Hampton Beach

In the 20 or so years I have lived in New Hampshire, Hampton Beach has never been a go to place for me to visit. Living in New England we are lucky to have so many amazing beaches. Hampton has had a reputation of being dirty and not always family friendly. In the past years if we have visited Hampton Beach it has been in the off season only to walk the beach. We have spent one night in the off season on the beach, where the sunrise was beautiful.

We have also visited when Hampton Beach had had their sand sculpture festival.

Last summer one of our daughter’s friends wanted to go to Hampton Beach for her birthday and we joined the parents for a beach day. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. The beach was a lot cleaner than I had remembered. The facilities new and clean. We felt comfortable letting our teenage daughters walk around the beach, shops and restaurants.

During the summer months there is more to do like shopping, arcade and restaurants. Many of these places are closed in the off season. I still enjoy visiting Hampton Beach in the off season due to less crowds when walking the beach, but now will consider visiting during the warmer months as there has been much improvement to the area.

Stone Arch Bridge Trail

Distance: 2.3 Miles

Difficulty: Easy

Located at 115 Cold Springs Road in Westford, Massachusetts is the trailhead for the Stone Arch Bridge Trail. There is a small parking lot with a kiosk with trail information. The path is wide and easy to follow. You follow the path for a few hundred feet where you come to a fork in the trail. You can bare right and go up a hill or go straight around the hill. We chose to go up the hill as it was less icy. There was not much of a view from the top, but it was a good little work out. You go down the other side of the hill and reconnect with the trail that went around the hill. From here is a straight wide path.

As you walk along the path you come to a large stone bridge. You can walk down stairs off to the right to get a view of this bridge from the bottom.

After enjoying the stone arch bridge we walked up the stairs and continued down the trail. There are a couple side trails that are marked with signs. We took the Loop Trail off to the right that went along a body of water, had a couple small hills and looped back to the main trail.

Once back on the trail we started hiking back towards the trailhead. We took another side trail, off to the right, called Russel Bird Sanctuary Trail. This was a short loop with a small hill. There were a couple benches if you wanted to sit and enjoy the view. We saw some different ducks and two beavers.

Once we looped back to the main trail we headed back to the trailhead. The total hike was 2.3 miles. We enjoyed the trail from the stone arch bridge, water views and animal viewing opportunities. The trail is mostly flat with a couple small hills on the side trails. We would hike this trail again.

Gap Mountain, North Trailhead

Distance: 2.75 miles roundtrip

Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult

Parking may not be accessible during winter months.

Gap Mountain has two trailheads. The more popular trailhead is the South Trailhead. We recently checked out the North Trailhead which is located off Route 124 on Bullard Road in Jaffrey, New Hampshire. We visited during the winter months and the trailhead parking lot was gated off and there was no parking signs along the road. There was just enough room to park on the side of the gate, make sure you do not block the gate.

We walked up through the parking lot to the trailhead. The trail starts out meandering through the woods over a couple foot bridges as you follow the white blazes.

The trail does not remain flat for long and starts a gradual to steady incline with some steep sections. With the leaves off the trees we were able to get views of Mt. Monadnock.

After about a 1.4 mile hike of a mostly steady incline we reached the top where we had beautiful views toward Vermont and of Mt. Monadnock.

From here you can continue on to the the the south Gap Mountain that is accessible from the South Trailhead. I am not sure how far it is as we did not do that part of the hike. We would like to go back and continue on the trail. With it being winter microspikes were a must. I did find the trail steep and difficult at times, making it not an easy hike. I would recommend this hike for those with experience hiking.

This page contains affiliate links for which I may receive a small amount of compensation at no cost to you.

Beede Falls

Located in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire is Beede Falls. This waterfall is located off Sandwich Notch Road in the town of Sandwich. In the winter months, Sandwich Notch Road turns into a snowmobile trail so you have to park on Diamond Ledge Road and walk up the Sandwich Notch Road. We visited in January and parked on the side of Diamond Ledge Road.

The walk up Sandwich Notch Road had some incline. Also remember in the winter this is a snowmobile trail so use caution when walking.

