ANDROSCOGGIN VALLEY —
Two gems in the state park system - Jericho Mountain State Park and Umbagog Lake State Park - were highlighted Monday in the latest tour organized by Executive Councilor Raymond Burton.
Designed as a way to bring state and local officials together to view and discuss everything from state parks, roads, airports, snowmobiling, fishing, and hunting, the annual tours have become synonymous with the District I councilor.
Umbagog Lake State Park and Jericho Mountain State Park are among the newest of the 75 different parks
owned by the state. The state has operated Umbagog Lake State Park since 1998 and Jericho Mountain
State Park was purchased just four years ago.
The tour began at Lake Umbagog State Park which features a 9.5 acre base campground with three cabins
and 37 sites with electrical and water hookups available. In addition, there are 34 remote camping sites spread around the lake at distances one to 11.5 miles from the base camp site.
The remote sites are accessible onlyy boat. While some campers choose to paddle to the remote sites, the state does provide transport service.
Umbagog Lake has long been recognized as one of the finest wilderness areas in the state with nesting bald eagles and New Hampshire’s largest loon population.
Commissioner of Resources and Economic Development George Bald recalled then Parks and Recreation
Director Rich McLeod driving him to see the campground which the owner was interested in selling to the state.
“I knew we had a real gem here” said Bald, who admitted Umbagog is one of his favorite state parks. “I do love this place,” he said. The legislature agreed to loan the division the money necessary to purchase the campground and that loan has been paid off out of revenues generated by the campground.
From the start, state officials said the Umbagog park has operated in the black. Revenues are up this summer as might be expected given the beautiful weather. For the month of July camping income is up 33 percent and retail sales are up 5.6 percent.
Parks and Recreation Director Ted Austin said the facility is still making he transition from a private campground to a state park. As a public facility, he said different improvements were needed. He said there is still work to do but much has been done.
Park Manager Mike Stewart and Regional Supervisor Sandy Young outlined the recent work at the park. Fifty five new picnic tables purchased last year have been distributed to all the sites, including the remote ones. The bathhouse has been remodeled and expanded with three new showers and a washer/dryer added. Five new tent platforms were constructed and 4x4 posts were added for signs at the remote sites.
A new remote camp site was added this spring with the assistance of the Appalachian Mountain Club youth group. The big capital project this year was the new septic system installed to replace the old failed one. Burton was pleased to learn the new system is a Presby septic system built in Whitefi eld and the contractor on the project was Tom Burke of North Conway - both manufacturer and contractor come from
his district. Total cost of the project was $85,000.
Austin said he will be submitting a $790,000 request in the fi scal 2012-13 capital budget to build a visitors center at the park. The center would be staffed and check-ins and outs would be handled there. The plan also calls for moving the small retail store into the center and providing an area to distribute brochures of area attractions.
After touring the base campsite, the group which included state Rep. Yvonne Thomas of Berlin and local
press, headed on the state pontoon boat to look at some of the remote sites.
Jericho Mountain State Park From Umbagog, the tour moved to Jericho Mountain State Park where state Senator John Gallus of Berlin, Rep. Paul Ingersoll of Berlin, and Berlin City Councilor Tim Cayer joined the group along with state Park Regional Manager Andrew Zboray, Trails Bureau Regional Supervisor Clinton Savage, and Trails Program Specialist Bill Gegas.
If Umbagog is recognized for its unique wildlife attributes, Jericho is attracting attention for its potential to become the premier ATV riding location in the Northeast. Gallus told state officials he believes Jericho will become an economic engine for the struggling North Country economy.
“This is really a godsend to Berlin and the North Country,” he said. Reps. Thomas and Ingersoll echoed Gallus. “To us it’s an industry,” said Thomas.
The master plan prepared for the park by Horizons Engineering calls for a total of 136 miles of ATV trails in the park. Right now, there are 53 miles of trail at the 7,200 acre park. Another ten
miles of trail in the Head Pond area of the property is ready for use as soon as the state can work out an agreement to cross the former Bass shoe property.
Use of the park is currently free. Austin said the state is trying to figure out when there are enough trails to allow the state to charge riders.
Last month with the help of some grant money, the state hosted a two day ATV festival that drew 2,000 people to the park. The festival has increased awareness of the park. Cayer, who runs IRS Sports, noted he had just rented ATVs to a family from Connecticut
