingly, a very British figure: the 18th-century politician and merchant Sir George Colebrook. But like the rest of New Hampshire’s Great North Woods, the town’s character is much closer to the rough-and-ready fighters who helped defeat King George and his minions. Surrounded by stunning wilderness, this is a place where it’s still easy to feel like a pioneer.

Sitting at the intersection of Routes 3 and 26 and marking the start of Route 145 — which runs to Pittsburg, the northernmost town in the state — Colebrook is considered the gateway to the Great North Woods. Its vacationers typically have things like hiking, fishing, and hunting on their minds, and can find what they seek within a short drive.

Or no drive at all, in the case of ATV riding: The Northeast’s longest trail system for off-highway recreational vehicles (more than 1,000 miles in all!) can be accessed right from the Colebrook town parking lot. Visitors bringing their own vehicles can tap Lemieux Garage and Northern Tire for service and accessories, while anyone looking to rent a ride can head up to Pittsburg’s Bear Rock Adventures: Founded in 2013, this family-run operation has become the area go-to for ATV rentals, tour guides, and lodging/camping/glamping packages.

Just 12 miles from Colebrook is Coleman State Park, which connects to that same sprawling ATV trail system. No surprise, there’s ATV camping available here — but much more besides, like kayak rentals and hiking trails. Trout fishing in Little Diamond Pond is another draw, so anglers should be sure to stock up on supplies beforehand (Ducret’s Sporting Goods in Colebrook likely has what you need).

Another New Hampshire state park that’s right up the road, Dixville Notch, offers a bucket-list destination for hikers: Table Rock. Reached by one of two relatively short but rugged trails, the view from this dramatic overlook high above Lake Gloriette is guaranteed to get anyone’s heart pounding.

For many, the most thrilling sight in the Great North Woods is, of course, a moose. The region’s longest-running tour operator, Gorham Moose Tours, is about a 55-mile drive from Colebrook; it offers three-to-four-hour van tours with expert guides and boasts a moose-sighting rate of 93-97 percent. The annual North County Moose Festival, meanwhile, can claim a moose-sighting rate of 100 percent … if you include the costumed kind, that is. Hosted every summer by Colebrook and Canaan, Vermont, the festival is the perfect way to end your adventures, right in the heart of the community.

For more New Hampshire travel ideas and visitor information, go to VisitNH.gov.

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