There are only two New Hampshire National Parks. This seems surprising considering New Hampshire is commonly known as the Switzerland of America because of its beautiful mountain scenery.
It is also known as the mother of rivers and the White Mountain State for the White Mountain Range. The most common name is the granite state for its extensive granite formations and quarries.
New Hampshire National Parks
National Park Service sites in New Hampshire include both a National Historic Site and a National Scenic Trail. There are also amazing state parks and forest service lands to explore.
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Top Things to do - Hiking, Backpacking. Scenic Views, Explore waterfalls like Glen Ellis Falls and Crystal Cascade, Wildlife Watching,
Lodging - While backcountry camping and shelters are available for thru-hikers, nearby towns such as Lincoln, Gorham, and North Conway provide various lodging options, including hotels, motels, inns, and vacation rentals.
Camping - Camping along the New Hampshire segment of the Appalachian Trail offers a rewarding outdoor experience in the scenic White Mountains. Thru-hikers and outdoor enthusiasts can utilize backcountry shelters and designated campsites provided by organizations like the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC).
The Appalachian Trail travels 161 miles across New Hampshire and is the longest trail in the eastern U.S. One cool thing is the trail in New Hampshire follows more miles above the treeline than any other state. This means you can expect epic views but also severe weather some days.
Elevation ranges from 400 feet to 6,288 feet! This portion of the trail includes incredibly steep inclines and exposed areas. If you plan to hike through the White Mountains you will need to check for current regulations and rules.
For more information check out the Appalachian Trail Guide for New Hampshire and Vermont
National Geographic also has a topographic map of the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire.
Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park
Top Things to do - Visit Historic Buildings and grounds, Recreational Trails, Ranger Guided Tours, Scultor Workshops
Lodging - There are no National Park Lodges within the park. Visitors can find various lodging choices in nearby towns and cities such as Lebanon, Claremont, Hanover, and Windsor in New Hampshire and Vermont.
Camping - Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site in Cornish, New Hampshire, does not offer camping facilities, as it is primarily a day-use park focused on preserving the historic estate of sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens.
Park Address - 139 Saint Gaudens Road, Cornish 03745
Saint-Gaudens National Historic Park is located in Western New Hampshire approximately 60 miles northwest of Concord. The park offers the opportunity to tour Saint-Gaudenn's home called Aspet.
Augustus Saint-Gaudens was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1848. He became one of the finest sculptors in American History as well as the designer of the double-eagle gold coin.
Some of Saint Gauden's famous sculptures include "Standing Lincoln" in Chicago, the Adams Memorial in Washington D.C., the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial in Boston and the General William T. Sherman statue in New York's Central Park.
His home site in Cornish, New Hampshire is the site of the park. You can view more than 100 of his works on site. Guided tours are offered of the gardens and Aspet House.
Two miles of hiking trails wind through the more than 100 acres of woodlands within the park. The park visitor center has a great movie detailing the life of Saint-Gauden along with information on the sculptures and works of art that can be seen on site.
List of New Hampshire's National Parks
The 2 National Parks in New Hampshire receive over 36K visitors a year producing over $2.6 million in economic benefits.
New Hampshire National Parks include 1 National Heritage Area, 1 Wild and Scenic River managed by the park service, 2 National Trails managed by the park service, and 791 National Register of Historic Places Listings.
There are 23 National Historic Landmarks in New Hampshire National Parks along with 11 National Natural Landmarks. 285 places have been recorded by the Heritage Documentation Programs. There are over 56K objects in the New Hampshire National Park Museum Collections. There are also 19 archaeological sites in the National Parks in New Hampshire.
Have you ever wondered how to become a Park Ranger? Check out our post on what it takes to become a park ranger.
Check out this great list of US National Parks managed by the National Park Service in Alphabetical Order to check off how many you have visited.
If you are a wine fan you may enjoy this article on Wines inspired by US National Parks. Are you more of a beer drinker? Check out this article on beers inspired by the US National Parks.
Learn more about National Park Passes for parks that have an entrance fee.
$80.00 - For the America the Beautiful/National Park Pass. The pass covers entrance fees to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites for an entire year and covers everyone in the car for per-vehicle sites and up to 4 adults for per-person sites.
Buy your pass at this link, and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.
National Park Free Entrance Days -Mark your calendars with the five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually.
For a fun adventure check out Escape Campervans. These campervans have built in beds, kitchen area with refrigerators, and more. You can have them fully set up with kitchen supplies, bedding, and other fun extras. They are painted with epic designs you can't miss!
Escape Campervans has offices in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, New York, and Orlando
National Parks in neighboring states
Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine
Shenandoah National Park in Luray, Virginia
New River Gorge National Park in Glen Jean, West Virginia
Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Brecksville, Ohio
Want to visit a Bucketlist National Park? Check out these amazing National Park Sites
Yellowstone National Park- America's first National Park filled with breathtaking scenery and epic wildlife viewing opportunities!
Glacier National Park - An epic hiker's park with over 700 miles of trails and perhaps the prettiest scenic drive (Going to the Sun Road) in the entire National Park System
Yosemite National Park - Epic waterfalls, unforgettable hikes, jaw-dropping scenery, and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias!
Mount Rainier National Park - The perfect place to explore the great outdoors! Nature lovers will rejoice with epic wildflower blooms and countless wildlife sightings, waterfalls, and for the mountain climbers a hike to the 14,441-foot summit. Here you can find my favorite views in the entire National Park System at Tipsoo Lake.
Grand Teton National Park - The Tetons is a great place to bring a camera and photograph the picturesque Teton Mountain Range! These snow-capped mountains delight visitors with some of the most popular day hikes anywhere! Did I mention that Moose and grizzly bear #399 is synonymous with the Tetons? Make sure to read my wildlife guide.
Check out all of the amazing Maine National Parks, Vermont National Parks, Massachusetts National Parks, and New York National Parks.
For an entire list of US National Parks head over to our list of US National Parks in Alphabetical Order. We also have a printable checklist of all 417 National Park properties in the United States available.
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