White Lake, Echo Lake, Cathedral Ledges & the Basin

I have now visited 36 NH State Parks and Historic Sites! This past month, I visited many that I want to return to. I didn't give myself enough time to explore everything, but I want to. Here are some notes about my favorites.

White Lake State Park was one of the prettiest and clearest lakes in NH and was great for cooling off in. I really appreciate the shaded beaches at the state parks.

Echo Lake & Cathedral Ledges State Parks are adjacent. There are rock cliffs that seemingly come out of nowhere. It was 6pm by the time I got to these parks, but that didn't stop me from making my way up to the top of Cathedral Ledge. The trail from Echo Lake to Cathedral Ledges was barely used, so I was surprised to find lots of people on top including many rock climbers. I quickly realized there was a road and parking area at the top that gave easy access to the ledges. 

I stayed overnight at Dry River Campground in Crawford's Notch State Park. The Saco River is very different from the Connecticut. There are large boulders everywhere and it was apparent there had been massive flooding there in the recent past. 

My last stop of the trip was at The Basin at Franconia Notch. It was one of the only places I had not visited already in this state park. The water was the clear green blue of a glacial lake. If it wasn't raining and 55 degrees out, I would have gone swimming or at least wading nearby. You are not allowed to swim in The Basin itself. A short hike up the trail brought me to 2 waterfalls. Despite the rain, many people were exploring this special place.