Odiorne Point State Park, Rye, NH

May 28, 2012February 23, 2026 / Ellen Kolb

Before visiting Odiorne Point State Park on a holiday or weekend, be sure to consult the state park’s website for information on day-use reservations.

This is the best piece of New Hampshire’s eighteen-or-so miles of Atlantic coastline. With a rocky shore, it’s not a big sunbathing destination. Instead there are trails, a boat launch, a salt marsh, dense woods, a science museum (separate admission), and a few World War II-era gun emplacements. Check out the New Hampshire State Parks web page here for more information.

Located on Route 1-A in Rye, just south of Portsmouth & New Castle, Odiorne Point State Park has a modest admission fee whenever there’s an attendant on duty, as on this Memorial Day weekend. Children 5 and under, and New Hampshire residents 65 and older, get in free. Pack a lunch & enjoy the view to the Isles of Shoals from the picnic area. Bring bikes & strollers, since most of the paths are smooth & flat. The boat launch is a short distance north on Route 1-A from the main park entrance, if you want to bring your kayak. You’ll want a camera as well, especially if you’re a birdwatcher.

Somewhat hobbled by a tweaked knee today, I walked a slow circuit from the main parking area out to Frost Point, then past one of the concrete gun emplacements to the bike path along 1-A, which led me back to the parking lot. Lots of families were out & about, but there was no sense of being crowded. I was probably the slowest person in the park, and no one seemed to mind.

To get a sense of the different environments in this one small area, take an oceanside walk to feel the breeze & smell the salt air. Then walk away from the shore into the woods – and in just a minute, no more salt air. The fragrance of the woods is completely different. The shade will catch you by surprise, and so will the mosquitoes, unless you pack some bug repellent.

Flowers both wild & cultivated are everywhere. I’m fond of the wild roses that were blooming along the shore path. Clumps of iris stood near markers paying tribute to the park’s history. They’re not for picking, of course, but I have to admit I was tempted.

stone jetty separating harbor from ocean — Jetty at Odiorne Point State Park, Rye NH. All photos by Ellen Kolb.

wild roses on New Hampshire coast — Jetty at Odiorne Point State Park, Rye NH. All photos by Ellen Kolb.

Gregg Trail, Greenfield NH: Wheelchair-Friendly, Good Views for All

May 10, 2012February 23, 2026 / Ellen Kolb

Update, 2026: the former Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center is now the Crotched Mountain School. The Gregg Trail is still maintained, with a parking area and map kiosk at the trailhead.

The Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center in Greenfield, New Hampshire features two trails on its property that are designed to be accessible for all, including people whose mobility is limited. One of the trails is a short loop around a wetland. I was there today for the longer trail: the Gregg Trail, just under a mile long, leading to a knoll with a view towards Mt. Monadnock. Other trails, rougher and more traditional, continue from there to the several summits of Crotched Mountain.

Gregg Trail is wide, with an average 5% grade. Bring the whole family and take your time along the way. There are blueberry bushes all over the place, which of course did me no good in early spring but should be perfect by July. Along the way, look east to the twin Uncanoonuc Mountains in Goffstown and the whaleback-shaped Joe English Hill in New Boston. As you approach the knoll, you’ll see North Pack Monadnock and Pack Monadnock to the south. Finally, as Monadnock comes into view, you’ll see all kinds of hills that will make you wonder what’s what – and fortunately, there’s an illustration nearby that names each peak.

No dogs allowed except for service animals. Sorry, Fido.

trail leading to Crotched Mountain, New Hampshire — From the Gregg Trail in Greenfield, I could see the multiple peaks of Crotched Mountain.

Mount Monadnock, New Hampshire, seen from Crotched Mountain — From the Gregg Trail in Greenfield, I could see the multiple peaks of Crotched Mountain.

Head north out of Greenville center on route 31 and look for the blue Crotched Mountain sign at an intersection. Turn right and follow the road uphill about a mile and a half to the rehab facility, and you’ll see the trailhead on your left. There are picnic tables and a porta-john along with a map kiosk at the trailhead.

