After a walk through Horse Hill Nature Preserve in Merrimack, New Hampshire, last December, I posted this photo of a snow-covered beaver lodge. Nothing dramatic. That was winter…
…and now, it’s spring. Today, I smiled at the sight of the same lodge, this time in spring sunshine.
A few moments later, as I looked across the pond, I caught sight of a MUCH bigger lodge, which I do not recall seeing before. I think the older lodge must now be the servants’ quarters. Amazing what these creatures can build.
Flexible work hours meant I could take a quick late-afternoon trip today to Beaver Brook Association in Hollis, New Hampshire. I had the place to myself, as far as I could tell. Winter went out with about a foot of snow in this area, and Spring began today with sunshine and temps in the 30s. Wonderful.
Location: Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, New Hampshire. See www.beaverbrook.org . The trailhead I chose is on NH Rt. 130. 0.8 mile west of NH Rt. 122. Parking lot (unpaved) is on the south side of the road.
My timing couldn’t have been better. I drove into the Horse Hill Nature Preserve parking lot on Amherst Road in Merrimack this afternoon just as a snowmobile emerged from the trail after grooming the snow. (That’s a job done by volunteers, as is so much other maintenance on New Hampshire trails.) We’ve had about a foot of snow over the past three days, topped with lovely powder, and I was eager to bring my snowshoes out from storage. I usually don’t get out on trails after snowfalls until the snow’s been chewed up & packed by lots of other people. Today, I had two great hours on the main loop trail: no ice, no bare spots, no skiers. I love skiers – in fact, I’m married to one – but today, I didn’t have to worry about staying off to one side to make room for them. Today was for snowshoers.
There were ten cars in the lot when I arrived, but that didn’t presage a traffic jam on the trail. Horse Hill covers a lot of ground. I passed maybe a dozen people altogether, along with four friendly dogs. The presence of the dogs probably accounted for the absence of wildlife along my way.
I have only a few free minutes between appointments on the New Hampshire Seacoast, just long enough for a stop at Odiorne Point State Park. Deserted in the middle of this workday in the offseason, it makes for a peaceful break.
I wonder how many people drive past here every day on route 1-A and never come into the park, thinking they don’t have the time. Just ten minutes walking anywhere within Odiorne would change anyone’s mind about that. No charge in the offseason. Just park the car & start walking. Instant refreshment.
Atlantic coastline at Odiorne Point State Park, Rye NH. Ellen Kolb photo.
Kiosk at Mountain Road parking area near town waterworks gate. No take-along maps available; download one before you go.
Western view towards the Monadnocks from North Uncanoonuc. The haze is typical.
My boots had cobwebs in them when I picked them up for this afternoon’s hike in Goffstown. It’s been too long since the last hike. The Uncanoonuc hills are close by, have easy trails, and offer fairly good views, so that’s where I went. Not a bad little local jaunt.
On this clear day with temperatures in the 40s, the little parking area on Mountain Road at the town waterworks was almost full. (“Full” means about eight cars.) I headed for North Uncanoonuc’s summit via the snowmobile trail marked as a class VI road. (Download the map here.) The slippery leaves & loose rocks made made me watch my step, but this is an easy hike overall. At a casual pace, I got to the summit in just over half an hour.
People brought their kids and dogs today. Most, like me, were taking it easy. A few ambitious souls ran a big loop beginning on the trail I took, then over the summit to the White Dot trail (not to be confused with the famous one on Monadnock) and back to Mountain Road. Must be nice to be so fit.
While the south peak boasts a decent view of Manchester, North Uncanoonuc offers views west to the Wapack Range and north to Mt. Kearsarge. (The Kearsarge vista is a few hundred yards down from the summit on the White Dot trail.) The ledgy summit pokes just far enough up from forest & shrubs to reward hikers with some pleasant sights. It’s a great picnic spot, too.
View of Merrimack River from the Bedford Heritage Trail
The Heritage Trail in Bedford, New Hampshire doesn’t demand a lot of time from the casual visitor, although you could go on a slow mile-long birdwatching walk if you were so inclined. I decided to head there for a quick lunch-hour visit.
I found the trailhead on Moore’s Crossing Road off of US 3 (South River Road). From the parking area, I walked north and quickly found a picnic area overlooking the Merrimack River and the Moore’s Crossing railroad bridge.
Eagles have nested along the river, though I didn’t spot one this day. The herons made up for that. The rail bridge is somehow not ugly from this vantage point, despite the graffiti on it. Perhaps all the trees around me softened the view. The river is low today, reflecting the recent lack of rain.
I work near the trail, and today’s picnic beat having lunch at my desk. Employment is great, but my current job is making long hikes impossible for now. I’ll get out to good spots like this when I can, even for twenty minutes at a time.
Granite State Walker 