Students from Northeast Catholic College in Warner welcomed me as I tagged along for their morning prayer service on Mt. Kearsarge. Bishop Libasci was among us as well, leading the service in the Rollins State Park picnic area before we trooped up the last half-mile to the summit. Good fellowship on a beautiful day!
I had the good fortune to have business in Lancaster recently as fall was setting in across the North Country. I stopped for a walk up the Weeks State Park auto road, which is currently closed to auto traffic on weekdays. I wasn’t the only pedestrian enjoying the unseasonably warm day. The leaves are turning; my guess is that peak color in this part of Coos County is still a week away.
The oaks lining the auto road are still in full leaf, with just a hint of color. Squirrels were busy gathering acorns and dropping more than a few onto the pavement (but I dodged ’em). The green canopy was out of sync with all the colorful foliage visible from the auto road’s pullouts.
Since my last visit to Weeks, a small unpaved parking lot’s been added just outside the gate to the auto road. That’s an improvement over having to walk across two lanes of 50 m.p,h. highway to get to the park from the pretty little lot on the other side of U.S. 3.
Odiorne Point State Park in Rye, New Hampshire never gets old for me, in any season.
I had planned a one-day “grand tour,” with a stop at Pawtuckaway for the fire tower then Odiorne Point for the beach and then Stratham Park for the observation tower. (Whew.) Eight hours, with three of them in the car. I’m glad I reconsidered. Odiorne Point was all I needed.
This is what a perfect summer day in New Hampshire looks like. I joined two friends for a drive north to Franconia Notch and a hike up forested Mt. Pemigewasset to its summit ledges, where there was nothing to do but enjoy the view. The Franconia Ridge and stern Mt. Lafayette are more than I can handle. Mt. Pemigewasset, while still a challenge for me, was manageable. A wonderful daytrip!
To get to the trailhead, take I-93/US 3 to Franconia Notch and watch for signs for The Flume visitor center. Park there; trails begin on the north side of the lot.
I decided to bring in 2014 by heading to Jaffrey, New Hampshire and Mount Monadnock for a First Day Hike sponsored by the good folks at Monadnock State Park. Two routes were offered. I chose a nature hike along the low and flat Parker Trail, accompanied by guides from the park and from the Forest Society.
I left my snowshoes in the car and strapped traction aids to my boots when I saw how icy the trails were. The temperature was about 15º, and I can tell you now what happens when you carry granola bars in your backpack on a 15º day: the bars freeze solid. (Next time, I’ll carry them in an inside coat pocket.) Lots of sunshine, though.
We were led by Meredith and Brenda of the park staff, along with a specialist in land conservation from the Forest Society. I soaked as much as I could as they talked about forest management, wildlife habitat, and the history of the mountain. We walked at a very leisurely pace along the quiet Parker Trail. Half the fun was watching the kids in our group. A few of them appeared to be veterans of the trails. Others were wide-eyed and full of questions, walking a little unsteadily as they adjusted to having microspikes on their boots.
When I arrived at the headquarters entrance, the main parking lot was full and I had to proceed to the overflow lot. When I met Sue, the new park director, I asked her about that. “Oh, yes. We’re open year-round. Even on days like this, we get between 200 and 400 visitors.”
This is the third year that First Day Hikes have been held at New Hampshire state parks. I’ll look forward to future events.
Given a complimentary pass to Deerfield Fair, I decided to enjoy not only the fair but also nearby Pawtuckaway State Park. It’s early fall, cool but not yet cold. The leaves are just beginning to turn around here. It’s less than an hour’s walk from the quiet northwestern edge of the park to the fire tower on south Pawtuckaway peak.
First fall colors at the edge of wetlands on Tower Road.
I hiked in from the northwest corner of the park on Reservation Road, far from the busy main entrance. The little blue asters were the only blooms in sight.
Pawtuckaway fire tower. Barely visible on the underside of the cab are charts describing the landmarks in each direction.
View from fire tower east to Pawtuckaway Lake and the Seacoast.
View to northwest; Mt. Kearsarge is barely visible in the distance at center.
Granite State Walker 