Where can you go in New Hampshire that feels like being in Canada but isn’t? The state’s northernmost town of Pittsburg is that place and it’s a spectacular, wild region that is mostly undeveloped. Just a very short distance from the town’s border with Chartierville, Québec lies the tiny source of what is one of the most significant waterways in the northeastern United States and it’s a hidden natural wonder in NH like no other.

The 1.2-mile round-trip to Fourth Connecticut Lake begins at the Pittsburg–Chartierville Border Crossing. Hikers headed to the lake do not need to check in with border patrol.
Matt Murphy/All Trails
The hiking trail follows the cut swath of the international boundary and affords views of the neighboring mountains as it briefly winds in and out of Canada.
Ken MacGray/Flickr
The border swath is indicated by markers denoting the surveyed line between the United States and Canada.
Ken MacGray/Google Photos

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After following the boundary swath, the route to Fourth Connecticut Lake then heads into the woods on a footpath for the final stretch.
Aqua Master/All Trails
At the end of the footpath the tiny lake is reached and the trail makes a loop around it.
Andy Adinolfi/All Trails
Fourth Connecticut Lake is the smallest of the Connecticut Lakes. The Connecticut River begins here as a tiny stream and flows south for 406 miles through four states.
Ken MacGray/Flickr
To protect the wildlife that call this region home, dogs are not allowed along the trail per Nature Conservancy regulations.
Ken MacGray/Google Photos

If visiting the Pittsburg area, this is as close as you’re going to get to Canada without needing a passport (although it wouldn’t hurt to have one on you). For more information on this hidden natural wonder in NH, visit The Nature Conservancy.

Whenever I am in this remote area of New Hampshire, I find myself completely removed from the rest of the world. It’s a magical place full of wonderful places to stay, things to do, and wildlife to see!

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Featured Addresses
Fourth Connecticut Lake Hiking Trail, US-3, Pittsburg, NH 03592, USA