Distance: 1.5, but option for more
Difficulty: Easy with some incline
Hike to a Waterfall, possible swimming area
Gonic Trails is located on Rochester Neck Road in Rochester, New Hampshire and is owned by the Waste Management company, which was a little surprise to me, but such a great series of trails. From the large parking lot there is a kiosk with trail information. There is the option to go left or right.
We chose to start our hike to the right. The trail was wide and easy to follow with a gentle walk down hill.
I forgot to look at my watch, but after a 10-15 minutes walk we started to hear the rush of water and came to the top of a waterfall. From the top there was not much of a view.
As you walk downstream you can get to the foot of the falls for a beautiful view.
I could have sat on a log all day here. The falls were very relaxing. There was a rope swing that looked like it had been used this past summer, so this may be a swimming hole, but I could not get any clarification on this.
After enjoying the falls we continued along the trail which followed the river. We came to a split and took a left which went straight up a hill to the top of a ridge. Once on top of the ridge it was flat walk back to the parking lot.
We hiked one and half miles and really enjoyed this loop. There are other trails, we just did not explore them. Overall these trails are fairly easy to hike except for that one steep section. The trails were mostly flat. We would absolutely return if we were in the area. If you are looking for a place for lunch or dinner I highly recommend Revolution Taproom. Their falafel wrap is my favorite. They also have a great selection of beer.
