Trap Falls

Located on Route 119 on the boarder of West Townsend and Ashby Massachusetts is a small, but beautiful waterfall. Trap Falls is located in Willard Brook State Forest where there is an array of activities from picnicking, hiking and my favorite, enjoying this small waterfall.

Trap falls is a great place for a picnic or enjoying the sound of rushing water. The falls are located just a few hundred feet off the road, so there is not much of a walk to get to enjoy natures beauty. There are picnic tables and fire pits allowing you to spend a few hours having a picnic, enjoying the falls and kids can explore the rocks surrounding the falls. A couple miles down the road is Damon Pond where there are more picnic tables and hiking trails. This is a great place for a family outing.

Chesterfield Gorge

Distance: .7 mile loop

Difficulty: Easy

Chesterfield Gorge, is located on Route 9 west of Keene in the town of Chesterfield. When driving through Keene on Route 9 it is five miles past the rotary on your right. There is a sign marking the area.

There is visitor center, restrooms and picnic tables. To the right of the visitor center is the trail that walks around the gorge. It is easy to follow.

You are walking downhill so know there is an incline as you loop back up to the parking lot. There are a couple bridges to cross.

Along with a variety of spots you can stop to check out the gorge.

If are you in the Keene area I highly recommend stopping, especially if there recently has been some rain. It is such a pretty gorge.

Little Monadnock

Milage: 2

Difficult: Easy side of Moderate

Little Monadnock Mountain outside of Rhododendron State Park is a great moderate hike. The hike is about two miles up. The first mile is easy and you walk under the wild Rhododendron. The second mile is fairly steep with a lot of rocks and exposed roots.

There is not much of a view at the top as the trees are blocking the view, but you can get a beautiful glimpse of Mt. Monadnock. Once at the top the trail connects with the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail that is 117 miles from Meriden CT to Mt. Monadnock.

To get to this trail you have to park in Rhododendron State Forrest which is located on Rhododendron Road in the northwest corner of Fitzwilliam. The trail is off the Loop Trail. I have never been when the flowers are in bloom, but would love to go in July when they show their beautiful colors. This is a great hike for people looking for a small challenge. I also saw other kids in the trail, my daughter was seven when she hiked the trail.

West Island

Distance: A little over a mile

Difficulty: Easy

If you have not noticed yet from my reviews and blog posts, I love exploring New England and finding off the beaten path places. On a recent trip to Roger Williams Park we were driving home and wanted to check out a beach. We did not want to pay anything or have to deal with crowds. Once again I started googling to see what I could find. Thanks to All Trails I found the cutest beach. This is not your typical beach, it is defiantly off the beaten path and takes a little work and navigation to get to, but it is well worth it. West Island is located on Buzzards Bay in Fairhaven MA. There are a few miles of trails, one that leads to a secluded beach, which was my favorite part. I recommended using either the trail map on All Trails (which you need a login for) or this one as the trails are not well marked.

The trailhead is located on Fir Street in Fairhaven, outside of New Bedford MA. This is a residential area with limited parking. There is a kiosk to mark the trailhead . We followed what looked like an old road for almost a mile until we got to the bay. From there we followed a sandy trail to the right and came upon a beautiful secluded beach. I was a little surprised at how peaceful and beautiful it was. There were two other couples there, one that looked like they brought their boat there and another that must have walked in. My guess is the beach is dog friendly as we saw a couple there.

The sand was white and soft, the water was clear and very blue. There was a beautiful view looking wards the Cape. There were plenty of rocks, seashells and snails to keep kids entertain. The beach is very small, which is part of it’s charm.

We tried to walk past the beach through the marsh, but lost the trail and ended up circling back to the beach. We also observed that when the trail got to the bay there was a large trash can overflowing with trash and smelled pretty bad. There was no trash on the beach or anywhere else.

If you are looking for a little hike and/or some beach time and like to have some peace and quiet, I highly recommend you checking out West Island. It is an absolute gem.

Jaffrey Rindge Rail Trail

Distance: 7.5 Miles

Difficulty: Easy

Our family are not big bike riders. One year for my daughters birthday she asked for a mountain bike. We have slowly been exploring local trails. We have walked the Jaffrey Rindge Rail Trail a few times mostly when our daughter was still in a stroller. Since this trail is close we have done it a few times.

