State response to leaf-peepers gone wild weekend
If last weekend could be summarized in one caption it would be something like, “The problem with peepers,” or “How to handle a horde of hikers.” And that caption would go perfectly with a photo that has circulated far and wide around social media, snapped by Tamara Breau, an experienced hiker who co
CONCORD, NH – If last weekend could be summarized in one caption it would be something like, “The problem with peepers,” or “How to handle a horde of hikers.” And that caption would go perfectly with a photo that has circulated far and wide around social media, snapped by Tamara Breau, an experienced hiker who couldn’t believe what she was seeing on Artists’s Bluff Trail last weekend.
It was crowded. Really crowded. Parking lots were full and some people started to hike off trail just to get away from the masses, which can be a dangerous choice to make.
In response, the state has issued a joint statement with Cannon Mountain to address the extreme peeping.
JOINT STATEMENT FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE PARKS AND CANNON MOUNTAIN
According to the Division of Travel and Tourism, 3.7 million people are expected to visit New Hampshire this fall season.
So far this October, Franconia Notch State Park has welcomed almost 60,000 paid visitors at the attraction areas of the state park including the Aerial Tramway and Flume Gorge. While we do not track attendance at non-fee parking areas and trailheads, the Artist’s Bluff Trailhead parking area has 1,500 parking spaces and was full this past Saturday and Sunday for most of the day.
NH Division of Parks & Recreation staff anticipated high visitation for the holiday weekend and was prepared with hiker interaction staff, providing parking and traffic control measures, engaging with visitors, and operating a shuttle service to other areas throughout the park.
Many state parks have been utilizing and encouraging the use of an advanced reservation system, and about 40% of visitors are making reservations in advance. This is an 11% increase over last year.
The Artist’s Bluff Trail, as well as all the other trailhead parking areas of Franconia Notch State Park, do not charge a fee currently and are not integrated into the reservation system. Generally, this is not an issue outside of a few high visitation days in the fall season.
NH State Parks and Cannon Mountain’s social media channels and marketing campaigns have been focused on encouraging visitors to plan in advance and to consider visiting lesser-known state parks and trails.
We work closely with several partners, including the Division of Travel and Tourism, the Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, Appalachian Mountain Club, NH Fish and Game, and the White Mountain National Forest on collaborative efforts on messaging and visitor use management strategies to ensure visitors have a safe and enjoyable experience when visiting the New Hampshire outdoors.
The majority of the crowding and congestion was isolated to a few locations within the park, and the Division of Parks and Recreation will be reviewing existing management strategies, including expanded parking, shuttle services, pre-arrival communications, and collaborative stewardship with our partners to be sure we can accommodate everyone who wants to visit.
