Camping in the Great North Woods
If you’ve ever looked at a map of New Hampshire, you’ll notice the way the shape resembles a tall, narrow triangle. Just as in a triangle, the top of the state tapers, as if forming a chimney. It’s that narrowed taper, that chimney, that we refer to as “the Great North Woods,” or, more simply, "the North Country.” Located north of the state’s highest peak, Mount Washington, and north of the notches (Crawford and Franconia), the North Country is a more sparsely populated region of the state—but it’s definitely one of the most beautiful. Just a few more miles north, you’ll find yourself at the Canadian border.
G and I had never really explored this area; our travels north typically ended in the White Mountains (here’s a handy-dandy reference to our state’s regions). So when we decided to book a camping weekend “up north,” we weren’t sure what to expect…though I was really hoping to spot a moose. First up: the drive north, about three hours from our home.
I had really high hopes for Lake Francis State Park. We had booked a waterfront site (#13), and while the view was beautiful, it lacked the seclusion we crave. There was no natural separation between our site and the one next to us, and, unfortunately, no respite from the winds that weekend. Usually, we’re able to tuck the van among the trees and use our sites to shield us from the elements, whether wind, rain, or even harsh sun. No such luck here. However, this may only be true for the waterfront sites; we didn’t explore the others. Still, the view was a great one, no doubt about it.
We had fantastic—though windy—weather that first day, but when we woke to gray skies the next day, we contemplated staying or going. We know ourselves well enough to know what we enjoy, and we’re far more likely these days to pick up and go rather than settle for less than (our) ideal weather. Having the van makes that decision SO much easier—we close the top, stow stuff away, and put the van in drive. We figured we’d take a drive, explore the area, and camp that second night at another new-to-us park in the North Country, Mollidgewock State Park. Along the way, we’d look for places to stop and explore and, if we were lucky, spot a moose. Alas, we did not. However, we did make time for a stop at a gorgeous waterfall, Beaver Brook Falls Wayside in Colebrook, NH. We also found ourselves at the 45th parallel; according to the signpost (which I, of course, had to stop and photograph!):
At this point you stand on the 45th parallel halfway between the Equator and the North Pole. At this point you stand also at longitude 71°24’ West from Greenwich, England. A line from this point through the center of the earth would emerge in the Indian Ocean 982 miles southwest of Perth, Australia.
Next stop: Mollidgewock State Park. The park had just opened for the season, and we were one of only a few visitors this weekend. Like so much of the state (and its residents—ourselves included!), the park was just coming out of hibernation. Staff were still in cleanup mode, with sites being prepped for the upcoming season. The lone staffer welcomed us to drive around and pick whatever site we wanted and to just circle back and let him know which one we settled on. We picked site 19, and it was absolutely fantastic—maybe even in the top five or 10! The site had everything we look for: water views of the Androscoggin River, lots of trees and, more importantly, what I call “hammock trees,” and quiet. And between sunset and a rainstorm, we were treated to a magnificent pink and purple sky.
Our jaunt up north allowed us to explore two parks we hadn’t yet been to. And as I was documenting the weekend with my iPhone, I was also capturing video clips, something I don’t always do, but something I want to do more of going forward. For me, there’s often a tension between living in the moment and trying to capture it all through a lens. Sometimes, I want to just be. Still, there’s something to be said of the images and clips that, months or even years later, can take me right back to the sights and sounds. I’ve captured them.