Stewart M. Green - Scenic Driving New Hampshire: Exploring the States Most Spectacular Byways and Back Roads

Stewart M. Green, living in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is a free-lance writer and photographer for FalconGuides/Globe Pequot. Hes written over 30 travel and climbing books for Globe Pequot and other publications, including Scenic Driving Colorado, Scenic Driving Massachusetts, Scenic Driving California, KNACK Rock Climbing, Rock Climbing Colorado, Rock Climbing Europe, Rock Climbing Utah, Best Hikes Near Colorado Springs, Rock Climbing New England, Best Climbs Moab, Best Climbs Denver and Boulder, and Best Climbs Rocky Mountain National Park. Hes also a professional climbing guide with Front Range Climbing Company in Colorado and is the Climbing Expert at About.com. Visit him at green1109.wix.com/stewartmgreenphoto for more about his writing and photography.

An imprint of Rowman & Littlefield

Distributed by NATIONAL BOOK NETWORK

Copyright 2016 by Rowman and Littlefield

Photography by Stewart M. Green

Excerpted from Scenic Routes & Byways New England (Globe Pequot, 978-0-7627-7955-0)

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Available

ISBN 978-1-4930-2243-4 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-4930-2244-1 (e-book)

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISOZ39.48-1992.

New Hampshire offers travelers a spectacular assortment of natural and scenic wonders, historic sites, and varied recreational opportunities. Numerous state parks, forests, and recreation areas preserve slices of superlative landscapes. In addition to the parks, thousands of lakes and ponds and numerous rivers and brooks offer boating, swimming, canoeing, and angling choices for outdoor enthusiasts. The cities, towns, and villages, from the urban center of Manchester, to myriad tiny villages dotting the hills of New Hampshire, are filled with culture and steeped in history.

Scenic Driving New Hampshire, an indispensable mile-by-mile highway companion, explores and discovers the wonders of this compact region. The drives follow miles of highways and back roads, sampling the regions colorful history, beauty spots, hidden wonders, and scenic jewels. Drivers will wind through the valleys and hills of New Hampshire, marvel at classic villages set between mountains, pass rural birthplaces and burial sites of the notable and the notorious, and wander amid enchanting forests. Most of the drives leave the urban sprawl and interstate highways behind, setting off into the beautiful heart of the region.

New Hampshire is laced with highways and roads, some dating back to the earliest paths that once connected colonial settlements. Area natives will undoubtedly wonder why some roads are included and others omitted. These routes were chosen for their beauty, unique natural history, and historical implications. Omitted are worthy roads for one reason or another, but mostly due to the burgeoning development along those asphalt corridors in an amazing labyrinth of highway possibilities.

Use these described drives to win a new appreciation and understanding of this marvelous land. Take them as a starting point to embark on new adventures by seeking out other back-road gems among the rolling hills and historic towns of New Hampshire.

Travel Advice

Be prepared for changing weather when traveling these scenic highways, especially in winter when snow and ice encase the roadways. Most of the drives, except for bits and pieces, are paved two-lane highways that are regularly maintained. Services are available on almost all the drives, and every little village offers at least some basics during daylight hours. Use caution when driving. Many of the roads twist and wind through valleys and over mountains, with blind corners. Follow the posted speed limits and stay in your lane. Use occasional pullouts to allow faster traffic to safely pass. Watch for heavy traffic on some roads, particularly during summer vacation season and on fall-foliage weekends. Be extremely alert for animals crossing the asphalt. Take care at dusk, just after darkness falls, and in the early morning.

The regions fickle weather creates changeable and dangerous driving conditions. Make sure your windshield wipers are in good shape. Heavy rain can impair highway vision and cause your vehicle to hydroplane. Snow and ice slicken mountain highways. Slow down, carry chains and a shovel, and have spare clothes and a sleeping bag when traveling in winter. Watch for fog and poor visibility, particularly along the coastlines. Know your vehicle and its limits when traveling and, above all, use common sense.

Travelers are, unfortunately, potential crime victims. Use caution when driving in urban areas or popular tourist destinations. Keep all valuables, including wallets, purses, cameras, and video cameras, out of sight in a parked car. Better yet, take them with you when leaving the vehicle.

These drives cross a complex mosaic of private and public land. Respect private property rights by not trespassing or crossing fences.

Remember also that all archaeological and historic sites are protected by federal law. Campers should try to use established campgrounds or campsites whenever possible to avoid adverse environmental impacts. Remember to douse your campfires and to pack all your trash out with you to the nearest refuse container.

Every road we travel offers its own promise and special rewards. Remember Walt Whitmans poetic proclamation as you drive along these scenic highways: Afoot, light-hearted, I take to the open road. Healthy, free, the world before me.

General description: A 41-mile scenic route along the pastoral Connecticut River Valley between Claremont and Orford in western New Hampshire.

Special attractions: Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge, Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site, Connecticut River, Dartmouth College, Hood Museum of Art, Orford Street Historic District, Appalachian Trail, scenic views, fishing, hiking, nature study.

Location: Western New Hampshire.

Drive route numbers: NH 12A and 10.

Travel season: Year-round.

Camping: No campgrounds along the drive. Nearby campgrounds in Vermont include Mount Ascutney State Park (39 campsites and 10 lean-to sites) northwest of Ascutney (VT) and Quechee Gorge State Park (45 campsites and 7 lean-to sites) just west of White River Junction and Lebanon.