The White Mountain National Forest: A Close Look at Our Recreation Jewel

By Mark Okrant

On July 1, 1905, the U.S. Forest Service was established within the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Before long, rangers were hired and assigned the enormous task of mapping lands, providing trail access, and protecting forests from wildfire as well as game poachers, trespassers, and other exploiters. With the passage of the Weeks Act of 1911, the agency focused on connecting people to nature by working closely with state forestry and fire prevention associations.

The mission of the USFS is to nourish the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands, while meeting the needs of present and future generations. This effort at “sustainability” was years ahead of its time.

The White Mountain National Forest was established in 1914, with 7,000 acres purchased for thirteen dollars an acre. Today, the area has expanded to over 800,000 acres within New Hampshire and western Maine. Owing to its establishment, lands that once were razed and blackened are now vibrant and healthy.

The White Mountains themselves have a long history and contain twenty-one prehistoric Native American sites, including villages, camps, quarries, hunting grounds, trails, and spiritual places—some that date back 10,000 years. Today, they are protected by federal laws.

Exploration of the White Mountains by Europeans began in the mid-17th century. In the late 18th century, after the Revolutionary War, settlers cleared forests for planting and grazing. This soon led to the establishment of farming communities with schools, stores, and mills. When more cultivable land became available in the Midwest during the mid- to late-19th century, many of those farms and entire communities were abandoned.

With the departure of agricultural interests, large logging companies soon bought up the abandoned farmland and woodlots, constructing logging railroads and camps. Before long, they began stripping much of the timber from the mountains. The unregulated practices of these logging companies caused massive forest fires, and damaged watersheds vital to the towns situated downstream. The public began to advocate for protection of White Mountains lands. It was the persistence of eminent seasonal visitors that eventually led to passage of the Weeks Act, and creation of the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF).

Current visitors to the WMNF will find traces of the past throughout the region, including cellar holes and stone walls, logging camps, railroad tracks and bridges, and mill dams. Similar to Native American artifacts, those remains are protected by law.

Recreation activity in the White Mountains actually dates back to early in the nineteenth century. What began as trail and shelter developments evolved into elaborate summer resorts and grand hotels. Winters became a popular time for recreation, including some of the earliest alpine ski areas in the country.

Today, more than 70 million people live within a day’s drive of the White Mountain National Forest. Owing to its size and convenient location, this forested and mountainous region is a popular destination for substantial numbers of urban visitors and locals alike. With some of the best recreation opportunities in the northeast, the White Mountain National Forest is a popular vacation destination. Hikers and backpackers test their endurance on trips between granite mountain peaks, while traversing scenic rivers, streams, and waterfalls. A number of visitors prefer to visit the region on day trips, as there is an abundance of great trails accessible from roadways. Others choose the famous mountain huts, wherein rustic but comfortable sleeping accommodations, as well as a warm meal, are available. With the Appalachian Trail passing through the WMNF, the hut system is operated by the Appalachian Mountain Club. For those who require a more upscale experience, there are numerous large resort properties, including two “grand” hotels— the Omni Mount Washington and the Mountain View Grand.

Visitors are exposed to one of the nation’s few mixed forests—with nearly equal numbers of broadleaf and needleleaf trees. At lower elevations one will find a mixture of hardwood trees, such as maple and birch; but by moving to higher elevations, conifers like hemlock, pines, and spruce predominate. The White Mountains region is home to rugged terrain, including some of the highest peaks in New England. Above the tree line, heath and stunted evergreen forests are found.

During the fall, “leaf peepers” arrive from all over the nation and internationally. Upon arrival, some of these people prefer to drive or take tour buses, stopping along the roads to view the stunning scenery. Others mix a series of hikes with their sight- seeing. The region’s popularity is easy to understand, as the WMNF offers a blend of bright colored leaves and green conifers, amidst a backdrop of rugged glacially-shaped landforms.

During a typical year, New Hampshire attracts in excess of fifteen million overnight visitors, in addition to millions more day trippers. Not surprisingly, summer is the leading visitation season with thirty percent of annual visitors. Some may be startled to learn that fall—owing to the short, but universally popular leaf season—ranks second, with twenty-six percent of visitors. Meanwhile, winter ranks last in attracting travelers into the state, despite hosting a great variety of recreation opportunities from alpine and Nordic skiing, to ice skating, to snowshoeing, to hiking and ice climbing.

Among current visitors to the WMNF, revenue from various forms of outdoor recreation and sightseeing is important to the state’s economy. Leading forms of visitor spending are accommodation rentals and purchases of food (restaurants, grocery stores, etc.) and retail items that include clothing and equipment. Recreation fees and other forms of entertainment engender much spending as well.

For more than one and on-half centuries, the White Mountains region has been a magnet for attracting visitors. Since the establishment of the White Mountain National Forest in 1914, this amazing resource has been planned and protected to serve the recreation needs of residents as well as visitors. As long as the federal government continues to work closely with state and local agencies, the WMNF will be available for future generations.