Piscataquog River Park

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Last Updated: December 5, 2025

Piscataquog River Park is a public park located in Manchester, New Hampshire.


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Summary

The park offers visitors a variety of recreational activities such as hiking, fishing, boating, and picnicking. The park is also home to several wildlife species, including deer, bald eagles, and beavers.

One of the main attractions of the park is the Piscataquog River, which runs through it. Visitors can enjoy a scenic walk alongside the river or go fishing in its waters. The park also has several hiking trails that lead to stunning viewpoints of the river and surrounding forests.

In addition to outdoor activities, the park features a playground for children, picnic areas, and a pavilion that can be reserved for events. The park is open year-round and is free to the public.

Interesting facts about the park include its historical significance as a former Native American fishing ground and its role in the industrialization of Manchester in the 19th century. The park was also once home to a mill that produced paper products.

The best time to visit Piscataquog River Park is during the summer and fall months when the weather is mild and the foliage is at its peak. However, visitors can also enjoy the park during the winter months for activities such as snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

       

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Park & Land Designation Reference

National Park
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
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