A little less than three quarters of a mile up the road you come to the sign for Beede Falls and a small parking lot on the right.

The trail to Beede Falls is on the back side of the parking lot and marked with a sign. The trail is easy to follow and only about a quarter of mile. The falls were beautifully frozen.

The main reason I wanted to visit this waterfall in the winter was because I read you can get behind the waterfall. Since we have had several below zero temperature days everything was nice and frozen.

There is not a lot of room to get behind the waterfall, but our family of three was able to crawl on the ice to get behind the falls and enjoy the beauty of Beede Falls.

It was really cool being able to explore behind the falls.

There is an option for a further hike along a stream and to a cave, but we did not have time to check it out today. I would like to come back to explore the trails and also visit the waterfall in the warmer months. The total hike was 1.75 miles roundtrip. If you are able to drive to the parking area, the hike would only be about a half mile roundtrip.

Always use caution when walking and being around ice. Make sure you check thickness and that the area is safe before venturing out on ice.

Rotch Wildlife Preserve

Distance: 1 mile loop

Difficulty: Easy

Located on Ruonala Road in Milford, New Hampshire is a short and fairly flat hiking trail. Rotch Wildlife Preserve has trails along a marsh, through the woods and along a stream. There is a small parking lot off Ruonala Road. The trail is easy to follow with maps at various locations and trail markers. There is also a map online. The trail starts out meandering through the woods, following white trail blazes. Soon you start to get views of the marsh through the trees.

There are a couple benches along the marsh to sit and enjoy the views.

We followed the trail until we came to a split. We went left which followed the Brook Trail, which is marked by blue trail blazes. This trail wandered through the woods and came to a stream. Since we are in a drought there was very little to no water in the brook.

The trail looped around coming back to the marsh.

Once you complete the loop you follow the trail back to the parking lot. The trail was only a mile long. With the trail being near Route 13 you could hear a lot of traffic noise. We found the trail pretty, easy to navigate and perfect if you were short on time and wanted to get in a quick walk in the woods.

Injinji Sock Review

I love trying out different gear for our outdoor and travel activities. When Injinji reached out asking me to partner with them through their affiliate program I replied that I would consider joining if they sent me a pair of socks to try out. Usually when I reply this to companies wanting to partner with me I do not hear back from them. A representative responded stating they would gladly send me a pair. I was excited to try out a new pair of socks.

My husband has gotten into trail and ultra running and uses Injinji socks when running ultra distance races. I was curious how toe socks would fit me as I have larger, stubbier toes.

About a week later I received a package from Injinji, with not one, not two, not three, but four pairs of different toe socks to try out. I received two pairs of Performance Run Lightweight Toes Socks, a pair of Women’s Performance Trail Toe Socks and a pair of Performance Outdoor Merino Wool Toe Socks.

I recently have gotten in to running. My first time using these socks I used one of the Injinji Performance run socks. I was impressed that they fit my larger toes fairly well.

I did a flat trail run on a local rail trail. I was a little worried that I would not like the feel of the socks between my toes. Sometimes I have issues with my toes and toe nails rubbing together causing some pain. These socks were comfortable and prevented my toes rubbing together.

Next I tried out the trail toe socks on a local hike up a small mountain. Again I was more impressed with these socks than I expected. They were comfortable and I loved how they kept my toes from rubbing together. I never felt uncomfortable hiking on the flat sections or going up various inclines.

I have not tried the Outdoor Performance Toe Socks yet as I am waiting for colder weather hikes to wear those, which will be coming soon. After trying Injinji Toe Socks I found them comfortable and they prevented my toes from rubbing together. I will continue to use these socks on my outdoor adventures of walking, running and hiking.

This page contains affiliate links for which I may receive a small amount of compensation at no cost to you.

Sterling Section of the Mass Central Rail Trail

Distance: 3.3 Roundtrip

Difficulty: Easy

Multipurpose trail: Walking, Bike Riding, Running

Located in Sterling, Massachusetts is the Sterling Section of the Mass Central Rail Trail. There are two access points, we parked at the parking lot on Gates Road in Sterling. The second parking lot is at the other end of the trail on Waushacum Avenue just past School Street also in Sterling. There was plenty of parking at the Gates Road parking lot. You have to cross Gates Road to get to the start of the trail. There is a kiosk and a portable potty, which was clean.

