List of New Hampshire state forests facts for kids
New Hampshire is home to many amazing natural areas called State forests. These special places are like big outdoor classrooms and playgrounds, managed by the New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands. They help protect nature, provide homes for animals, and offer fun activities for people like hiking, exploring, and learning about trees.
What are State Forests?
State forests are large areas of land that the state of New Hampshire owns and takes care of. They are different from national forests or state parks because their main goal is often to manage trees for wood, protect water sources, and keep wildlife safe. But they also offer lots of opportunities for you to enjoy nature!
These forests are important for many reasons:
- Protecting Nature: They help keep our air and water clean.
- Wildlife Homes: Many different animals, from deer to birds, live safely in these forests.
- Outdoor Fun: You can go hiking, birdwatching, or just enjoy a quiet walk in nature.
- Learning: They are great places to learn about trees, plants, and how forests grow.
Exploring New Hampshire's State Forests
New Hampshire has many state forests spread all across the state. Some are small, like a few acres, while others are huge, covering thousands of acres! Each forest has its own unique features and things to explore. For example, Nash Stream Forest is one of the largest, offering vast wilderness, while others might be closer to towns and easier to visit for a quick outdoor adventure.
The table below lists many of the state forests in New Hampshire. It shows their names, where they are located, and how big they are. You can see just how much land is protected for everyone to enjoy!
| Park name | Location (of main entrance) |
Area |
|---|---|---|
| Abbott State Forest | Concord | 35 acres (14 ha) |
| Agnew State Forest | Jefferson | 109 acres (44 ha) |
| Allen State Forest | Concord | 30 acres (12 ha) |
| Alton Bay State Forest | Alton | 210 acres (85 ha) |
| Ames State Forest | Henniker | 13 acres (5.3 ha) |
| Ammonoosuc State Forest | Stark | 8 acres (3.2 ha) |
| Annett State Forest | Rindge | 1,336 acres (541 ha) |
| Annie Duncan State Forest | Plainfield | 113 acres (46 ha) |
| Ashenden State Forest | Warner | 168 acres (68 ha) |
| Ayers State Forest | Canterbury | 50 acres (20 ha) |
| Ballard State Forest | Derry | 71 acres (29 ha) |
| Bear Mountain State Forest | Hinsdale | 156 acres (63 ha) |
| Belknap Mountain State Forest | Gilford | 1,321 acres (535 ha) |
| Benton State Forest | Benton | 440 acres (180 ha) |
| Big Island State Forest | Wentworth Location | 284 acres (115 ha) |
| Black Mountain State Forest | Haverhill | 729 acres (295 ha) |
| Blair State Forest | Campton | 112 acres (45 ha) |
| Blue Job State Forest | Farmington | 284 acres (115 ha) |
| Bowditch-Runnells State Forest | Tamworth | 133 acres (54 ha) |
| Cape Horn State Forest | Northumberland | 2,175 acres (880 ha) |
| Carroll State Forest | Warner | 29 acres (12 ha) |
| Casalis State Forest | Peterborough | 228 acres (92 ha) |
| Chemung State Forest | Meredith | 385 acres (156 ha) |
| Cilley State Forest | Concord | 166 acres (67 ha) |
| Connecticut Lakes State Forest | Pittsburg | 1,648 acres (667 ha) |
| Connecticut River State Forest | Charlestown | 216 acres (87 ha) |
| Contoocook State Forest | Hopkinton | 30 acres (12 ha) |
| Conway Common Lands State Forest | Conway | 569 acres (230 ha) |
| Cowden State Forest | South Hampton | 18 acres (7.3 ha) |
| Craney Hill State Forest | Henniker | 21 acres (8.5 ha) |
| Cushman State Forest | Bethlehem | 28 acres (11 ha) |
| Davisville State Forest | Warner | 18 acres (7.3 ha) |
| Davis-White State Forest | Warren | 35 acres (14 ha) |
| Devils Slide State Forest | Stark | 290 acres (120 ha) |
| District Number 5 State Forest | Concord | 88 acres (36 ha) |
| Dodge Brook State Forest | Lempster | 222 acres (90 ha) |
| Eaton State Forest | East Kingston | 42 acres (17 ha) |
| Fall Mountain State Forest | Charlestown | 943 acres (382 ha) |
| Fay State Forest | Lincoln | 203 acres (82 ha) |
| Feuer State Forest | Marlow | 68 acres (28 ha) |
| Foster and Colburn State Forest | Wentworth | 240 acres (97 ha) |
| Fox State Forest | Hillsborough | 1,445 acres (585 ha) |
| George Duncan State Forest | New Hampton | 110 acres (45 ha) |
| Gile State Forest | Springfield | 6,675 acres (2,701 ha) |
| Gilmore State Forest | Warner | 37 acres (15 ha) |
| Goodwin-Chandler State Forest | Hopkinton | 24 acres (9.7 ha) |
| Grant State Forest | Fitzwilliam | 8 acres (3.2 ha) |
| Green Mountain State Forest | Effingham | 15 acres (6.1 ha) |
| Hamel State Forest | Laconia | 41 acres (17 ha) |
