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Dry River — Streams 33.8 Miles WSW of Chapman Inn
Coos County, New Hampshire · USGS Stairs Mountain Quadrangle · GNIS 871803
33.8 miles west-southwest of Chapman Inn, on the USGS Stairs Mountain topographic quadrangle, Dry River is a stream recorded in Coos County, New Hampshire by the federal Geographic Names Information System.
Wikidata short description: “river in New Hampshire, United States”
Landmark Profile
Classification & USGS reference
The USGS Stairs Mountain 7.5-minute topographic quadrangle places Dry River in Coos County, New Hampshire (FIPS 33/007), classified as a stream in the federal GNIS (Feature ID 871803). Catalogued in GNIS since 08/27/1980.
Coordinates & physical setting
Dry River sits at 44.13812° N, 71.36202° W (DMS 44°08′17″ N, 71°21′43″ W).
As a linear feature its source lies near 44.25007° N, 71.31313° W (DMS 44°15′00″ N, 71°18′47″ W) — useful for anglers and paddlers tracing the upstream end.
Other streams in Coos County, New Hampshire
Coos County, NH contains 300 streams catalogued in the USGS Geographic Names Information System, counting Dry River itself. The ones closest to Dry River:
| Feature | USGS Quadrangle | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Upper Stairs Brook | Stairs Mountain | 4 mi |
| Silver Cascade | Crawford Notch | 5.1 mi |
| Razor Brook | Bartlett | 5.3 mi |
| Elephant Head Brook | Crawford Notch | 5.8 mi |
| Gibbs Brook | Crawford Notch | 6.4 mi |
| Assaguam Brook | Mount Dartmouth | 8.1 mi |
| Crawford Brook | Crawford Notch | 8.3 mi |
| Mount Pleasant Brook | Mount Dartmouth | 8.4 mi |
| Abenaki Brook | Mount Dartmouth | 8.6 mi |
| Sokokis Brook | Mount Dartmouth | 8.6 mi |
Features on the USGS Stairs Mountain Quadrangle
The Stairs Mountain 7.5-minute topographic quadrangle holds 28 catalogued natural features alongside Dry River. A sampling nearest to this location:
| Feature | Type | County | Offset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bemis Brook | Streams | Carroll County, NH | 0 mi |
| Davis Brook | Streams | Carroll County, NH | 0.1 mi |
| Sleeper Brook | Streams | Carroll County, NH | 0.2 mi |
| Frankenstein Cliff | Cliffs | Carroll County, NH | 1.3 mi |
| Bemis Ridge | Ridges | Coos County, NH | 1.5 mi |
| Mount Crawford | Summits | Coos County, NH | 1.5 mi |
| Stairs Mountain | Summits | Coos County, NH | 2.4 mi |
| Giant Stairs | Other Natural Features | Coos County, NH | 2.5 mi |
| Mount Resolution | Summits | Coos County, NH | 2.5 mi |
| Upper Stairs Brook | Streams | Coos County, NH | 4 mi |
Historical record
The Dry River is a 9.0-mile-long (14.5 km) river in the White Mountains of New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the Saco River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean in Maine. For nearly its entire length, it is within the Presidential Range-Dry River Wilderness of the White Mountain National Forest. Open the Wikipedia article →
Visiting from Chapman Inn
Distance, bearing & drive time
Chapman Inn sits 33.8 miles west-southwest (bearing WSW) of Dry River. At moderate back-road speeds the drive runs about 58 minutes — comfortably inside a half-day outing window after breakfast.
Best time to visit
Best observed in late spring and early summer when flow is strong and banks are visible. Being this far north (lat 44.138°), first snows typically arrive by mid-October and linger into early May — narrow the window accordingly. At 33.8 miles from the Inn, block the full day — sunrise start, late return, packed meals. Conditions at Dry River track the nearby Bemis Brook stream (essentially adjacent) closely — if that is runnable, so is this.
Nearest features to Dry River
| Feature | Type | County | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bemis Brook | Streams | Carroll County, NH | 0 mi |
| Davis Brook | Streams | Carroll County, NH | 0.1 mi |
| Sleeper Brook | Streams | Carroll County, NH | 0.2 mi |
| Frankenstein Cliff | Cliffs | Carroll County, NH | 1.3 mi |
| Arethusa Falls | Waterfalls | Grafton County, NH | 1.3 mi |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Dry River located?
Dry River is in Coos County, New Hampshire, approximately 33.8 miles west-southwest of Chapman Inn in Bethel, Maine. It appears on the USGS Stairs Mountain topographic quadrangle.
How far is Dry River from Chapman Inn?
The drive runs about 58 minutes, 33.8 miles west-southwest (bearing WSW) of the Inn.
What type of natural feature is Dry River?
The U.S. Geological Survey classifies Dry River as a stream, catalogued under GNIS Feature ID 871803 on the Stairs Mountain quadrangle.
When is the best time to visit Dry River?
Best observed in late spring and early summer when flow is strong and banks are visible.
How many other streams are in Coos County, New Hampshire?
GNIS lists 299 other streams in Coos County, New Hampshire.
Wikidata: Q5309546.