The trail starts in Jaffrey, New Hampshire. There is a small parking lot behind Jaffrey Pizza Barn on Blake Street in Jaffrey. The trail is 7.5 miles one way to Winchendon, MA, a total of 15 miles if you do a roundtrip ride. There are various parking lots along the way if you do not want to park in Jaffrey. I like this trail because it is flat, well maintained and has some pretty views. If you are walking, I did see some benches along the way if you want to stop and take a break. I also saw some walking trails that veered of the bike path, I’m not sure if they go to peoples homes or other lookout areas.

At times the trail can be busy. We have gone from the start of the trail to Rt 119 in Rindge which is a little under four miles one way.

Another time we park on Rt 202 in Rindge just part Market Basket and rode to the Massachusetts Border. This trail is about the same. The trail is pretty much the same as in Jaffrey, but there is more grass in the trail. I’m guessing this trail is not used as much.

When you cross the border into Winchendon Massachusetts there is a beautiful bog area.

With lots of beautiful water flowers.

The trail was flooded so we did not go further. We did see a large solar farm on the other side of the bog.

From Rt 202 to the state line is 3 miles. If you and your family live or are visiting the Monadnock Region and have your bikes, make sure you check out this trail.

Clough State Park

On a day trip adventure this summer we stop at a cute little state park, Clough State Park.  We had done a hike not too far away at the Manchester Cedar Swamp Trail and were looking for a way to cool down.  We pulled into the nice little park.  The Gate Attendant was very friendly and helpful as we had never been there before.  By the time we had arrived it had gotten cloudy and cooler, therefore we decided not to swim, but wanted to check to the park anyway.  There was a fairly big sand beach, a lot of picnic tables, opportunity to bring your own kayak, paddle board or canoe for paddling around the lake.  

Lincoln/Woodstock KOA Campground

I am a little embarrassed to admit that we only went camping once this year.  The trip that we did take was done with last minute planning.  For my daughters birthday she wanted to go camping.  We had rain checks for Whales Tail and wanted to do Santa's Village.  When planning a camping trip in August it can be hard to find available sites that do not cost a lot of money.  Since it was my daughters birthday weekend she requested a campground with a pool and some activities. After much looking we ended up booking a couple nights at the KOA Campground in Lincoln/Woodstock.  I am not going to lie I was a little hesitant to stay here.  I do not why, but I had in my mind that the KOA's were not the nicest campgrounds and had a lot of people who partied.  

Well I have to say I was more than pleasantly surprised and I am regretful of the thoughts I had.  From the moment we arrived the staff was very nice and helpful whenever needed.  The grounds were very clean.  The campsites were a little close together where we stayed, but there are other sites that gave you a little more privacy. My favorite part was they had staff driving around in golf carts to make sure everyone was quiet at quiet hours.  Despite the campground being very full, it was very relaxing.  The first night we were there we sat in front of the fire watching shoot starts above us.  We had a perfect few of the night sky. 

This was a great family campground with plenty of activities to keep everyone entertained from a pool, large bounce mat, playground, basketball court, mini golf, fishing pond, walking paths, various lawn games and a general store with many items and homemade pizza which smelled very good.  On the weekends they have various activities and a ride on a older fire engine.  

The was also a great area to be in as we were close to Lincoln and Whales Tail to use our Rain Check and we were only about an hour away from Santa's Village. Just down the road from the campground was a really cool swimming hole with a water fall and crystal clear mountain water. 

As I am writing this post I realize we must have had a great time because the only two pictures I have from camping are the ones my daughter took with my phone.  When planning our next camping trip I will absolutely consider either this KOA or other KOA's.    

Flume Gorge

Distance: 2 Mile Loop

Difficulty: Easy

When it comes to hiking I tend to stay away from "Tourist Traps" because if I am going to be outside hiking, I want to enjoy the peace and quiet that nature offers, not be hiking with a large group of people.  On a recent mini vacation to the White Mountains, I was interested in The Flume. My husband says we went when we were dating, but I do not remember, must have been because I was so much in love that I do not remember.  

