Town
Where to Stay in Thornton
Thornton is a rural town on the Pemigewasset River, along I-93 about 10 miles south of Lincoln. Owl's Nest Resort sits on the valley floor, built around an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, with a private lake, Lake Harold, that has a beach and paddleboarding in summer and ice skating in winter. The WellNest Spa is on site, and lodging runs from guest rooms to lakeside villas and gambrel homes that sleep up to 12. Loon Mountain and the start of the Kancamagus Highway are about 15 minutes north in Lincoln, and Franconia Notch is about 20 minutes.
Why Stay in Thornton
- •Owl's Nest has an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus-designed course, a private lake with a beach, and the WellNest Spa on one property.
- •Loon Mountain is about 15 minutes north and Franconia Notch about 20, from a quieter base.
- •The Pemigewasset River runs through town, with spots for fishing and summer swimming.
- •Gambrel homes that sleep up to 12 suit families and ski groups.
What Makes This Area Interesting
- •Loon Mountain: about 15 minutes north in Lincoln, a ski resort on the Ikon Pass with a gondola.
- •Franconia Notch State Park: 20 minutes north on I-93, with the Flume Gorge, Echo Lake, and Cannon Mountain aerial tramway.
- •Kancamagus Highway: starts in Lincoln, about 15 minutes north, and runs about 34 miles through the White Mountain National Forest to Conway.
- •Pemigewasset Wilderness: the Lincoln Woods trailhead accesses the Pemi Loop and deep wilderness terrain from Route 112 in Lincoln.
Explore Nearby Towns
Frequently Asked
The resort is open year-round. Winter is for skiing at Loon and skating on Lake Harold, summer for golf, the lake and the Pemigewasset River, and foliage on the Kancamagus usually peaks in early to mid-October.
About 2 hours, almost all of it on I-93. From New York City, about 5 hours.
Yes. Loon's base is about 15 minutes north in Lincoln, and Owl's Nest's larger houses suit ski groups.