White Mountain National Forest's Wildflower Viewing Areas

By jan schultz on Jul 7, 2012

Where to find rare native plants and wildflowers on the White Mountain National Forest.

Wildflower Viewing Areas are sites of high botanic interest selected by botanists for the native plants and flowers found within them. Seven of these areas can be found on the White Mountain National Forest. Consider visiting these sites during your next trip to the forest. Don't forget your camera!

Androscoggin Ranger Station (Androscoggin District): In the shadow of the Presidential Range of the White Mountains a new native plant garden has put down some roots. Over the past three years at the Androscoggin Ranger Station on the White Mountain National Forest, District and Forest staff has worked tirelessly to renovate a traditional commercial landscape into a botanical reflection of the native species occurring on the White Mountain National Forest. More on this Wildflower Viewing Area…

Black Mountain (Pemigewassett District): Black Mountain is one of the smaller mountains and shorter hikes on the forest, but it's well worth the trip. Along this short 3.6 mile round trip hike you will observe a number of forest community types but the real treat is two State of New Hampshire exemplary natural communities: red pine rocky ridge and red spruce-heath-cinquefoil ridge. Both communities have a relationship to past and/or on-going fire regimes. More on this Wildflower Viewing Area…

Lincoln Woods Native Plant Pollinator Garden (Pemigewasset District): The newest and smallest native plant pollinator garden on the White Mountain National Forest is now open for viewing! The garden is located at the Lincoln Woods Ranger Station on the Pemigewasset Ranger District in Lincoln, New Hampshire. It is located a few miles east of Lincoln along the Kancamagus Scenic Byway (Route 112) and is accessible to all. Lincoln Woods is the main entrance to the 45,000 acre Pemigewassett Wilderness Area. The ranger station is a small log cabin and the viewing areas are located directly in front of the cabin. More on this Wildflower Viewing Area…

Mount Washington (Androscoggin District): Closest Town: Jackson and Gorham, NH. Rising above all other peaks in the northeast Mount Washington is the crown jewel of the White Mountain National Forest. It is also one of the most inhospitable places on the planet. The first day of spring often brings temperatures well below freezing, if not well below zero. Mid summer can bring driving rain, freak snowstorms, gale force winds, and a high temperature that rarely reaches 70 degrees. The first visitors to the Presidential Range in the White Mountains of New Hampshire called them "daunting terrible" and "a vast howling wilderness." More on this Wildflower Viewing Area…

Saco Ranger Station Viewing Garden (Saco District): An attractive educational feature of this garden is the presence of three interpretive panels providing information on woodland wildflowers, ferns, and meadow wildflowers. These signs were originally developed by the New England Wild Flower Society and noted botanical illustrator Gordon Morrison. Each sign highlights roughly twenty species and their pollinators, and provides an overview of that habitat type. Additionally, each individual species planting is signed with the common and scientific name, range of the species, and a list of potential pollinators of that species. More on this Wildflower Viewing Area…

Sawyer Pond Trail (Saco District): Sawyer Pond Trail, at less than four miles round trip, is a wonderful hike for those less adventurous wildflower lovers or those with small children. The wildflowers to be seen along this route are fairly common and can be encountered in many locations both on and off the White Mountain National Forest. What is unusual about the Sawyer Pond Trail is the abundance of wildflowers along its path. Great sweeps of pink lady's slipper, bluebead lily, partridgeberry, Indian cucumber root, red trillium, mountain wood sorrel, and more occur right along the path edge. More on this Wildflower Viewing Area…

White Brook Fen (Saco District): Traveling along the Kancamagus Scenic Byway (Route 112) in the White Mountain National Forest of New Hampshire, about halfway between Lincoln and Conway there is a noticeable change in the landscape. For a moment, the spruce/fir, pine, and northern hardwoods are replaced by tamarack, black spruce, grasses, sedges, and at the right time of year a pink explosion of rhodora (Rhododendron canadense). More on this Wildflower Viewing Area…

Contact person: Chris Mattrick cmattrick@fs.fed.us or (603) 536-6225.