We decided to arrive early and I am glad we did as there were not a lot of people there.  There is a fee to enter this facility.  Despite it being a big tourist destination it had some magical feeling to it.  Once you leave the entrance, you walk up a path and pass a series of waterfalls before you reach the start of the flume.  

Once you reach the flume where you are hit with a cool feeling from the falls and are surrounded by beautiful rocks and plant life.  Due to all the rain and humidity we have had this summer there was an abundance of green.  

I felt like I could have stood beside the falls forever.  I love the sound of a waterfall.  

After you leave the flume you can loop back to the Visitors Center or you can complete a two miles loop, which I highly recommend doing as you do not want to miss out of views like below.  

This pool looked very inviting, unfortunately you are not able to get down to it and there is now swimming at the Flume.  

The nice thing about the Flume is there is something for everyone to keep them entertain from the boardwalks, covered bridges, various waterfalls and views and my daughters favorite, the cave you can climb though.  Or for the kids at heart like my husband and I who also like crawling through the cave.  

The two mile loop is very doable for all abilities.  The paths are free of roots and was well maintained.  There are stairs and a narrow boardwalk on the flume so it is not stroller or wheelchair accessible. There are benches and huts along the way for resting if needed.  

Once you reach the Visitors Center you are brought back through the gift shop, which I know can be a challenge if you have kids with you. 

When we reached the Visitors Center the parking lot was full and there as a long line to get into the Flume.  If you do want to check out this magical place I recommend you go early to beat the rush of the tourists.  Even though this is a popular tourist destination, I am glad that I went and feel everyone who visits this area should check it out at least once.   

Manchester Cedar Swamp Preserve

Distance: A little over a mile loop.

Difficulty: Easy

I love when I can find good trails in urban area's.  When I explore trails near more populated areas I always worry that they could be trashed or unsafe. This trail was not like that at all.  If you live in Manchester or are in the area I highly recommend checking this trail.  Located on the Manchester/Goffstown lines is a great preserve.  Manchester Cedar Swamp Preserve which is maintained by The Nature Conservancy is a perfect trail year round.  We did a little over a mile loop out to the Cedar Swamp, but there is an option to do another loop, Rhododendron Loop Trail. We did not do this trail, but supposedly in the early summer it is covered with Rhododendron flowers.   

The Cedar Swamp Trail is fairly easy with a few small inclines and well marked.  The trail meanders through the forrest.  In the beginning there are some large boulders.   We saw a lot of mushrooms due to how wet of a summer we have been having.  The cedar swamp itself is laid with boardwalks and reminds me of Loveren Mills Cedar Swamp Boardwalk in Antrim, but this trail through the swamp is a little longer.   

I love walking through swamps like this as I feel like I am in a magical place where fairies could pop out at any moment.  It is also fun to explore because I do not believe there are not a lot of cedar trees in New Hampshire, especially so many in one place. With all the rain and humidity we have had this summer the greens really popped and make you feel like you are walking through a rainforest.  

If you live in or around the Manchester area and are looking for a hiking trail this is a perfect one.  It is great for beginner hikers or for people with young children.  

Directions on how to get there: The preserve is in the Hackett Hill section of Manchester, on the west side of the Merrimack River.

• From Interstate 93, take Exit 10 and head south on West River Road (a.k.a. Front Street).

• Go about 1 mile (crossing the town line from Hooksett into Manchester) and turn right (west and north) onto Hackett Hill Road.

• Go 0.7 miles and turn left (west) onto Countryside Boulevard.

• Go about 0.5 miles to where the road starts to curve right.

• You'll see the trailhead and sign on the left.

• The parking area will be on the left.

Converse Meadow Trail

Distance: 1.5 Mile Loop

Difficulty: Easy

Are you looking for an easy hike that is just a couple miles.  I have a great one for you. Located off of Route 119 on Conversevelle Road in Rindge is a great beginner hike.  Converse Meadow Trail is managed by the Monadnock Conservancy.  The trail is about a mile and a half loop with the option of a couple side trails to various view points.  These side trials add on roughly a half mile.  

