New Hampshire Granite State Ambassadors
Regional Resource & Referral Guide:
Dartmouth / Lake Sunapee Region
Use this document filled with local referrals from Granite State Ambassadors & State Welcome Center attendants as an informational starting point for guest referrals. For business referrals, please reference your local brochures & guides.
Hidden Gems | Covered Bridges | Swimming Holes | Places to Paddle | Hike or Nature Walks | Bike Trails | Picnic Areas | Historical Sites | Other Favorites | Information Resources
Hidden Gems:
Grafton Pond, Grafton Pond Rd, Grafton – 319 acre pond and accompanying reservation, abundant wildlife, including loons; no motor boats, no road noise, and very little shore development. Kayaking and canoeing allowed. Hiking trails. https://forestsociety.org/property/grafton-pond-reservation
La Salette Shrine Light Display, 410 NH 4A, Enfield – 20-acre hillside display with tens of thousands multicolored Christmas lights, Thanksgiving to Christmas. Worship services held all year. Free. http://www.lasaletteofenfield.org/
Maxfield Parrish Stage Backdrop, Plainfield Town Hall, NH 12°, Plainfield – Painted by Parrish in 1916. Call the town hall for viewing times: (603) 469-3201. https://www.crjc.org/heritage/N09-2.htm
View of Grantham Mountain, I-89 Northbound, Springfield – Grantham Mountain remains barren of vegetation at the top where in 1953 a long lasting fire raged for many days. The exposed soil quickly eroded away, exposing the gray ledges of granite underneath. Good view from back door of Springfield Welcome Center.
Covered Bridges:
– For complete descriptions and map visit https://www.nh.gov/nhdhr/bridges/table.html
Blacksmith Shop Bridge (aka Kenyon Hill Bridge), Town House Road, Cornish – 2 miles east of NH 12. Bridge is 91’ long, built in 1881, and listed on National Register of Historic Places. The bridge was used by only one family. It is now limited to foot traffic only.
Blow Me Down Bridge, Mill Road, Squag City, Cornish – south of NH 12A, 1½ mile southwest of Plainfield Village. Bridge is 86’ long, built in 1877, and listed on National Register of Historic Places. The bridge spans a deep gorge on the Blow-Me-Down Brook.
Brundage Bridge, Off Mill Brook, East Grafton – built in 1957 on private property, but open to foot traffic.pedestrians only, private property. Not registered in the State of New Hampshire’s directory of covered bridges.
Cilleyville Bridge (aka Bog Bridge), Junction of NH 11 and 4A, Andover. Bridge is 53’ long, built in 1887, and listed on National Register of Historic Places. The bridge was the model for the Shattuck murals of typical New Hampshire scenes which were once located in the State House in Concord. The bridge fell into disrepair and was completely rehabilitated with the help of private funds in 2003. It is restricted to foot traffic only.
Corbin, North Newport Road, Newport – west of NH 10, 2 miles north of Newport Village. Bridge is 96’ long, built in 1845, destroyed by fire in 1993, and rebuilt in 1994.
Cornish-Windsor Bridge, Cornish Toll Bridge Road, Cornish – west of NH 12A, 5 miles south of Plainfield. Bridge is 450’ long, built in 1866, and listed on National Register of Historic Places. It is the longest wooden covered bridge still in use in the United States, connecting Cornish NH and Windsor VT over the Connecticut River. It is also the longest two-span covered bridge in the world. It was a toll bridge until 1943. It was also designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1970 by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Dingleton Hill Bridge, Root Hill Road, Cornish – 1 mile East of NH 12A. Bridge is 78’ long, built in 1882, and listed on National Register of Historic Places. Bridge was assembled in a school yard and then brought to the current site. Only passenger cars are allowed.
Edgell Bridge, River Road, Lyme – 1 mile south of NH 10, 2 miles south of Orford Village. Bridge is 132’ long and built in 1885. The bridge was built on the town common by 18-year-old Walter Piper and moved to its location by oxcart.
Keniston Bridge, Lorden Road, Andover – south of US 4, 1 mile west of Andover Village. Bridge is 65’ long, built in 1882, and listed on National Register of Historic Places. During its repairs in 1981, the bridge was lifted by two cranes and moved to a spot just above the water line. It had to be relocated quickly before heavy rains could wash it away.