| Harriman-Chandler State Forest | Warner | 395 acres (160 ha) |
| Haven State Forest | Jaffrey | 95 acres (38 ha) |
| Hemenway State Forest | Tamworth | 2,106 acres (852 ha) |
| Hodgman State Forest | Amherst | 18 acres (7.3 ha) |
| Honey Brook State Forest | Marlow | 975 acres (395 ha) |
| Hubbard Hill State Forest | Charlestown | 759 acres (307 ha) |
| Huston-Morgan State Forest | Laconia | 156 acres (63 ha) |
| Hyland Hill State Forest | Westmoreland | 18 acres (7.3 ha) |
| Kearsarge Mountain State Forest | Warner | 4,965 acres (2,009 ha) |
| Lang Station State Forest | New Boston | 226 acres (91 ha) |
| Lead Mine State Forest | Shelburne | 202 acres (82 ha) |
| Leighton State Forest | Dublin | 117 acres (47 ha) |
| Litchfield State Forest | Litchfield | 347 acres (140 ha) |
| Little Pine River State Forest | Ossipee | 68 acres (28 ha) |
| Livermore Falls State Forest | Campton | 174 acres (70 ha) |
| Lord Pines State Forest | Ossipee | 12 acres (4.9 ha) |
| Lovewell Mountain State Forest | Washington | 478 acres (193 ha) |
| Low State Forest | Hillsborough | 1,666 acres (674 ha) |
| Marshall State Forest | New Ipswich | 19 acres (7.7 ha) |
| Mascoma State Forest | Canaan | 216 acres (87 ha) |
| Mast Yard State Forest | Hopkinton | 644 acres (261 ha) |
| Max Israel State Forest | Washington | 628 acres (254 ha) |
| Meadow Pond State Forest | Gilmanton | 69 acres (28 ha) |
| Merrimack River State Forest | Boscawen | 570 acres (230 ha) |
| Merriman State Forest | Bartlett | 515 acres (208 ha) |
| Mount Major State Forest | Alton | 750 acres (300 ha) |
| Nash Stream Forest | Odell | 39,619 acres (16,033 ha) |
| Nottingham State Forest | Nottingham | 14 acres (5.7 ha) |
| Opechee Bay State Forest | Laconia | 48 acres (19 ha) |
| Page State Forest | Gilmanton | 4 acres (1.6 ha) |
| Page's Corner State Forest | Bow | 86 acres (35 ha) |
| Paugus Bay State Forest | Laconia | 242 acres (98 ha) |
| Percy State Forest | Stark | 77 acres (31 ha) |
| Pine River State Forest | Effingham | 3,189 acres (1,291 ha) |
| Piscataquog State Forest | Weare | 160 acres (65 ha) |
| Powwow River State Forest | South Hampton | 50 acres (20 ha) |
| Prescott State Forest | Laconia | 116 acres (47 ha) |
| Province Road State Forest | Dorchester | 1,072 acres (434 ha) |
| Ragged Mountain State Forest | Andover | 76 acres (31 ha) |
| Reed's Ferry State Forest | Bedford | 122 acres (49 ha) |
| Rock Rimmon State Forest | Kingston | 47 acres (19 ha) |
| Russell State Forest | Mason | 25 acres (10 ha) |
| Russell-Abbott State Forest | Wilton | 887 acres (359 ha) |
| Russell-Shea State Forest | Concord | 125 acres (51 ha) |
| Saltmarsh Pond State Forest | Gilford | 73 acres (30 ha) |
| Sanborn State Forest | Gilmanton | 51 acres (21 ha) |
| Scribner-Fellows State Forest | Ashland | 142 acres (57 ha) |
| Second Presidential State Forest | Lincoln | 1,160 acres (470 ha) |
| Sentinel Mountain State Forest | Piermont | 235 acres (95 ha) |
| Shadow Hill State Forest | Sutton | 34 acres (14 ha) |
| Shaker State Forest | Canterbury | 226 acres (91 ha) |
| Shieling Forest | Peterborough | 48 acres (19 ha) |
| Sky Pond State Forest | New Hampton | 127 acres (51 ha) |
| Soucook River State Forest | Loudon | 50 acres (20 ha) |
| Southeast State Forest | Nottingham | 4 acres (1.6 ha) |
| State Forest Nursery | Boscawen | 887 acres (359 ha) |
| Stevens Pines State Forest | Nottingham | 4 acres (1.6 ha) |
| Strawberry Hill State Forest | Bethlehem | 53 acres (21 ha) |
| Sugar Hill State Forest | Bristol | 684 acres (277 ha) |
| Swain State Forest | Laconia | 106 acres (43 ha) |
| Taylor State Forest | Concord | 10 acres (4.0 ha) |
| Totten Trails State Forest | Henniker | 109 acres (44 ha) |
| Upton-Morgan State Forest | Concord | 21 acres (8.5 ha) |
| Urban Forestry Center | Portsmouth | 182 acres (74 ha) |
| Vienna Smith State Forest | Nottingham | 49 acres (20 ha) |
| Vincent State Forest | Weare | 627 acres (254 ha) |
| Wade State Forest | Hill | 430 acres (170 ha) |
| Walker State Forest | Concord | 51 acres (21 ha) |
| Welton Falls State Forest | Alexandria | 218 acres (88 ha) |
| West Iron Works Road State Forest | Concord | 42 acres (17 ha) |
| White Farm State Forest | Concord | 113 acres (46 ha) |
| William Thomas State Forest | Hill | 1,660 acres (670 ha) |
| Woodman State Forest | Northwood | 138 acres (56 ha) |
You might notice that the former Gay State Forest is not on this list anymore. It was given to the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests in 2009, so it's now managed by a different group that also works to protect New Hampshire's beautiful natural spaces.
See also
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List of New Hampshire state forests Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.