We were impressed with how packed down the trail was.

The trail goes between West Waushacum Lake and The Quag, both beautiful bodies of water. There were benches along they way to stop, sit and enjoy the views.

After leaving the bodies of water you walk through a forest before coming near a residential area. Then going by a marsh area before coming to the end of the trail and second parking area. We saw people walking, walking their dogs, dogs are not allowed near the water, running and biking. I am guessing in the winter people snowshoe and cross country ski here as well.

The other fun part of the trail is near the Gate Road entrance is activities to keep children engaged by being prompted by different signs.

Overall, we really liked this rail trail. It is only 3.3 miles up and back. The water views were beautiful. The trail was well groomed. We would absolutely return to this rail trail again.

North Pack Monadnock

Located at the North end of the Wapack Trail is North Pack Monadnock Mountain. There are a couple of trail heads for this trail. We parked on Mountain Road in Greenfield and hiked the Wapack Trail to the top. There is a good amount of parking here.

The trail starts out fairly flat for the first .8 miles of the trail.

Then the trail is a steady to steep incline for another .8 of a mile.

At the summit there is a large cairn and some views looking towards Mt. Monadnock.

From here we continued onto the Cliff Trail. I have never been on this trail before and thought the trail went around the top rim of North Pack providing a lot of views. The first part we did walk around the summit which provided some views. There is one view point that opens up onto a set of rocks giving stunning views towards Boston, the southern part of the Wapack Trail and Mt Monadnock.

We continued along the Cliff Trail which has some rock scrambles descending down the mountain and some flat areas. The trail connected with the Wapack Trail before heading back up to the summit of North Pack Monadnock. The total loop was about 2 miles, which had some difficult sections due to rock scrambles, the only view points were at the beginning of the Cliff Trail.

After reaching the summit again we continued to follow the Wapack Trail back to the parking lot. With it being fall there were a lot of leaves and pine needles on the trail making the climb down tricky at times.

Overall, we really enjoyed the hike. The total mileage was 5.25 miles. Some of those miles were difficult due to rock scrambles. There was some beautiful views. I would rate this trail on the harder side of moderate, good for those who have experience hiking a variety of terrain.

Coolidge Reservation

Distance: A little over two miles

Difficulty: Easy with a couple inclines.

No dogs allowed on the Ocean Lawn

Located in Manchester by the Sea, Massachusetts is Coolidge Reservation featuring hiking trails, forests, a pond and beautiful ocean views. There is a small parking lot off of Summer Street, we felt lucky to get a parking spot. There is a kiosk with a map of the trails.

We started off our hike by going up Bungalow Hill, which was off to the right from the trail head. This is a short incline hike up to a rock out cropping with views of the Atlantic Ocean.

There was supposedly a connector trail that went to the ocean lawn, but we could not find it so we went back the way we came and then followed the trail out to the ocean lawn from the trail head.

Even though the trail was not marked well, it was easy to follow down to the ocean lawn.

We passed a pretty little pond that had birds in it.

The trail came out to a beautiful lawn overlooking the ocean.

We could see the Boston skyline and overall gorgeous views of the ocean.

After walking around the ocean lawn and enjoying the views we walked back and near the pond took a side trail down to Magnolia Beach. This beach is not part of the reservation, but still worth the visit.

After walking the beach we heading back to the parking lot. Our total hike was a little over two miles. The trails were mostly flat except going up Bungalow Hill and near the ocean lawn was some incline. The ocean lawn did not allow dogs. I loved this hike, as you got a little bit of everything, a small incline hike with a view, beautiful scenery and a beach.

After our hike we drove into Gloucester and had lunch at Drift, which had great open air seating with ocean and downtown views and delicious food options.

If you are looking for something else to do in the area I highly recommend checking out Hammond Castle and Halibut Point State Park.

Benson's Park

I have been hearing about Benson’s Park for many years, but have never visited it. Located in Hudson, New Hampshire, Benson’s was an Animal Park up until the late 1980’s. Since the animal park closed its doors the town of Hudson and many volunteers has been transforming this park.