The trails are relatively flat with a couple very small inclines throughout the trail. There are signs alone the trail pointing out various animals and plants.  A fun fact about the trail (I forgot to take a picture) is that in the 1940's it is rumored that a escape convict was living in a log cabin in these woods to hide from the authorities.  I wonder if his ghost haunts this area?!

The trail is perfect if you are looking for an easy couple mile hike with young children or a beginner hiker. We did see a couple different birds, so I also think this would be a great wildlife viewing area.    

New England Botanic Garden

If you are looking for a fun day or night out with easy hiking, beautiful scenery, delicious food and some adult beverages  you have to check out New England Botanic Garden, formally known as Tower Hill Garden in Boylston, Massachusetts.  

We have visited several times for a variety of events, Free Thursday night’s, Night Lights, Beer Garden Night, Autumn Illuminated and their Christmas Event.

When I think about botanical gardens I think walking paths with a lot of various plants and flowers.  Tower Hill is so much more.

When you drive up to the property you get a glimpse of Wachusett Resevoir.  When you walk through the main enterance you are instantly surrounded by beautiful flowers, plants and water features.  

In the main building is a restaurant, gift shop, library and various meeting rooms.  There is sometimes a Beer Garden set up for special events. On a couple visits the Beer Garden has been set up. They had a decent selection of beer, cider and wine.  They also serve some appetizers.  For those of you who do not drink or if you have kids they usually have a speciality lemonade or ice tea. There is also a restaurant on site, which we have eaten at once. It was really good, farm fresh bowls, salads and sandwiches as well as heavenly baked goods.    

We have spent hours exploring the grounds.  Which including a several varieties of plants, various water features, a very cool area for kids to explore made out of sticks, sculptures, lawn games and beautiful views. They also have various events throughout the year like yoga in the garden and you can host weddings or parties here.

You can spend several hours exploring this area.  When you visit make sure you wear good walking shoes as there is a lot to see. I am not sure that we saw everything.  

When you are exploring the trails be sure to take a map so you do not miss what is throughout the grounds.  

Most of the trails are handicap and stroller accessible.  

One of the best reasons to visit on an evening…

is the sunset is amazing.  

Throughout the year they hold a variety of events like I mentioned in the beginning of this post. Keep an eye out for the Autumn Illuminated Event.

One of our favorite events is their lights at Christmas. They set up trees throughout the inside and lights all around the garden.

One of our favorite parts was the tunnel you walk through.

If you are looking for a girls day out, a date day or night, a family outing, or you just have a love for beautiful things, you need to visit Tower Hill Botanical Gardens.  This has become a favorite place to visit year after year.    

Horse Hill Nature Preserve

Distance: 4 Miles with other options

Difficulty: Easy

Located at 184 Amherst Road in Merrimack is a wonderful little Nature Preserve, well I saw little, but it's not that little as I feel you could spend a half a day exploring all the trails in this preserve.  I am alway looking for new hiking spots and came across this great area.  It is also nice to see towns have great hiking spots for residents who do not want to drive very far.  

My first impression was amazement in the parking area.  Every time I go hiking I feel parking is always a difficulty as a lot of trailheads do not have great parking.  This large parking area is wonderful for all types of vehicles.  

This nature preserve is open to various recreation activities hiking, biking, cross country skiing, horseback riding, hunting and snowmobiles.  During hunting season make sure you are wear hunter safety orange and in the winter be cautious of snowmobiles.  Dogs are allowed, you are  asked to clean up after them.   

There are trail maps at the beginning and I recommended grabbing one on your first visit as there are a lot of different trails to explore.  The highest elevation is a little over 400 ft so not a lot of gain, but some very pretty scenery.  I also saw a lot of blueberries and blackberries.  

We did an almost four mile hike around the preserve and I was amazed of how beautiful it was and how well maintained the trails were.  We went over Blodgett Hill and Horse Hill Summit and around Long Pond and back to the parking lot. 

We saw others riding bikes and out for an evening hike, but the trails were not too crowded.  If you live in or near Merrimack I hope you are taking advantage of these trails or if you are in the area, I highly recommended checking them out.  

