The views at the top of this short walk are amazing. It's a relaxing walk from the trailhead and…read moreonly .8 miles round trip. Great photo opportunities and it's a good place to walk your dog. There is small chestnut tree restoration farm along the way as well as a stone wall that lines the trail. Well worth a visit to see the beautiful vista at the end of this short and easy trail.

The Kearsarge/Lake Sunapee area is post-card beautiful, and residents and visitors enjoy the active…read morelifestyle and the plethora of things to do. One of the many four-season things available is hiking. And a gem in the hiking category is the Davis Hill and Clark Lookout Trail. The first thing is that almost anyone can negotiate the trail. It is only 0.7 miles long out and back in its totality. But still, visitors should plan an hour. That's because the Clark Lookout Trail provides a spectacular, I mean, write home to mom kind of beautiful, view of Lake Sunapee and Mount Sunapee. A camera or a good quality smartphone is a must, as the views here are amazing. The Clark Lookout property cuts through a neighborhood of million-dollar homes and was made available to the residents through the generosity of Sydney L. Crook and Mary D. Haddad, who donated land and funding to the town of New London for conservation and recreation use. The trail is managed by the New London Conservation Commission. Much of the land and its conservation easements are held by the area's prime land conservation organization, the Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust. For a family traveling on the Interstate that wishes to have a nice break, this spot is optimum. It is also a must for anyone visiting for the first time, as you will fall in love with the area on the spot. The trail is also amazingly dog friendly (on a leash) and poopy bag dispensers are available indifferent places. The Clark Lookout Trail starts on Rt 103-A, across from the Park and Ride lot near Exit 12 on Rte. 89. From that point, the trail climbs only 100 feet. From the Conservation Commission's description, "heading up the trail, the first point of interest is the trail kiosk, which has information about the history of the trail and includes a bulletin board where notices and information are posted. Near it is the libary box, where hikkers can borrow or lend books when they visit. Turn left at the kiosk to continue up the trail. Further on is the four corner road intersection (turn right) which is the last turn before proceeding to the lookout summit". Once on top, a majestic view of Lake Sunapee, Lake Sunapee and the surrounding area greets the visitor. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Clark Lookout is one of these places where you can see the beauty of nature and feel optimistic again.

The Lyon Brook Trail it's one of the most popular hiking trails in the town of New London, New…read moreHampshire. It can either be a point to point at 2.5 miles, or a 5 mile round trip. There is parking at both of the trail heads on Trussell Ridge Road (about 100 yards from Exit 11 on I-89) and at Parkside Road nearby the center of New London. The trail is generally flat, following the contours of Lyon Brook as it meanders from Parkside and County Roads through its Trussell Ridge Road trailhead and then the Brook continues to become the headwaters for Keezar Lake. There is only one part of the trail on Pleasant Road as the trail segments are separated by about 200 feet. The trail is maintained by the New London Conservation Commission and goes through both public and private land, including the New London Outing Club property. It's a great trail for leashed dogs. However, unleashed animals run the risk of a wildlife encounter as the trail traverses wilderness that are home to bears and coyotes. As well, the trail has junctions with the Knights Hill Wildlife Preserve, where pet animals are absolutely forbidden.

Absolutely beautiful trail maintained by the New London Conservation Commission. It's an…read moreout-and-back trek basically 5 miles and with a 750 foot elevation gain. The trail begins near Pleasant Lake and follows Great Brook, one of the lake tributaries, until reaching Devil's Half Acre, where a large pond provides excellent views. This trail is absolutely dog-friendly and there were families with dogs on the trail. It is worth mentioning, that there was bear scat on the trail and that unleashed dogs could find themselves in trouble.... I hiked this after a late summer dry spell and, between the dry weather and cooler temperatures, there were no bugs to speak of. However, as the trail follows a brook, I can imagine there could be many bugs pestering the hiker. The Upper Cascades require walking in wet boulders so if one is going to go all the way to the pond, sturdy hiking shoes are a must. Once on the trail, hikers have a choice to detour to the Webb Forest interpretive trail. Also, a small "take one, leave one" library is handily accessible on the trail itself. The route winds up the Great Brook, providing peaceful and beautiful sights, including a gigantic glacier-carried Erratic the size of a house. Some of the trail is on an abandoned, two-hundred year old coach road, with a historical Hayes Farm site ruins on the trail. These are the remains of one of the original settlers. The Lower Cascades were worth seeing, although I imagine the volume in the Spring Thaw must make it almost impassable and yet, a magnificent sight. Towards the end, the Devil's Half Acre Pond was a delightful sight. Highly recommended hike when in the Lake Sunapee/Kearsarge area.

