This all-season hiker's and visitor's guide to the ponds and lakes of the White Mountains celebrates the rich diversity here. Smith describes a variety of ponds and lakes-from a tree-lined roadside beauty perfect for a spontaneous swim, to an isolated mountain tarn reached only after a day of serious hiking or snowshoeing. The author matches his love of ponds with a passion for local history, weaving into the text anecdotes and quotations culled from old guidebooks, local histories, and classics from the nineteenth century. Additional information includes a special chapter on fishing for trout in mountain ponds (written by local fishing expert David Nelson), a detailed bibliography, and an annotated Index and Gazetteer of White Mountain Ponds and Lakes. Each of the 68 descriptions includes: -Summary of hiking facts, pond and lake statistics, activities, and fish species; -directions to road or trailhead access (with USGS map); -trail description; -summary of scenery and activities found at the pond or lake (with photographs); -side trips to nearby overlooks; -notes on visiting in winter.