White Mountain National Forest
This forest straddles New Hampshire and Maine, with the highest peaks on the New Hampshire side. The Maine section, though smaller, has magnificent rugged terrain. Hikers can enjoy everything from hour-long nature loops to a day hike up Speckled Mountain. The mountain is part of the 14,000-acre Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness Area, one of several in the forest, but the only one entirely within Maine. The most popular Maine access to the national forest is via Route 113, which runs south from its terminus at U.S. 2 in Gilead, 10½ miles from Bethel. Most of Route 113 is the Pequawket Trail Maine Scenic Byway—the section through the forest is spectacular come fall and closed in winter for snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. Three of the forest's campgrounds are in Maine; backcountry camping is allowed.