Meriden Bridge (aka Mill Bridge), Colby Hill Road, Plainfield – 1 mile northwest of NH 120 in Meriden Village. Bridge is 80’ long, built in 1880, and listed on National Register of Historic Places.
Packard Hill Bridge, Riverside Drive, Lebanon – over the Mascoma River. Bridge is 76’ long, built in 1991, and has a sidewalk on one side of the bridge. The bridge was constructed to replicate the traditional style of covered bridges.
Pier Bridge (aka Chandler Station RR Bridge), Chandler’s Mill Road, Newport – east of Chandler Station and west of NH 103. Bridge is 217’ long, built in 1907, and listed on National Register of Historic Places. The bridge, which was built by the Boston and Maine Railroad, was on the Concord and Claremont Railroad Line which has been abandoned. It is now part of a rail trail.
Wright’s Bridge, Old Croydon Road, Newport – 2 miles south of NH 103 and ½ mile west of Chandler Station. Bridge is 124’ long, built in 1906, and listed on National Register of Historic Places. The bridge, which was built by the Boston and Maine Railroad, was on the Concord and Claremont Railroad Line which has been abandoned. It is now part of a rail trail and is best viewed from the trail.
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Pollard Mills, Pollard Mills Rd., Newport – historic site with waterfalls. https://www.newportnh.gov/parks-recreation/pages/pollard-mills-falls-historic-site
Sunapee State Beach, 86 Beach Access Rd., Newbury – Part of Mt. Sunapee State Park, boating, hiking, picnicking, camping. https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/mt-sunapee-state-park
Places to Paddle:
Connecticut River – numerous places to put in for paddling. http://www.connecticutriverpaddlerstrail.org/
Wadleigh State Park, 78 Wadleigh State Park, Sutton – kayaking, swimming, picnicking, hiking. https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/wadleigh-state-park
Sunapee State Beach, 86 Beach Access Rd., Newbury – See Swimming Holes above.
Hike or Nature Walk:
Clark Lookout, I-89 Exit 12 Park-n-Ride, NH 103, New London – private road leads to trail. Spectacular scenic ovelook on the north end of Sunapee, easy hike. http://www.nl-nhcc.com/trails/clark_lookout_2.htm
Mt. Sunapee, 1398 NH Route 103, Newbury – Hikes ranging from 2 miles to 6.5 miles with multiple opportunities to add distance by exploring various trails from the summit or by visiting Lake Solitude. https://www.mountsunapee.com/summer/hiking/
Ragged Mountain, 620 Ragged Mountain Rd., Danbury – ski area hiking in summer. https://raggedmountainresort.com/
Rollins State Park, 1066 Kearsarge Mt. Rd., Warner – state park with hiking, picnicking, scenic auto route, trail to summit of Mt. Kearsarge. https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/rollins-state-park
Sugar River Recreational Trail, Belknap Avenue, Newport – western terminus at intersection of NH Routes 11 and 103. 9 mile trail between Newport and Claremont, includes 2 covered bridges. https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/recreational-rail-trails/sugar-river-recreational-rail-trail
Wadleigh State Park, 78 Wadleigh State Park, Sutton – See Places to Paddle above.
Whale Back Mountain, 160 Whaleback Mountain Rd., Enfield – Ski area open to hikers in the summer. https://www.whaleback.com/
Winslow State Park, 475 Kearsarge Mountain Rd., Wilmot – Northwest slope of Mt. Kearsarge, excellent views. https://www.whaleback.com/
Sunapee Ragged Kearsarge Greenway – a 75 mile loop of hiking trails throughout region. http://www.srkg.com/
The Fells and the Hay Forest Reservation, 456 NH Route 103a, Newbury – Nature walks and easy trails. See Historical Sites below.