Sharon Ledges and More on the Wapack Trail

Distance: .5 miles to Ledges with option for further

Difficulty: Moderate

Located on Temple Road in Sharon, NH is an access point to the Wapack Trail.  There is a small parking lot, which is always nice to not have to park on the side of the road.  The Sharon Ledges is one of my favorite short hikes, proving a good workout and beautiful views.  The trail starts out steep until you get to the ledges, which is about a half mile.  From the ledges you get a beautiful view looking towards Kidder Mountain and the south section of the Wapack Trail.  

If this is enough of a hike or all you have time for it is a perfect place to stop and enjoy the view and head back to your car.  It is about a mile roundtrip.

If you have time I recommend going further.  About a mile further down the trail to Burton Peak where there is a beautiful lookout point with views of Mt Monadnock.  The trail is relatively flat. Prior to reaching the lookout point is the Berry Pasture Trail, which starts on Mountain Road in Sharon. You can also reach the lookout point from there for a little less of a hike.   

It is about three miles round trip back to where you parked your car.  If you are looking for a little longer hike you can go to Temple Mountain where there is a large parking lot.  The trail is relatively flat with a few inclines until you reach the Temple Mountain Chairs.

It is five miles from the parking lot on Temple Road to the parking lot on Rt 101 with some great views along the way.   If you are looking for a great hike for a couple hours I highly recommend doing the full five miles.

Guantlet Falls

During my teenage years living in Millnocket, Maine my friends and I spent a lot of time at various swimming holes around the Katahdin area. One of my favorite places to go was a little falls tucked away in the Jo-Mary Lakes Region.   About 15-20 miles southwest on Rt 11 out of Millinocket is the entrance to Jo-Mary Lake Campground.  You have to stop at the Gate House and pay a fee to get in.  Ask the attendant for a map and specific directions to the falls.  It is a dirt road and during the week they are logging, so take caution when driving.  

On a recent trip to Millinocket, I was having difficulty deciding where to take my family swimming as there are so many choices.  Since my daughter has become a better swimmer, I decided I wanted to take her to one of my favorite places, Guantlet Falls. I was a little concerned as the last time I was there, over 10 years ago, the road of close to impassible.  We decided to take the chance.  Also I was reading the Untamed Mainer's blog and she talked about a falls lower than Guantlet called Mud Falls, in the many times I went I never knew there was other falls so I wanted to check it out.  

We packed our picnic lunch for the day and my parents joined us for the day trip.  My father asked the gate attendant about Mud Falls and they had never heard of it either. To our surprise the road into the falls has been fixed up and was easy to get through.  We arrived at the falls and it was exactly as I remembered it.  

Before jumping into the water I explored around to see if I could find the path to Mud Falls.  When you are standing on the rocks looking downstream there is a trail off to your left that leads down to Mud Falls.  About a quarter to a half mile down the trail to come to two small waterfalls.  My guess is the last one is Mud Falls, this does not look like a great area for swimming, but still pretty to check out.  

We spend a few hours enjoying the falls jumping from various size cliffs. The water was cold, but we could still get in and enjoy it.  The day we visited the water had a good current to it.  I use to be able to swim up into the falls, but the current was too strong and my husband and I could not get up into the falls. It could also be that I have gotten weaker, but I am blaming it on the current.   

While you are in the area make sure you stop and check out Jo Mary Lake and Campground.  There is a beautiful beach and view of Mt Katahdin.  

Garwin Falls

Garwin Falls is currently closed to the public and a fine is issued by the police if you are found visiting the falls.

I love a good waterfall. Especially when it is located in Southern New Hampshire. Located on Issac Frye Highway near Putnam Hill Road in Wilton is a nice little walk to two sets of falls.  There is minimal parking here and the side of the road is posted. If it is a warm day arrive early or go on a weeknight when it is not as busy.  The path is well worn and easy to follow.  About a quarter of a mile down the trail is a path off to your left that goes to Upper Garwin Falls. This is the smaller of the two falls, but still worth checking out. This appears to be a swimming hole, but it looked a little murky and my family and I did not feel we would swim here, but there is evidence that others swim here and it was perfect for our dog.  

Once back on the main trail you walk past a dam, there was not a lot of water behind it, but my guess is in the spring the water is pretty flowing. My dog enjoyed the views. 

A little further down the trail is evidence of an old home or some form of building with a cool rock foundation.  

