Moose on the Loose

Moose Watching in NH
You've probably seen the New Hampshire conservation license plate with various creatures adorning

Moose in Profile Brook

the plate. What you probably don't know is that at one time New Hampshire's population of moose had dwindled to only a handful living in the Great North Woods. During the last two decades Moose have made a miraculous recovery and now range throughout the state and especially in the Northcountry and the Central region of New Hampshire.The conservation plate was the brainchild of the Holderness School 4th grade class of Jane Kellogg in 1992.
Today thousands of cars carry the Moose license plate and the result is hundreds of thousands of dollars going into the conservation fund for habitat protection and endangered species preservation.

The moose has become the unofficial New Hampshire symbol.

Moose crossing signs have become nearly as common as frost heave signs and they stay up all year long!

We recommend that you try some of these scenic roads for the best Moose watching:

Rte 118 - Woodstock to Warren
Beginning in the Center of Woodstock at the Junction of Rte 3 and the Kancamaugus Highway follow the signs to Lost River Road, Rte 118 and Rte 112.

Lone Moose on a Snowy Oxbow

Rte 118 - Rumney to Canaan
Beginning in West Rumney on Rte 25, Rte 118 diverges south through the quiet town of Dorchester, New Hampshire. This is Moose country so be on the lookout. Follow this road into the town of Canaan. To make a ropund trip back, bear left in Canaan on Rte 4 and thence to Rte 104 in Danbury. 104 will lead you to Rte 3 North in the town of Bristol where you will drive along Newfound Lake and back to the town of Rumney.

The Kancamaugus Highway
Woodstock to Conway
Known affectionately to local folks as the "Kank", this road offers some of the most stunning scenery in all of New Hampshire. So you won't immediately be tagged as a visitor the correct pronounciation of the road is: "Kank - uh - mog - us". The road winds from the town of Lincoln on the southern end to Conway on the north with many lookouts in between. More

Sculptured Rocks Road, Groton, NH
The Sculptured Rocks Road lies southeast of the village of Hebron. Continue past the Hebron Post Office and Fire Station along the Groton Road for about 2 miles to a fork in the road. Bear left at the fork and continue on. The road is paved for a while then turns to gravel. It leads past Sculptured Rocks natural area and can be followed all the way to Rte 118 in Dorchester (not recommended unless you are in a four wheel drive vehicle).- More
Mt. Clinton RoadLocated just north of the gateway of Crawford Notch and Saco Lake, Mt. Clinton Road passes through the White Mountain National Forest and connects with the Base Road about halfway in from Route 302. A loop can be made by using all three of these roads.

Zealand Road
This road, which leaves 302 a couple miles south/east of the intersection of 3 and 302, is another great moose watching area. Watch for Zealand Campground and turn up the road.

Route 3 Pittsburg
Another area with the "Moose Alley" moniker is the Rte 3 region beginning in Pittsburg and extending about 22 miles to the Canadian border. This is probably the region where the moniker is most appropo. Large numbers of moose patrol the sides of the road in the early morning and at dusk. Drive slowly, sometimes a moose will decide to make a dash for it across the road. Here on Moose Alley, you are as likely to be hit by a moose as you are to hit one. Constant vigilance is a must in the early and late hours.

Moose in the Phlox - Mooned by a Moose

Route 16 Thirteen Mile Woods
Milan to Errol, NH
Moose are regularly seen in the swampy areas along Rte 16 north of Berlin. They are also often seen in the Androscoggin River along which the road winds.

Rtes 3 and 302 North of Franconia Notch all over the northern part of the state the term "Moose alley" is used to descibe local areas frequented by moose. In the Twin Mountain region this is the term the locals use for the area that stretches from the Route 3 and I-93 junction near Franconia Notch all the way to Bartlett Village on Route 302. Along these stretches of road, lies an almost constant border with the hundreds of thousands of protected acres of the White Mountain National Forest.

Commercial Moose Tours - Almost Guaranteed and worth the price!

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff . . . but do Brake for Moose