Distance: 3.5 Miles loop
Difficulty: Easy
The summer of 2020 The Monadnock Conservency opened a new trail in Peterborough. The Cunningham Pond Trail is located just past the entrance to Cunningham Pond Beach on Cunningham Pond Road. If you get to East Mountain Road you have gone too far. On the right is a small parking lot with a kiosk with a trail map.
The trail starts out with a walk in the woods for roughly a half mile following green trail markers. After a quarter to a half mile you come to a split in the trail. There are two options, left goes to the Red Trail and right goes on the Blue Trail.
Red Trail
This trail goes meanders through the woods and over a couple bridges and streams.
The trail does pop out onto Old Mountain Road. We did not see any cars when we talked it. Once at the road you turn left and walk a few hundred feet until you see the red blazes that bring you back into the woods.
The trail loops back around through the woods and back to the Green and Blue Trail. There were not views on this trail, but the bridges and streams were enjoyable.
Blue Trail
At the junction you take a right onto the Blue Trail where you continue through the woods and over a couple streams.
About another half mile or so you come to another split in the trail. Right goes downhill and you follow the Brown Trail around Cunningham Pond. Left goes up a small hill to a field with a view. This is a loop so does not matter which way you go. I prefer to head towards the pond first.
The Brown Trail along the pond is an old tote road so it is easy to follow. When you get towards the end of the pond there is a gate and the trail goes left on the Blue Trail up a short hill to a beautiful field with abandon cabins.
The trail follows the edge of woods and provides beautiful views of Temple Mountain and the ridge line for the Wapack Trail.
If you walk out into the field you can get a view of Pack Monadnock and some beautiful wildflowers. Make sure you check yourself for ticks as this is their prime area.
After a short walk through the field the trail takes a left back into the woods.
The trail then connects back with the loop to Cunningham Pond so make sure you bare right. To get back to the parking lot look for the second split in the trail for the Red Trail. The Red Trail goes straight and the trail back to the parking lots goes left.
Both times I did this trail I got two different milages. I would say the Blue Loop is about two and half miles. This is perfect for beginner hikers or those with children.