From the old foundation it is just a short walk down a hill to the Lower Garwin Falls and these are some beautiful falls. They are easy to get under and there is a small pool where people were swimming.  I am still not sold on swimming here as the water in the pool did not look very clean. I have seen on line that this is a popular swimming hole.  My daughter and I did enjoy dunking my head under the falls.  

It is just a half mile from the parking lot to the Lower Falls.  Perfect hike for families, but watch young children around the rocks as they can be slippery. I'm so excited to have another waterfall in the Monadnock area on my list.  

Update: We had a unusually warm January with rain and snow melt. My family and went back to visit the falls. It was spectacular. The Upper Falls was rushing and there was some ice near the falls.

With all the rain ands snow melt the trail was pretty wet.

The best part of the trail was the lower falls. The waterfall was magnificent.

If you are in the area I highly recommend taking a walk down to the falls. I would guess at certain times of the winter you would need some form of traction.

Purgatory Falls

Distance: 3 Miles

Difficulty: Easy side of moderate due to mud and potential slippery rocks.

Southern New Hampshire does not have a lot of waterfalls, so I love taking the opportunity to explore the ones we do have in our area.  

Purgatory Falls is a series of three waterfalls.  The Lower falls starts in Milford and then goes up to the Middle Falls and finally the Upper Falls located in Lyndeborough.  The trail is about three miles from one end to the other. There is also an option for a side trail to a view point area. There are various parking lots along the trail if you do not want to hike the whole trail.  Check out the map for more information.     

When I hiked the trail with a friend we parked at the Upper Falls Parking lot on Purgatory Falls Road in Lyndeborough.  The small parking lot is on a dirt road, which is not a thru road. From the parking lot we walked down to the Upper Falls and then the Middle Falls.  The first part of the hike there is a single plank boardwalk.  A few minutes down the trail you come to the first waterfall. Make sure you stop at the top and look across the waterfall to the "devils bean pot." 

Since we have not had a lot of rain recently, the falls did not have a lot flow to them, but they were still pretty to look at.  The lush greenery was also stunning.  The trail is very rocky and some of the rocks are slippery when wet and the trail can be muddy, so make sure you wear appropriate footware.  

In between the Upper and the Middle Falls is a smaller cascade that is not named, at least not that I know of.  

Shortly after leaving the Middle Falls there is a trail to the left that is marked with orange blazes that has a steady incline up for about a half a mile.  You then come to a field and an old road.  Look behind you and you have a nice view of North Pack and Pack Monadnock Mountains.

From the view point we looped back around the class VI road to our cars.  At this point I have not checked out the Lower Falls, but I am putting it on my list of hikes to check out.  I would probably park at the Lower Falls Parking lot past Fitches Corner in Milford.    

Lower Falls

When I moved to Nashua, NH for college I greatly missed living near the lakes and woods of Northern Maine.  My first summer spent in Nashua, my now husband wanted to show me his favorites outdoor spots.  We spent most of our free time in the North Conway/White Mountains area.  One of the places that we visited frequently was the Lower Falls along the Kancamagus Highway.  We loved swimming along the falls and in the cool river.  

We have not been there in many years, I would say at least ten.  Recently we were visiting Storyland and decided to stop to cool off on our way home.  It has changed A LOT since we last visited.  

My daughter and I went into the restroom to change and I was horrified by the condition.  Trash, toilet paper and dirty feminine products were all over the bathroom.  I felt so gross changing in there, that when we were done we changed in our car.  

There is a small cost of $5 to park and visit the area.  A positive change is that they have put in a boardwalk overlooking the falls area.  There are also nice walking baths on the side of the river along with picnic tables. There are plenty of opportunities for a picnic.  I did notice there was a lot of trash laying around. There was an information booth, but I did not see anyone in it.   

As for the river and falls itself, it was still a lot of fun to swim and play around.  My daughter enjoyed sliding down the rocks and swimming up under the waterfall.  I also found it very relaxing to sit under the waterfall.  The day we visited it was not very busy, but I can imagine that on hot days it can be a very popular and crowded place. As much as I love waterfalls and being able to swim I feel there are a lot better places to swim and relax in the White Mountains than the Lower Falls .