The Esther Currier Wildlife Management Area and the Davis Path within it are amazing conservation…read moreareas that contribute in great part, to the immense quality of life in New London. It is a superb area for admiring wildlife, beaver dams, bog vegetation and contemplation. It is also a superb 2.2 mile flat hike, suitable for families with children, pets and elderly. It is a postcard scenic area during Fall's Foliage. And a great area for hiking, snowshoeing and Nordic skiing in the Winter. The Esther Currier Wildlife Management Area at Low Plain is preserved through the efforts of a diverse group of citizen councils and nonprofit organizations. The New London Conservation Commission, and elected body, manages the area in conjunction with the Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust, the Elkins Fish & Game Club, and the NH Fish & Game Department. A self guided trail map with notes is available at the Route 11 entrance and also through their website. The trails can be accessed from the parking area off Route 11 or from a parking area on Mountain Road. Most of this material is taken from the New London Conservation Commission's trail description. The main trail is named the Davis Path. It is a gated gravel road running between Route 11 and Mountain Road. Hikers can also take side trails that lead to several overlook spots and observation blinds along the edge of an active Beaver Pond. In addition, there is a quaking bog that may be viewed from a boardwalk on the trail to the Marsh Point blind. A high water bridge, built by Elkins Fish and Game Club, takes visitors over the waters that flood a portion of Davis Path during Spring thaw (bridge is shown at the right). A geological exhibit (boulder collection) and a salamander pool are visible from the Davis Path. The Davis Path is 1.13 miles in length (one way). A half mile loop trail to Shepard Spring is also shown across Mountain Road from the Davis Path. Parking is available along Mountain Road. The trail is only marked for a clockwise trip around the loop. The Conservation Commission has also developed a Forestry Management Cover Map and Forestry Plan for the Low Plain area. An unbeatable location to enjoy a couple of hours with family or simply, to admire nature in its very best.

The Kidder Brook Trail is a 1.2 mile one-way or a 2.4 mile round trip through some pristine water…read morescenery. It is both, one of the most popular and also one of the most beautiful trails in the New London area. The trail is managed by the New London Conservation Commission. From the parking area at the bridge on Twin Lake Villa Road, it crosses a stone bridge and ascends 230 feet along Kidder Brook with amazing views of the flowing brook, rushing water, water falls, and views, culminating in a beautiful lake. A camera, either a stand alone or a smartphone, is a must have to capture this trail. Numerous brook scenes with flowing water, gorgeous mature pine forest scenes, and granite formations are part of the trail. This trail also crosses several other trails including the Sunapee, Ragged and Kearsarge Greenway, a magnificent, multi day trail. It also crosses and can join with the Morgan Pond Trail A must see in the area.

Anytime of the year is perfect for the rewarding view. Maybe a little tough during snow and mud…read moreseason, but still doable. Table Rock faces the Bellows Falls are from New Hampshire, just across the Connecticut River. We're in our 60s and needed to stop a few times on the way up, but it was never too steep or treacherous, just a long steady hike. You want bring good hiking shoes with serious treads. No fees. Dogs allowed.