The entrance to Benson’s is located on Kimball Hill Road. There is a good size parking lot. Off the parking lot is a dog park, access to the playground and walking paths. I recommended looking at the map to get an idea of the area.

Since we had never been there before we just explored some of the trails without a plan or destination. There were people picnicking, biking, hiking, lots of photographer’s and dogs being walked on leashes. Even though there was a lot of people around once we got on the trails we only saw a couple other people hiking.

The trails were easy to follow and well marked. There are maps at some intersections which was nice.

My favorite part of the Benson’s was the different water features such as a variety of ponds, streams and marshes.

There is also evidence of the animal park around the grounds with old buildings and attractions. They have restored some of it and are working on restoring other area’s. There are a couple monuments, some garden areas and overall beautiful landscapes. There was a restored old shoe, which was cool to see.

We were limited on time and only saw a small section of the park including a two mile hike. I cannot wait to go back and explore more of this beautiful park.

Barrett Mountain to Pratt Mountain on the Wapack Trail

Distance: 7 Miles with option for more

Difficulty: Moderate

The Wapack Trail is a 21 Mile Hike that goes from Mt Watatic in Ashburnham Massachusetts to North Pack in Greenfield New Hampshire. This is a popular trail in the Monadnock Region. The nice thing about the Wapack Trail is there are several options to hike sections of it, if you do not want to do the whole 21 miles. We typically do the Sharon Ledges to Temple Mountain section, but I have been eyeing the Barrett Mountain to Pratt Mountain Section.

We parked in the Wapack Parking Lot across from Windblown and also the trailhead for Kidder Mountain. We crossed Rt 123/124 to walk up the driveway for Windblown. There are signs that mark the Wapack Trail. They have been doing some timber harvesting. There was a nice view of Mt. Monadnock thanks to this harvesting.

After a steady incline you reach the top of Barrett Mountain. There are no view points here, but it is a pretty walk through the forest.

After hiking over Barrett Mountain we continued onto New Ipswich Mountain. Again there was no view point from the summit of New Ipswich Mountain. We continued on to Stony Top where we got some stunning views looking west at Mt. Monadnock.

After leaving Stony Top we continued our hike over to Pratt Mountain. Walking between the mountains is not too strenuous. There are some flat parts and some up and downs.

After summiting Pratt Mountain you start to descend this section of the trail, but make sure you take the short side trail to the lookout over Pratt Pond with views of Boston.

Descending Pratt Mountain is a little steep. We found the steepest sections of this trail was going up Barrett Mountain and down Pratt Mountain. Once we were on the secondary road, Binney Hill Road, you can continue on the Wapack Trail to Mt. Watatic which is roughly another 3-4 miles. We walked down Binney Hill Road, which is a rocky road to the parking lot where a friend picked us up. This total hike was seven miles.

Carroll’s Hill Trail

Located on Westbrook Court in Swanzey, New Hampshire is the trailhead for Carroll’s Hill Trail. As you are driving up Westbrook Court there is a field on your right that has a small trail sign. You can drive into the field and park along the woods. We had my car and chose to park along the road. The grass was long so make sure you check yourself for ticks. Next to the parking area is a small trail sign marking the start of the trail.

The trail starts out fairly flat. There are some intersections in the trail that were well marked with signs with arrows on them pointing to the direction of the trail.

About halfway the trail got more steep. I would classify it as moderate for the Monadnock Region.

The last intersection in the trail directs you up to the viewpoint.

The view was beautiful as you are looking at the top half of Mount Monadnock.

There is a small bench to enjoy the view. There is a pretty steep drop off a cliff in front of the bench so use caution.

It was one mile up to the view point with about a half mile being a steady incline. The view are beautiful and you can get in a good workout in a short amount of time.

Danforth Falls

Distance .3 Miles to Waterfall, but option for longer hike

Difficulty: Easy

Located in the Danforth Conservation Land off of Lincoln Street/Rt 85 in Hudson, Massachusetts is an easy trail to Danforth Falls. There is a small parking lot with a sign marking the trailhead.

