New Hampshire › Grafton County

White Mountain National Forest

Discovery Trail Emergency Closure

This Order closes the Forest Discover Trail for public health and safety while the trail is repaired. You are prohibited from being on any part of the 1.5 mile Forest Discovery Trail. See Exhibit A - Map below for the location of the trail.

Rattlesnake Fire – Pemigewasset Ranger District

Rattlesnake Fire Final Update: Crews continue fire line rehab in the area. Buffalo Pit and Rattlesnake parking areas, along with Rattlesnake Trail off Buffalo Road, will be reopened by end today (Aug 26).

Town Hall Road Camping and Fire Restrictions

Camping and campfires are restricted along Slippery Brook Road (Forest Road 17) and East Branch Road (Forest Road 38), which together form a 7‑mile road system collectively known as Town Hall Road. Camping within ¼ mile of these roads is only allowed at designated campsites marked with a tent…

Lincoln Woods Trail Closure

UPDATE: Lincoln Woods Trail will close beginning June 15th through November 2026 when when restoration work commences. See the Lincoln Woods Trailhead page for more information.

Pemigewasset Wilderness Food Storage Requirement

Effective May 1st, 2026, all overnight campers in the Pemigewasset Wilderness must store all food, food containers, scented items (such as soap, lip balm, and toothpaste) and refuse in a cylindrical, hard-sided, non-pliable Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) certified bear resistant…

Forest Supervisor's Orders

The Forest Supervisor may issue Special Orders and Closures that will close or restrict the use of certain areas if the need arises. Emergency closure orders will be posted as an Alert so visitors to the Forest can reasonably be expected to be familiar with them.R9-22-19-01 - Use of Manned and…

Forest Roads Status

Seasonal road closures are common on the White Mountain National Forest. The U.S. Forest Service closes roads seasonally for many reasons. Some roads are closed because they are not passable due to snow, snow drifts and ice or to protect the road bed. Closed areas are open to foot traffic unless…

Sawyer River Road Temporarily Closed

If you’re planning to recreate in the Mt. Carrigan or Sawyer Pond area you should be aware Sawyer River Road in Bartlett, NH is closed to all vehicle access due to storm damage. A heavy rain event in December 2023 washed out a portion of the road making it impassable to vehicles. Foot travel…

Basin Campground

From Recreation.gov

Due to continued construction projects at the campground, we regret to inform you that opening day has been delayed. We hope to open in June of this year. Cold River Campground & Hastings Campground will be open as of May 22nd and can be reserved on Recreation.gov. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding.

Overview

White Mountain National Forest spans approximately 800,000 acres across New Hampshire and western Maine, encompassing some of New England's highest peaks and over 1,200 miles of trails including 100+ miles of the Appalachian Trail. The forest is currently open year-round with winter conditions now in effect. Key alerts include: abnormally dry conditions persist; fire restrictions implemented September 22, 2025 due to drought prohibit fires outside designated metal fire rings at developed sites; Hayes Copp Ski Trail is closed for timber harvest operations through November 24, 2025; Sawyer River Road in Bartlett remains closed due to storm damage; and seasonal road closures are active for winter. Multiple Forest Supervisor's Orders remain in effect including wilderness restrictions, food storage requirements, alpine zone camping prohibitions, and various trail-specific regulations. The forest offers 21+ developed campgrounds, extensive hiking from easy walks to above-treeline challenges, and popular scenic drives including the Kancamagus Highway. Visitor passes or permits may be required for certain areas. Contact: (603) 536-6100.

Notify on Availability Official Website

Campgrounds

Baldface Shelter Barnes Field Campground Basin Campground Beaver Brook Shelter Big Rock Black Mountain Cabin Blackberry Crossing Campground Camp Penacook Shelter Campton Campground Cold River Coppermine Shelter Covered Bridge Crocker Pond Dolly Copp Dolly Copp Picnic Pavilion Doublehead Cabin Dry River Shelter # 3 Eliza Brook Shelter Ethan Pond Shelter Flat Mtn Pond Shelter Fourth Iron Tent Site Franconia Brook Campsites GENTIAN POND SHELTER Garfield Ridge Shelter Guyot Shelter Hancock Campground Hastings Campground Hermit Lake Complex

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