Phenomenal trail!! Definitely in my top 5 fave hikes - especially for the fall colors (my visit was…read morein early October)!! And it's a killer workout too! The view from the top is breathtaking- but not for the faint of heart - I have a fear of heights and it took me a while to work up the nerve to go sit on the edge lol! AllTrails has this trail labeled as "moderate" - but it was insanely muddy and very wet when I hiked it - took me ages and totally wore me out - so in those conditions I'd call it moderate-hard. And also with the rock scrambling at the top - it can be quite difficult. Very steep and especially narrow at the top - can be dangerous if you're not careful. I did a total of 2 miles round trip - it's an out and back trail. In those 2 miles, my tracker showed an 800 foot elevation gain so it's definitely a butt burner. And along the trail there are numerous areas of rock scrambling (some are very steep) and stream crossings during the wet season - get ready to be covered in mud lol! You will definitely need decent hiking shoes - and poles would've been so helpful I think! There were quite a few other hikers around. The trails are very well marked with colorful tree badges - but in some spots between the markers, I needed my trail map bc the ground was covered in leaves and mud and it wasn't as obvious. Once you get to the top of Table Rock, the stunning view will absolutely take your breath away! It's a sweeping vista of the entire forest area with the lake and resort below to the left and the long stretch of road through the park to the right - perfect for taking in all the colorful autumn splendor!! The top is a long, very narrow and flat tableau. It seems pretty stable - but has extremely steep (and deadly!) drop offs either side and no safety rails or fencing or anything so be aware. Drones aren't allowed in the park (according to the State Park website) but someone was flying one and buzzing us closely at the top which made it very distracting and scary unfortunately. Dogs are allowed - there were many on the trail and at the top. Parking is a small dirt lot pull out on the side of the road at the trailhead - Google maps took me right to it (just put in Table Rock Trailhead). It's located in Dixville Notch State Park (you can see my review of that for more detailed info). The park doesn't have bathrooms that I could find. And I think it's free. I didn't see any fee areas and their website doesn't list it as a fee area.

The Morgan Pond Trail is an easy, 6.6 mile out-and-back hike in New London and Springfield. It's…read morean excellent trail for dog walking, cross country skiing and trail running. No bushwhacking needed; It follows old access roads and cart roads from Twin Lake Villa Road, same initial point as the Kidder Brook Trail or you may commence at the road itself. It rises almost 621 feet before ending at the beautiful and picturesque Morgan Pond, one of the sources of water for the New London/Springfield Water District. The trail crosses several other trails and old cart roads as it climbs, with beautiful scenic vistas along the hike. It connects with the Kidder Brook Trail, the Sunapee, Ragged and Kearsarge Greenway, and the Kidder Trail itself. The only modern intrusion along the trail, aside from the road itself, is crossing a wide path for power lines. Besides that, the hike abounds with nature and wildlife. The trail itself is lightly traveled, but the trail is kept clear by the passing of water maintenance and power line equipment. Bring bug repellent. A beautiful way to spend an afternoon...

Wow ! What a hidden gem ! We were visiting Ludlow VT and saw this fall . Kids wanted to enjoy…read morewater and this was a perfect choice for us . The water was colddddddddddd though. Ufff . Very cold . The first dip was tough ! Later once you get use of it , it felt a bit better . Pathway was a bit crazy , in some places .it is about a 2 mile walk but we just went not too far : .. the lower and middle falls is also accessible from car parking lots outside . Parking is outside and sometimes you have to park 5-8 mins away from the falls . Not much of restrooms around . Lots of dogs in the water :) It was an amazing tint though ! Loved it . 5 stars !

As we were staying near Ludlow, I had put this on our schedule as a "check it out whenever time…read morepermits" item. We drove back after visiting some places to the north, and were passing this around 4 p.m. so we checked it out. This was in early October and the sun was just starting to go down. Though it was pre-dusk, it would be better to visit this site in full sunlight. There are 3 separate falls (the creatively named upper, middle, and lower). You access them from the main highway via a side road that starts as paved but soon becomes (good) dirt/gravel. The total length is less than 2 miles. You first get to a wide spot / parking area from which you can access the middle and lower falls. A trail leads down a hill where you must choose which falls to visit. The middle falls is impressive. It is probably the easiest one to access. The area from which you have the best view is a bit rocky, but navigable. It makes for nice photos. The lower falls appeared accessible from a side trail that descended a bit more steeply. You can also see it from above (somewhat) without descending. It appeared smaller and less photogenic than the middle falls. We then drove another 1/4 mile up the road (to its end) to check out the upper falls. There is a sharp short descent from the road to the top of the falls. It appeared to have a fairly large pool at the bottom and a flat dirt/sand area where some people had laid out a blanket for a picnic. The light was fading more so we skipped walking down the relatively gentle slope to check it out further. If you are in the area and have time, this is a nice spot to visit. It is within 3 miles of Ludlow. I cannot comment on what the swimming is like, but I saw references to that online (during summers, I guess).

Gorgeous in winter! Some nice thin trails out of the wind. Wear your micro spikes because it would…read morebe super hard and a mistake could end your life into the river. My dog and i loveeeee this trail in the winter!

Feels like your at Sabbaday Falls. Beautifully tucked away where you would least expect it to be.read more