Clough State Park with its little beach on Everett Lake in Weare is still awaiting its opening day, but walkers are welcome on the nearby Everett Dam (operated by the Army Corps of Engineers). This would have been a mountaintop day if I’d had the time. The air was amazingly clear. I settled for a half-hour walk along the dam and the quiet roads nearby.

Both park and dam are on Clough Park Road in Weare. The park has a modest entrance fee. The dam has its own parking area a short distance south of the park, and it’s free.