New Hampshire has 3 designated Wild and Scenic Rivers protecting 43.0 miles across 5 segments in 2 counties, administered by a combination of the National Park Service and the US Forest Service. The system includes the Lamprey River in the coastal plain, the Wildcat Brook rising from the slopes of Mount Washington, and the New Hampshire portion of the cross-border Nashua-Squannacook-Nissitissit system shared with Massachusetts. Click any segment on the map below for classification, mileage, and agency details.
Wild and Scenic Rivers in New Hampshire at a Glance
New Hampshire has a small but geographically diverse set of designated Wild and Scenic rivers, spanning from the White Mountains to the coastal plain. The Wildcat Brook, managed by the White Mountain National Forest, protects a cold mountain stream that drops from the slopes of Carter Notch and is one of the few designated rivers in the Northeast that originates above 2,000 feet of elevation. The Lamprey, by contrast, flows through the gentle rolling terrain of southeastern New Hampshire and was designated as a partnership wild and scenic river recognizing its outstanding fish and wildlife values in a densely settled region. The New Hampshire reach of the Nashua-Squannacook-Nissitissit extends a cross-border corridor that reaches into north-central Massachusetts.
Classification Breakdown
| Classification | Segments | Protected Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Scenic | 3 | 23.2 |
| Recreational | 2 | 19.8 |
New Hampshire has no Wild-classified segments — all of the state’s designated mileage is Scenic or Recreational, reflecting river corridors that have road access in places but maintain largely undeveloped shorelines (Scenic) or are readily accessible and may have adjacent development (Recreational). The Wildcat Brook’s upper reaches in the White Mountain National Forest hold the Scenic miles, while the Lamprey and the NH portion of the Nashua-Squannacook-Nissitissit carry Recreational classification through the more settled lowlands.
Managing Agencies
| Agency | Segments | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| National Park Service | 2 | 28.5 |
| US Forest Service | 3 | 14.5 |
The NPS administers the Lamprey and the NH reaches of the Nashua-Squannacook-Nissitissit through its partnership river program. The USFS manages the Wildcat Brook as part of the White Mountain National Forest, where it is one of several cold-water tributaries protected within the national forest boundary.
Designated Rivers in New Hampshire
| River | Miles | Segments | Classification | Agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamprey Wild and Scenic River | 19.0 | 1 | Recreational | NPS |
| Wildcat Wild and Scenic River | 14.5 | 3 | Recreational / Scenic | USFS |
| Nashua, Squannacook, and Nissitissit Wild and Scenic Rivers | 9.5 | 1 | Scenic | NPS |
The Lamprey is the state’s longest designated reach — a 19-mile Recreational corridor through the towns of Epping, Newmarket, and Exeter that protects critical spawning habitat for river herring and the last self-sustaining wild Atlantic salmon runs in New Hampshire, though the salmon population is very small. The Wildcat Brook, rising near Carter Notch in the White Mountains and flowing through Jackson village, carries some of the best wild brook-trout water in the state and is a popular summer fly-fishing destination accessible from Route 16.
Visiting the Designated Reaches
The Wildcat Brook is the most scenically dramatic of New Hampshire’s designated rivers, flowing through the forested notch country near Jackson with easy access from Jackson Covered Bridge and from pull-offs along Route 16B. The upper reaches above Jackson Village hold some of the coldest and clearest water in the White Mountains, with native brook trout present through much of the designated length. The Lamprey offers a different experience — a gentle lowland river with canoe access at multiple town landings in Epping and Newmarket, passing through floodplain forest and tidal reach before entering Great Bay, which is itself one of the most productive estuaries in the Gulf of Maine. The NH portion of the Nashua-Squannacook-Nissitissit near Nashua and Milford is best accessed by streamside trails in Milford Town Forest, where the Nissitissit tributary runs through hemlock ravines especially prized by brook-trout anglers.
Maps for Neighboring States
For river systems across state lines, see our Wild and Scenic Rivers maps for neighboring states: Massachusetts (which shares the Nashua-Squannacook-Nissitissit and hosts the Westfield and Taunton), and Vermont (the Missisquoi and Trout rivers). Maine, which borders New Hampshire to the northeast, has no federally designated Wild and Scenic rivers. For the full national picture, visit our US Wild and Scenic Rivers map.
Data Sources
River segment geometry, classification, mileage, and managing-agency attributes come from the US Forest Service Enterprise Data Warehouse, specifically the National Wild and Scenic River Segments dataset jointly maintained by the USFS, NPS, BLM, and US Fish and Wildlife Service. Source service: USFS EDW Wild Scenic River Segments. Authoritative national index: rivers.gov. State recreation and fish-management context: New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation, and the White Mountain National Forest.
