One Stop, Endless Adventures: Clark’s Bears
By Mike Moore
One-of-a-kind experiences can be found anywhere you look around the White Mountains and Lakes Region. Few places, however, provide such an entertaining spectacle as Clark’s Bears (formerly known for decades as Clark’s Trading Post) in Lincoln, just off Route 3. Bears wowing visitors with their magnificent tricks have been the main attraction all along, but today, guests to the park can also experience climbing walls, train rides, a territorial wolfman, and even take a Segway for a spin through the Segway Safari.
Nearly 100 years ago, the Clark family opened a small trading post that doubled as a roadside attraction for those making their way through the mountain roads in Lincoln. The spot was known as Ed Clark’s Eskimo Sled Dog Ranch. At first, the Clarks would offer visitors to the trading post a guided tour of their sled dog farm or encourage them to explore their collection of historical artifacts on display. By 1931, they brought in their first bear, and their little roadside attraction added quite the wow factor to their unique little trading post. Bears officially became the Clark family business when both of their sons had such an interest in the intelligent, beautiful creatures that they spent countless hours training them to do tricks and eventually started to formulate a full-length show for audiences.
Today, Maureen and Murray Clark continue the family tradition among the head trainers for the half-hour-long bear show. Darla and Hildie are the latest stars of the show, delighting audiences with a series of tricks and silly antics at each show. Over the decades that the Clarks have shared their wondrous animals with audiences, the thrill doesn’t subside, as many of their patrons have come back year after year, bringing their kids and grandkids to appreciate the experience. It didn’t take long for the success of the Bear Show to allow the Clarks to explore other ideas for entertaining guests at the park. The trading post started to expand during the 1950s, where passersby could see a collection of old-fashioned trains that the Clark family salvaged. The idea started as a way to save the historic artifacts from destruction, but instead, giving others the chance to see their beauty. The popularity of the trains inspired their next big addition to the park, when they designed the White Mountain Central Railroad. This leisurely train ride takes passengers through the surrounding woods, providing wonderful views of the scenery. In recent decades, the Clarks introduced their grumpy prospector character, the Wolfman, who is famous for protecting his mine with curmudgeonly rants as the train passengers invade his territory.
Today, there are several additional attractions that guests of Clark’s Bears can enjoy while at the park. Portions of the summer schedule include circus act performances by the Yandong Chinese Acrobats, the Red Harlequin Juggler, and Elena, the Dazzling Quick Change Artist. At Merlin’s Mansion, guests can experience the magical wonder of the building while taking a tour of the grounds. Tuttle’s Rustic House gives patrons the chance to test their shooting skills with its expansive laser shooting gallery. During those particularly hot days, the Blaster Boats are a great way to cool off while getting the chance to soak friends and family in the blast zone. The Anaconda Escape is a massive, 300-foot water flume ride, with thrilling drops and amazing views of the surrounding mountain range along the track at the top. Paying homage to the Old Man of the Mountain, Clark’s climbing tower reaches 30 feet high and has three different climbing stations for climbers of all experience levels. For guests wanting to feel like Marty McFly in Back to the Future II, the Segway Park was among the first of its kind and lets guests take a short ride throughout the park after a brief training. For those folks who can’t get enough of gliding around on these futuristic scooters, the Segway Safari takes riders off-road, down near the Wolfman’s mine territory, where the raggedy old prospector always pays a visit.
The Main Gift Shop has everything available from souvenirs and Native-inspired artifacts to clothing and fudge. Visitors can dip their own candles at the Candle Shop, dress up in old-time costumes at the Kilburn’s Photo Parlor, pan for gold at River City Mining, and grab an old-fashioned soda and some maple candy at the Maple Cabin. There are also five different museums to explore. The 1884 Pemigewasset Hook and Ladder Fire Station has a full-sized, horse-drawn fire engine on display, while visitors can check out a wide variety of historical artifacts at the Americana Museum, Florence Murray Museum, or Avery’s Garage, a full-sized replica of an early 20th-century gas station. The Clark History Museum is a great place for visitors to learn the history of the Clark family, that has owned and operated this treasured New Hampshire destination since the roaring 20s.
One of the best aspects of Clark’s Bears is how well their bears are treated, especially during the wintertime offseason. The furry entertainers can enjoy a secluded winter nap in their woodland habitat, specifically designed for them to have the spacious woodland experience.
Today, the fifth generation of the Clark family is still hard at work bringing their special brand of entertainment to audiences of all ages. Clark’s opens each spring and autumn for weekends only, but the gift shop is open to the public throughout the week. During the summer months, the park and gift shop are open seven days a week and offer bear shows, train rides, and circus acts multiple times throughout the day. The adventures typically begin each day at 9 am, while the park has different closing times throughout the season, depending on the time of year. Visit their website to check out their season’s calendar and pricing information.
The White Mountains Region has just as many things to do and places to explore during the summer months as it does when the crowds hit the slopes each winter. For nearly 100 years, Clark’s Bears has been a mainstay on the list of popular summertime attractions in New England, even earning the award of “Best Attraction in the Region” by Yankee Magazine. From the train ride through the scenic mountain views to the unbelievable talents of the bears and trainers performing in multiple shows a day, the whole family will take away lifelong memories of the unique and captivating experience at Clark’s Bears.