Spring is the best time to look for moose in New Hampshire. In spring, moose move through forests and wetlands to their summer homes.
There are an estimated 10,000 moose in New Hampshire. The largest wild animals in North America can reach up to 1,500 pounds or 680 kilograms in size.
Where to find moose
Most of the moose live in the Great North Woods area of New Hampshire, near the Quebec border.
Moose are crepuscular, which means that they are most active at dawn and dusk. Drivers have the best chance of seeing moose at roadsides during the spring. Moose lick the remains of road salt spread during the winter.
The best road for seeing moose is a stretch of Route 3 called "Moose Alley" between Pittsburg, New Hampshire, and the Canadian border.
New Hampshire State Parks
Hikers and campers often spot moose in New Hampshire's 66 state parks. Deer Mountain State Park is a good place for moose viewing, because it's located adjacent to Moose Alley, in Connecticut Lakes State Forest. Deer Mountain Campground is five minutes south of the Canadian border and 13 miles or 21 kilometres from Lake Francis.
The Androscoggin River, in Mollidgewock State Park, is a great place for viewing wading moose from canoes and kayaks.
Moose watching tours
The best way to see moose is on moose spotting tours. New Hampshire tour companies claim a 97 per cent success rate in seeing moose.
Outdoor Escapes, a Lakeport, New Hampshire outfitter, arranges moose-spotting expeditions in canoes, on snowshoes, cross-country skis, mountain bikes and SUVs. Outdoor Escapes naturalists help visitors hunt moose with cameras and binoculars. If moose are not sighted, tours can be extended to eight hours.
Mt. Madison Moose and Scenic Tours offers day-time bus trips into moose country on air-conditioned motorcoaches.
Pemi Valley Excursions offers affordable evening moose spotting motorcoach tours between May and early October.
The Appalachian Mountain Club offers free evening programs, including moose spotting trips, stargazing and nocturnal creature walks in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The naturalist association programs are offered daily at the AMC Highland Center at 8 p.m. and on Saturday nights at Joe Dodge Lodge in the White Mountains.