Cardigan Mountain State Park, 658 Cardigan Mountain Rd., Orange – mountain road leads to trails on the western slope, and a trail to the summit. https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/cardigan-mountain-state-park.aspx
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Northern Recreational Rail Trail, Lebanon to Boscawen 59.3 miles
Highlights: spans 2 counties, exceptional surface, farm lands, lakes & quaint towns, Mascoma Lake, Enfield Depot, Potter Place Depot, Highland Lake, covered bridge
https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/recreational-rail-trails/northern-recreational-rail-trail
Sugar River Recreational Rail Trail, Newport to Claremont 9.5 miles
Highlights: 2 covered bridges, Sugar River
https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/recreational-rail-trails/sugar-river-recreational-rail-trail
Explore these and more at the NH Rail Trails Coalition
- Concord-Lake Sunapee Rail Trail (Concord to Newbury) 35 miles — Still in planning phase. Completed segments:
- Stevens Rail Trail (Warner to Hopkinton) 1.3 miles
- Tilly-Wheeler Rail Trail and Lower Lake Todd segment (Bradford) 1 mile
- Warner Rail Trail (Warner) 1 mile
- Fischerville Rd to Carter Hill Rd segment (Concord) 2.5 miles
- Mascoma River Greenway (Lebanon) 3 miles
- Northern Rail Trail (Boscawen to Lebanon) 58 miles
- Sugar River Rail Trail (Newport to Claremont) 9.5 miles — Additional segment:
- Bobby Woodman Rail Trail (Claremont) 1.7 miles
Picnic Area Favorites:
See state parks listed above in hiking and swimming
Dartmouth College, Hanover – 9th oldest college in America, and one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Includes Hood Museum of Art. See Other Favorites below. https://home.dartmouth.edu/
Enfield Shaker Museum, 447 Route 4A, Enfield – Shaker museum, buildings, gardens. https://www.shakermuseum.org/about/
The Fells, 456 NH Route 103°, Newbury – Historic home and gardens of diplomat John Milton Hay, nature walks and easy trails. https://thefells.org/
Fort at No. 4, 267 Springfield Road, Charlestown – Colonial fortification and village. http://www.fortat4.org/
New London Historical Society Village, Little Sunapee Rd., New London – 16 restored or reproduced buildings from the 19th century. http://www.newlondonhistoricalsociety.org/historical-village.html
Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, 139 Saint-Gaudens Rd., Cornish – home, gardens, and studios of one of America’s foremost sculptors. https://sgnhs.org/visiting/
Muster Field Farm Museum, Harvey Rd., North Sutton – 18th century historic homestead, restored farm buildings and working farm. Want to preserve and promote traditions of NH farming. http://www.musterfieldfarm.com/
Visit our GSA Dartmouth/Sunapee Museum and Heritage Site List
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Mount Sunapee Adventure Park, 1398 Route 103, Newbury – Aerial Challenge Course, Mini Golf, Disc Golf, Aerial Sky Rides, the Mining Sluice, the Climbing Wall, Bike Park and more. https://www.mountsunapee.com/
Cruise Lake Sunapee, several different cruise companies, often from Sunapee Harbor.
Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum, 18 Highlawn Rd., Warner – The museum is also an Education and Cultural Center, is dedicated to connecting people of today with 20,000 years of ongoing Native American cultural expression. Many special events. https://www.indianmuseum.org/main.htm
Hood Museum, Dartmouth, 6 East Wheelock Street, Hanover – One of the oldest college museums in the country, with an outstanding collection of art and artifacts. hood.museum@dartmouth.edu
Mt. Sunapee Craft Fair, 1398 Route 103, Newbury – One of the oldest juried craft fairs in the country, held annually in early August for 9 days. Something for everyone from over 300 juried crafts people. Many craft-making demonstrations by artisans. https://www.nhcrafts.org/annual-craftsmens-fair/
NH Telephone Museum, One Depot Street, Warner – over 1000 artifacts give a great history of telecommunications. https://www.nhtelephonemuseum.org/
LOCAL INFORMATION RESOURCES AND WELCOME CENTERS TO SEND GUESTS TO WHEN THEY ARRIVE IN THAT AREA:
Upper Valley Business Alliance, 377 N Main Street, West Lebanon
603-448-1203 or www.
Kearsarge Area Chamber of Commerce (gap between Sunapee & Concord), Warner NH www.kearsargechamber.org
Lake Sunapee Region Chamber of Commerce, 38 Main St.., New London
(603) 526-6575 or www.LakeSunapeeRegionChamber.com
Newport Chamber of Commerce, 2 N. Main St., Newport
(603) 863-1510 or www.newportnhchamber.org/
NH State Welcome Centers
Springfield, Northbound I-89
Sutton, Southbound I-89
May 28, 2020