Best of Great North Woods, NH

. The image depicts a scenic landscape from a high vantage point, showcasing a mountainous area with dense forest foliage in autumn colors. A winding road cuts through the mountains, and a lake or river is nestled within the valleys. The foreground includes rocky outcrops, suggesting the photo was taken from atop one of these formations.See latest trail reviews or download Map Pack

Map highlighting region within New Hampshire Beyond the White Mountains and below the Canadian border lies the Great North Woods, a remote landscape where the biggest industry is logging and popular pastimes include hunting, fishing, ATV riding and snowmobiling.

Here are some the region's best trails. We link to individual trail reviews with photography and smartphone route maps for easy navigation. Or scroll down to our free Map Pack for ALL our trail reviews in a single download for offline route finding.

Best Trails

A sweeping view from a high mountain vantage point reveals a vast wilderness of densely forested hills and distant ridges. The foreground features a steep, rocky slope dotted with coniferous trees, their dark green needles contrasting against the lighter tones of exposed stone. Beyond, layers of rolling terrain stretch into the horizon, each ridge fading into bluish haze. Sunlight filters through a partly cloudy sky, casting shifting patches of light and shadow across the landscape, emphasizing the elevation changes and natural contours. The scene evokes a sense of scale, solitude, and the quiet grandeur of untouched nature. 5★ Magalloway Mountain
Pittsburg • 2 mi • Moderate
Magalloway Mountain rises 3,383 feet through dense forest, offering one of the state's most remote summit experiences.
The image depicts a scenic landscape from a high vantage point, showcasing a mountainous area with dense forest foliage in autumn colors. A winding road cuts through the mountains, and a lake or river is nestled within the valleys. The foreground includes rocky outcrops, suggesting the photo was taken from atop one of these formations. 5★ Dixville Notch
Dixville • 2-5 mi • Moderate & Hard
A favorite NH hike featuring spectacular mountain & lake scenery, and for those who dare, the precipitous and notorious Table Rock.
The image shows a vibrant, natural scene of a fast-flowing river or stream with white, frothy water indicating rapid movement. The river cuts through a rocky landscape with various sizes of boulders in and around the water. Dense greenery with coniferous trees surrounds the river, suggesting a forested area, possibly in a mountainous region. Sunlight filtering through the trees adds to the dynamic quality of the scene. 4★ Falls In The River Trail
Pittsburg • 2-3 mi • Easy
Just off Route 3 Moose Alley, you'll find this raging Connecticut River waterfall at the end of a fun woodland hike.
The image shows a person riding an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) on a dirt path through a scenic natural landscape. The path is surrounded by green vegetation and leads towards a mountain in the distance under a clear blue sky with scattered clouds. 4★ Upper Coös Rail Trail
Colebrook to Beecher Falls • 10 mi • Moderate
The only rail trail in the Great North Woods is a scenic delight. Its location on the edge of the Connecticut River basin affords wide and spectacular river views with a distant mountain backdrop.
A tranquil forested wetland scene featuring tall, slender coniferous trees spaced evenly across the foreground and background. Through the trees, a calm body of water—likely a pond or marsh—reflects the surrounding greenery and a clear blue sky. The water’s surface is smooth, mirroring the vertical lines of the trees and the soft hues of the foliage. Sunlight filters through the canopy, casting dappled light on the lush undergrowth and enhancing the vibrant greens of the vegetation. 4★ Fourth Connecticut Lake
Pittsburg • 2 mi • Moderate
Hop the Canadian border without a passport to reach this remote lake.
A towering ski jump structure made of exposed metal beams rises from a grassy clearing surrounded by trees. The jump features a steep, narrow incline leading to a sharply curved launch ramp at the top, designed to propel skiers into the air. The entire structure is elevated on a skeletal framework, with visible supports and crossbars that emphasize its height and engineering. The surrounding terrain is natural, with green grass and leafy trees under a clear blue sky, suggesting a calm, sunny day. 4★ Nansen Ski Jump
Milan • 1 mi • Moderate
A short hike to the foot of a northern New Hampshire sporting legacy.
A tall, cylindrical stone fire tower stands on a rocky rise surrounded by trees. Its rugged exterior is built from irregularly shaped gray stones, giving it a weathered, historic look. Near the top, an octagonal red-roofed structure caps the tower, likely serving as the observation deck. Small arched windows punctuate the tower’s height, and a single doorway opens at the base. A stone bench sits beneath a nearby tree, offering a shaded resting spot for visitors. The sky is mostly clear with soft clouds, and the lighting suggests a bright, calm day—ideal for hiking or sightseeing. 4★ Mt Prospect Tower
Lancaster • 0-4 mi • Easy
Hike up or drive up to this crenelated stone observation tower in Weeks State Park.
Panoramic view from a rocky mountain outcrop overlooking forested hills and valleys under a bright sky with scattered cumulus clouds. In the foreground, a rusted cast-iron stove sits atop the rock surface, partially surrounded by low vegetation and evergreen trees such as spruce or fir. The distant landscape stretches across layered ridges, suggesting high elevation and remote wilderness. 4★ Sugarloaf Mountain
Stratford • 4 mi • Moderate
A steep hike rewards with breathtaking panoramas of Nash Stream Forest and endless ridgelines stretching to the horizon.

Trailspotting Map Pack
 MAP PACK:  NH Great North Woods
Download · Instructions

Map Packs provide a single smartphone download of all the region's trails, with trail reviews and route navigation. Free for personal use and even work when you're offline. We also like to using them as a 'todo' list - deleting each trail from our personal copy of the map as we visit each destination.

Categories

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• Difficulty  easy   moderate   hard 
• Mileage  0-3 miles   3-5 miles   5-7 miles   7-10 miles   10+ miles 
• 4+ Star Hikes      0-3 miles   3-5 miles   5-7 miles   7-10 miles   10+ miles 

Our To-Do List

Here are other trails that we haven't explored yet. Do you know of more to add to this list?
• Garfield Falls · 1 mi gain 170ft · AllTrails Public
• Little Hellgate Falls · 1 mi gain 130ft · AllTrails Public
• Moose Bog · 1.5 mi gain 40ft · AllTrails Public



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