The broad and beautiful vistas of the White Mountains are what draw thousands of visitors to North Conway every year, but there is plenty to see beyond the gorgeous sea of trees! The area is teeming with wildlife, and Spring is an ideal time to spot then flying, skittering, or loping around. Of course, you don’t need to just wander into the woods and hope for the best—these three spots will let you enjoy the local fauna and support local conservation efforts at the same time!
Dahl Wildlife Sanctuary
With just a 10-minute drive south of North Conway, you’ll find yourself at the birdwatcher’s dream known as the Dahl Wildlife Sanctuary. A natural floodplain that was previously used for farmland throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, it’s now home to all manner of finches, warblers, flycatchers, mockingbirds, waxwings, as well as many amphibians and mammals, including deer, chipmunks, and foxes!
Tin Mountain Conservation Center
The Tin Mountain Conservation Center runs immersive nature education programs year-round for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages, preserving the habitat for the local birds, butterflies, amphibians, and more. With accessible trails, energetic and knowledgeable guides, and five main areas teeming with lovingly looked-after wildlife, it offers peace of mind by letting you enjoy nature while doing your part to take care of it for future generations.
The Kancamagus Highway
While “highway” probably wasn’t a biome you learned about in school, the Kancamagus Highway is the scenic drive from Lincoln to Conway that offers an abundance of hiking trails, scenic stops, and storybook animals including hawks, moose, falcons, eagles, deer, bear, racoons, porcupines, and even skunks! While this presents a great opportunity to get up close and personal with wildlife, both locals and experts recommend keeping your distance and using your camera’s zoom to get those all-important close-up shots.
When It’s Time to Head Indoors…
While North Conway offers plenty of camping opportunities, if you’d like a lovely dose of civilization at the end of the day, then why not retreat to your own “nest” in one of the area’s award-winning bed and breakfasts? The Cranmore Mountain Lodge lets you stay in the heart of the White Mountains in a fully restored and upgraded 19th-century house that was Babe Ruth’s favorite retreat from the limelight! Filled with modern amenities, warm service, and just a few minutes from the locations highlighted above, it’s the perfect way to make sure you’re rested and ready so you can be up early—it’s the best time to spot wildlife, after all!