The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests headquarters is in Concord, off of I-93’s exit 16. Follow signs for “conservation center”, and you’ll find the headquarters on Portsmouth Street.  

The Forest Society trail network at this property runs along the Merrimack River and includes a pine plantation, a silver maple forest, floodplain, and a river cove with a canoe landing. The traffic sounds from nearby I-93 are easy to ignore. In this drought, the river is quiet, but the sharply-cut banks indicate how high the Merrimack can run in a rainy season.

I stayed here longer today than I had intended, stretching a quick lunchtime walk into an hour. The trail is flat & sandy; no boots required. The bugs are out, so bring your insect repellent. This is an undramatic, peaceful spot for a walk, and it’s open from dawn to dusk.