Back to Oak Hill trails, Concord NH

Over the years I’ve maintained this blog, there’s one unassuming little post that keeps getting hits every single month: my walk to the Oak Hill fire tower where Concord meets Loudon. Is it the “fire tower” phrase that keeps the search engines happy, or does New Hampshire’s capital city have a lot of enthusiastic local walkers?

Either way, the Oak Hill trails deserve the attention. They’re pleasant, easy, varied, and only a few minutes away from downtown Concord. I headed there after some work at the State House recently, knowing that I could only spare a half hour or so.

fringed polygala flowers — _{The only blossoms in sight on a spring day were on the ground cover at the edge of the trail. Shown here: fringed polygala. Photos by Ellen Kolb.}

trail signs in a forest — _{Junctions are well-marked, but this little “new vista” sign helped keep me on the right path.}

I followed the signs to “vista,” only about a 12-minute walk from the parking area, and was treated to a good view of Mt. Kearsarge. That was ample reward for my quick visit.