Northwood Meadows State Park, Northwood, NH

May 8, 2012February 23, 2026 / Ellen Kolb

pond in Northwood Meadows State Park NH on a sunny day — Meadow Lake, Northwood Meadows State Park, Northwood NH. Ellen Kolb photo.

On US 4 in Northwood, New Hampshire, about halfway between Concord and Durham, there’s a quiet state park that had flown under my radar until recently. Northwood Meadows State Park has accessible trails throughout its 600+ acres. The main trail from the parking area is the north end of a 5-mile network of trails leading to Meadow Lake and linking the park with other parcels of public land. Print out a trail map in case the map box in the parking lot is empty: https://www.nhstateparks.org/getmedia/62d97940-2bfd-4862-aa14-82a9bc023805/Northwood-Area-Land-Management-Collaborative-Trail-Map.aspx

This is one of the newer state parks, and its wide & flat main trail was originally developed to be suitable for wheelchair users. The walk from the parking lot to Meadow Lake, this park’s little jewel, takes only about ten or fifteen minutes at an easy pace.

Mid-spring on the Nashua River Rail Trail

May 6, 2012February 23, 2026 / Ellen Kolb / 1 Comment

Back to the Nashua River Rail Trail today. This is still one of my favorite places, in all seasons. After a dry winter & early spring, recent rains have brought out the wildflowers along the trail, including the columbines that I know will be gone before my next visit. Today’s walk was from Gilson Road in Nashua, New Hampshire to Rt. 113 in Pepperell, Massachusetts.

a soda vending machine set up along a trail with seating for guests — From a good NRRT neighbor: the soda stand along the trail in Dunstable, MA

turtle basking on a log in a pond — From a good NRRT neighbor: the soda stand along the trail in Dunstable, MA

Forest Society Conservation Area, Concord NH

April 30, 2012February 23, 2026 / Ellen Kolb

silver maple trees bent by the wind — *_{Silver maples bend over the trail at the Forest Society’s Merrimack River Education and Conservation Area, Concord NH. Ellen Kolb photo.}*

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.

Mason, New Hampshire: Parker’s to Mason Rail Trail

April 28, 2012February 23, 2026 / Ellen Kolb

I took my husband up on his invitation to join him and his running buddies in Mason, New Hampshire this morning. Beautiful day, lots of sun, 40 degrees or so at 8 a.m. We agreed to meet back in the Parker’s Maple Barn parking lot at 9:30, and I left the runners to follow their own paths. I walked toward the rail trail that runs through Mason from the Massachusetts border north to Wilton and then west to Greenville.

unpaved rail trail through a forested area — *Mason (NH) rail trail. Ellen Kolb photo.*

Mason has hills. Not steep hills, but hills nonetheless. Brookline Road heading northwest from Parker’s makes a steady climb up to County Road and continues fairly level to a sharp left turn. At that point, I went straight onto unpaved Scripps Road, a dead end with no-parking signs all along one side. Soon, I emerged onto the rail trail.

(Update, 2020: that access point is no longer a formal trailhead. Please respect private property. A trailhead with parking is at the trail crossing on Depot Road, less than a mile south of Scripps via Brookline Road. Parking for the trail is also available where it crosses Pratt Pond Road.)

This is a decently-maintained trail, wide as a boulevard, with unremarkable but pleasant woodland scenery. It must make a great snowmobile trail in winter.

I know from long-ago hikes on more northerly segments of the trail that I could have walked in peace all day if I’d had the time. I’m sorry I couldn’t stop today at Pratt Pond, probably the prettiest spot on the Mason trail.

Although close to town roads, the trail’s peace and quiet are remarkable. Aside from a plane passing far overhead, the only sounds were birdsong and wind in the trees.

I walked back to Parker’s Maple Barn and met up with my husband and friends for an excellent breakfast. As is usually the case with Parker’s on a Saturday morning, there was a short wait for a table. Believe me, it’s worth it. (Try stuffed French toast and a mug of maple coffee. Trust me.)