Coos: Discover Hiking Trails, Lakes and Culture

Coos combines expansive trails, lake landscapes, viewpoints and a multifaceted cultural history. For planning your trip, it is worth first deciding on your preferred pace: Would you like to explore long distances, observe water and wildlife, or combine experiences in nature with museums and events? You can then choose the right vacation rental based on the priorities that are important to you during your stay.

Hiking Trails and Special Landscapes

The OHRV trail system Ride the Wilds in Coos County has more than 1,000 miles of interconnected trails. At Jericho Mountain State Park, ATV, UTV, trail bike and snowmobile riders can ride on trails. Those who prefer to travel on foot will find a scenic gorge, waterfalls on two mountain streams, and hiking trails to Table Rock and into the surrounding mountains at Dixville Notch State Park.

A short, distinctive natural feature is Baby Flume. It is located less than 0.1 miles from a roadside parking area and drops 18 feet in three stages. For longer hiking ideas, the Cohos Trail is a good option: It runs from southern Crawford Notch through the Great North Woods to the Canadian border near Pittsburg. There are numerous opportunities for day hikes along the entire route. This allows you to plan your trip around individual hiking days without completing the entire long-distance trail.

Lakes, Rivers and Wildlife Observation

Coos offers several different options for days by the water. 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. Canoes and kayaks can be rented at Mollidgewock State Park. The Androscoggin River offers opportunities there for canoeing and kayaking for beginners and experienced paddlers. Androscoggin Wayside Park also provides access for fishing and canoeing.

Umbagog Lake State Park has remote campsites and cabins that are accessible exclusively by boat. Visitors can observe birds, deer and moose there. The Fourth Connecticut Lake Preserve protects an important boreal habitat; among other species, moose, beavers, waterfowl, spruce grouse and black-backed woodpeckers can be observed there. For a different kind of day in nature, Moose Brook State Park offers fishing opportunities on the Peabody River and Moose River, a swimming area fed by Moose Brook, and trails for hiking and mountain biking.

Views, Winter Trails and Regional History

The summit area of Weeks State Park opens up a 360-degree panorama of the Presidential Range, the Green Mountains, the Kilkenny Range, the Percy Peaks and the upper Connecticut River Valley. The observation tower at Milan Hill State Park offers views extending across mountain ranges in New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and Canada. The same state park has more than 9 miles of groomed cross-country ski trails.

Cultural history is also present in Coos. The Nansen Ski Jump was built from 1936 to 1938 by the City of Berlin and the National Youth Administration in cooperation with the Nansen Ski Club, and for many decades it hosted important ski jumping championships. The Berlin Falls House Museum Heritage Center displays artifacts and history about immigrants who settled in Berlin and the surrounding area, as well as William Wentworth Brown and the Brown Company. The Moffett House & Genealogy and Sports Museum covers Berlin's sports history, including the NH Hockey Legends Hall of Fame and the Nansen Ski Club.

Choosing a Vacation Rental Based on Your Travel Interests

When searching for a vacation rental in Coos, you can base your accommodation decision on the planned mix of hiking, water activities, wildlife observation and culture. Those who want to combine different day activities should check the distances and respective access conditions themselves before booking. For a nature-oriented trip with your own daily plans, the many different landscape and experience offerings provide a good foundation; those who appreciate regional history can additionally plan visits to museums, historic buildings and events. The Lancaster Farmers Market takes place on Saturdays from May through October and offers local produce, baked goods, cheese, eggs, milk and works by local artisans. Every fall, the City of Berlin also hosts the annual Riverfire Festival.

The Great North Woods Center for the Arts offers further insights into the area's history through concerts, theater performances, art exhibitions, educational programs, community events and cultural celebrations. Its history begins in 1789, when Hezekiah III and Margaret Parsons built a log cabin and a log barn on this property. The Maynesboro and Thompson Barns are the last surviving remnants of Brown Company Logging. As a scenic road connection, the Moose Path is a state-designated Scenic Byway that runs 98 miles from Berlin to Moose Alley in Pittsburg.

More Places to Search

For further trip planning, you can also view Gorham, Colebrook, Lancaster, Errol, Whitefield, Groveton, Berlin, Dixville Notch, Dummer, Carroll and Milan.

To the overview of destinations: New Hampshire.