 
New Hampshire's trails and waterways follow paths that were carved out of America's first wild frontier. New Hampshire's Presidential Range, peaks named for the country's founding fathers, is considered the best hiking in the Northeast. 1,200 miles of trails throughout the White Mountains lead to 48 peaks over 4,000 feet in elevation. The Appalachian Mountain Club can guide your feet along the trails forged by Ethan Crawford when he opened Crawford's Notch in 1819. The AMC's annual nine-day summer trip covers the 50 scenic miles between Franconia and Pinkham Notch and includes Mount Washington, the tallest peak in New England and the windiest place on earth. Sleep in rustic wooden huts along the way or pitch a tent beneath the pines and stars. Despite its pristine nature, the White Mountains Region is easily reached by car, and surrounded by civilized amenities offering not only hot showers but provisions and gear for your hikes.
 If water's more your thing, spend a couple of days at the headwaters of the Connecticut River by pointing your compass towards the Great North Woods. Route 3, known as “Moose Alley,” traverses wilderness as well as several State Parks offering camping sites and launch ramps for kayaks or canoes. The 410-mile Connecticut River rises from a spring at Fourth Connecticut Lake, a beaver pond more accustomed to eagles, bear and moose than the whitewater and covered bridges associated with its southern leg. Nearby, Lake Francis State Park and Lake Umbagog feature abundant wildlife, pristine habitat and the silence where paddle strokes turn to the sound of bird wings lifting from the marsh.
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