Errol

This historic bridge over the Androscoggin River is a beloved local spot for swimming and cliff jumping. The water runs clear and deep here, and locals have been coming to this secluded swimming hole for generations. You can hear the gentle rush of the river and feel the cool mountain air. It's tucked away on Route 16, so most tourists drive right past without noticing.

This 5,300-acre community forest along the Androscoggin River offers some of the most dramatic fall foliage viewing in northern New Hampshire, but remains largely unknown to leaf peepers. The drive along Route 16 through mature hardwood and softwood forests provides intimate glimpses of the river and countless unmarked pulloffs where locals stop to watch moose at dawn and dusk. The forest whispers with old growth character that you won't find in the crowded state parks.

A wheelchair-accessible third-of-a-mile trail through boreal forest to a wooden observation platform overlooking the quiet backwaters of the Magalloway River. This is prime moose-watching territory - locals come here at dawn when mist rises off the water and the forest is absolutely silent except for loons calling across the wetlands. The platform was built as a memorial to a local conservationist who loved this hidden corner of the refuge.

A pristine 276-acre spring-fed pond that drains into Clear Stream, offering some of the clearest cold-water fishing and swimming in the region. The sandy shoreline and boat launch make it perfect for a quiet afternoon of rainbow trout fishing or a peaceful paddle. Unlike the crowded state parks, you might have the entire pond to yourself, with only the sound of loons and the occasional beaver slapping its tail.