The trail is easy to follow. The forest is very relaxing to walk through.

After about a quarter of a mile you come to a junction in the trail. If you go left it loops around giving you a longer hike. If you go right, it takes you directly to the falls. We went right.

As I was walking I noticed the stream was really low and it dawned on me that we have not had a lot of rain this summer so there may not be much of a waterfall. Unfortunately I was right. There was barely any water.

The hike into Danforth Falls was only a third of a mile. It was an easy walk. We will have to come back another time when there is an actual waterfall, which is alright as one of our favorite restaurants, The Railtrail Flatbread Company, is near by and we always love a reason to grab a pizza from there.

Lake Williams Boardwalk and Trail

Distance 1.5 Mile Loop

Difficulty: Easy

Located off Williams Street in Marlborough, Massachusetts is the trailhead for the Lake Williams Boardwalk. There are two small parking lots. One is in the courthouse parking lot, during the week I am not sure if you can park there. On a busy day parking can be difficult to find.

From the parking lot you can either follow the trail to the left to walk around Lake Williams through the woods or go right and start out on the boardwalk. We went right.

This boardwalk is special because it is a floating boardwalk. You walk about a half a mile across Lake Williams.

Once across the boardwalk you can turn around and walk back or continue on the trail around the lake, which is about a mile long. We walked the trail around the lake and found it easy to navigate.

There are also more bridges to walk across.

We enjoyed the 1.5 mile walk around the lake. The floating boardwalk was very cool. It is a little bouncy as it is like walking on a dock. If you have balance issues I may not walk on it. The trail through the woods was fairly flat, making it an easy hike.

Back at the parking lot there is a small park with a gazebo. The day we visited there was an ice cream truck that many walkers were enjoying.

Goffstown Railtrail

Distance: 5.5 miles one way

Difficulty: Easy

Multipurpose Trail

Located in Goffstown, New Hampshire is this shorter rail trail that goes through neighborhoods, by bodies of water and through the woods. This trail is only 5.5 miles long one way. We have walked this trail a couple times as there are softball fields off the trail where my daughter has played.

You can access the trail at different locations from one end of the trail on Factory Street to the other end at Agnes Street. The trail is a mixture of paved and dirt paths.

I have seen people walking, running and riding bikes on this trail. I am sure in the winter people snowshoe and cross country ski here as well.

Even though this is not a long rail trail we enjoy walking along the Glen Lake section near Factory Street Parking. This is a great trail if you want a walk or short bike ride.

While you are in Goffstown make sure you check out Apothem Cafe and Flower Shop for some yummy food and drinks.

Harkness Memorial State Park

Located at 275 Great Neck Road in Waterford, Connecticut is Harkness Memorial State Park. With walking paths, a mansion, gardens, picnic area, ocean access, but no swimming and views of the Long Island Sound this state park is a must visit in Connecticut.

During the off season there is a fee for non state residents to pay through QR code. Memorial Day through Labor Day there is a gate attendant that collects the fees.

I was not sure what to expect with visiting this Connecticut State Park, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Harkness Memorial State Park is home of Eolia, the exquisite summer mansion that was owned by the Harkness family, who were beneficiaries of an oil fortune. The estate itself was not open, but we spent a lot of time walking the grounds of the state park. With it being April the daffodils with just starting to come into bloom.

We found the park map helpful in navigating the property. We explored the carriage house, orchards, and Daffodil Lane. None of the buildings were open so we just walked around the perimeter of the buildings. My favorite part of the property was the East and West Gardens in the front of Eolia. The West Garden had some beautiful Arbor’s.

The East Gardens were beautiful as well. I imagine when all the flowers are in bloom it is more spectacular.

After exploring the gardens we walked down to the beach. There is no swimming here. We enjoyed walking the beach and looking for seashells.

We spent almost two hours exploring this Connecticut State Park. My family and I enjoyed the park and agreed we would visit again if we were in the area or come back when the gardens were in full bloom.

Wingaersheek Beach

Wingaersheek Beach located in Gloucester, Massachusetts is a popular beach for those with young children due to minimal waves as it is set in a cove and has some rocks to explore.

