Swift River (Bearcamp River)
Encyclopedia
The Swift River is an 8.3 mile long (13.4 km) river
located in eastern New Hampshire
in the United States
. It is a tributary
of the Bearcamp River
, part of the Ossipee Lake
/ Saco River
watershed
leading to the Atlantic Ocean
. The Swift River is located only four miles south of the larger and longer Swift River
which parallels the Kancamagus Highway in the White Mountain National Forest
.
The Swift River begins at the confluence of Paugus Brook and Durrell Brook in the northern part of Tamworth, New Hampshire
, at the base of Mount Chocorua
. The river flows south through a narrow valley, quickly being joined by the Wonalancet River
from the west. After passing Tamworth village, the valley broadens, and the Swift River slows before joining the Bearcamp River between the villages of Whittier and West Ossipee. Mill Brook
joins near the Swift River's mouth.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
located in eastern New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Bearcamp River
Bearcamp River
The Bearcamp River is a 26.3 mile long river at the southern edge of the White Mountains in New Hampshire, the United States. It is the largest tributary of Ossipee Lake, part of the Saco River watershed leading to the Atlantic Ocean....
, part of the Ossipee Lake
Ossipee Lake
Ossipee Lake is located in Carroll County in eastern New Hampshire, in the communities of Ossipee and Freedom. At 3,245 acres, it is the sixth-largest lake located entirely in New Hampshire. The lake is fed by the West Branch , the Bearcamp and Lovell rivers , and the Pine River...
/ Saco River
Saco River
The Saco River is a river in northeastern New Hampshire and southwestern Maine in the United States. It drains a rural area of of forests and farmlands west and southwest of Portland, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at Saco Bay, from its source. It supplies drinking water to roughly 250,000...
watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
leading to the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. The Swift River is located only four miles south of the larger and longer Swift River
Swift River (Saco River)
The Swift River is a 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....
which parallels the Kancamagus Highway in the White Mountain National Forest
White Mountain National Forest
The White Mountain National Forest is a federally-managed forest contained within the White Mountains in the northeastern United States. It was established in 1918 as a result of the Weeks Act of 1911; federal acquisition of land had already begun in 1914. It has a total area of...
.
The Swift River begins at the confluence of Paugus Brook and Durrell Brook in the northern part of Tamworth, New Hampshire
Tamworth, New Hampshire
Tamworth is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,856 at the 2010 census. Tamworth includes the villages of Chocorua, South Tamworth, Wonalancet, and Whittier. The White Mountain National Forest is to the north...
, at the base of Mount Chocorua
Mount Chocorua
Mount Chocorua is a summit in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. At an elevation of it is the easternmost peak of the Sandwich Range....
. The river flows south through a narrow valley, quickly being joined by the Wonalancet River
Wonalancet River
The Wonalancet River is a 7.6-mile long river located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the southern Swift River, part of the Bearcamp River / Ossipee Lake / Saco River watershed leading to the Atlantic Ocean.The Wonalancet River rises in the heart...
from the west. After passing Tamworth village, the valley broadens, and the Swift River slows before joining the Bearcamp River between the villages of Whittier and West Ossipee. Mill Brook
Mill Brook (Swift River)
Mill Brook is a 10.7 mile long stream located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the southern Swift River, part of the Bearcamp River / Ossipee Lake / Saco River watershed leading to the Atlantic Ocean....
joins near the Swift River's mouth.