Located off Atlantic Ave is the parking area for Wingaersheek Beach. We visited in April, the off season. During Memorial Day thru Labor Day non town residents need to reserve a parking space in advance to visit Wingaersheek Beach. We did see changing rooms and bathrooms, but there were closed with it being April. I am not sure if any food, drink or other beach amenities are sold here.

We walked about a mile along the beach. With it being April there were a lot of people walking their dogs. I could see the attraction for young families. There were many kids exploring the rocks for sea creatures.

There was plenty of beach to spread out, you just may have to walk down the beach some. I am not sure we would return in the summer months for a beach day as we love to play in the waves. Good Harbor is not too far away and can have some amazing waves If you looking for a more laid back beach the this one is for you.

Hammond Castle

Located on at 80 Hesperus Avenue in Gloucester, Massachusetts is Hammond Castle. This New England Castle is all over social media. When we were in the area visiting Halibut Point State Park I wanted to visit this castle. The website advised you to buy tickets in advance. The day we were in the area there were no tickets available, but my husband convinced me to go anyway.

Hammond Castle has a small parking lot, which I would assume can fill up quickly. Since we were there about a hour before closing they allowed us to go in. There is a fee to enter the castle. The castle is not open in the winter months. You can do a self guided tour or sign up for a group tour. We chose to wander around the castle ourselves. I do wish we were given a map of the castle, but there were staff around that could answer questions and direct you.

Per the Hammond Caste Website, “Hammond Castle was built in the late 1920s by scientist, inventor, and interestingly enough, an art connoisseur of the highest order, John Hays Hammond, Jr.”

We spent about an hour exploring around Hammond Castle enjoying the history and beautiful decor. My favorite part was the atrium.

Outside there is a small amount of grounds and a garden to explore, as well as some beautiful ocean views.

Overall we enjoyed visiting Hammond Castle. I was glad my husband suggested we stop. Out of all the New England castles we have visited Gillette Castle in Connecticut is still my favorite.

Halibut Point State Park

Distance: 1.5 mile look, options for a little more with side trails or less.

Difficulty: Easy, wide packed gravel trails, some strollers could be used.

Located on Gott Lane in Rockport, Massachusetts is a beautiful ocean front state park. Halibut Point State Park consists of hiking trails, a quarry, ocean views, picnic tables and a small museum.

There is a small fee to park and enter the state park. There were porta potty’s in the parking area. Across the parking lot is the start of the trails. Make sure you check out the map. The trails are dirt, mostly flat and easy to navigate. We saw people using strollers on some of the trails.

Our first stop was a granite quarry, which was beautiful. Along with spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean in the background.

After hiking around edge of the quarry. We walked down to a view point over looking the Atlantic Ocean.

From here we walked down to the rocks and climbed around them all while enjoying the magnificent waves. I heard someone say they sometimes saw seals here, but we didn’t see any the day we visited. The waves were fun to watch though.

We looped up to the Visitor Center where they had a small museum and restrooms. We did not go inside.

We spent about an hour enjoying Halibut State Park. We walked about a mile and half. We all agree we would absolutely return as we loved the quarry and ocean views.

Nashua River Rail Trail

Distance: Varies, but up to 12 miles oneway.

Difficulty: Easy

Multipurpose Trail: Walking, Running, Biking, Snowshoeing, Cross Country Skiing

Nashua River Rail Trail is a little over 12 mile rail trail that goes from Nashua, New Hampshire to Ayer, Massachusetts.

We have ridden bikes and walked on different sections of this trail. The few times we have explored this rail trail we parked on the New Hampshire side, on the Nashua/Hollis line. There are several different parking areas along the trail.

When we recently walked from Nashua down into Massachusetts there was a water and soda vending machine set up along the trail, which I thought was a smart idea by whoever put it up.

The trail goes along residential areas, some had farm animals along the trail. It also goes through towns and by businesses as well as different bodies of water.

Overall, I like the diversity of this trail. You can walk in the woods or in more urban areas. This trail is good for walking, running, bike riding, roller blading and during the winter months snowshoeing and cross country skiing.