Quoddy Head State Park

Distance: 1 miles to Green point

Difficulty: Easy

If you ever find yourself in the eastern most town in the United States make sure you check out Quoddy Head State Park. Located in Lubec Maine is one of my favorite state parks in Maine to take a hike in. Over Labor Day weekend we stayed with friends in the area and got a chance to hike around the park.

Located at 973 S Lubec Rd in Lubec, Is a light house, a sign marking the eastern most point in the United States and a few miles of hiking trails. Due to a time constraint we got in a quick picture at the sign just because.

Then we hiked out to Green Point, which is about two miles round trip. I love this path because you walk along the coast line enjoying views of the ocean and Canada.

We were fortunate the day we visited there was a seal fishing a long the coastline. Unfortunately I could not get a picture of the it because it was too far away.

The other part of the hike I enjoyed was the when we walked through the woods, the abundance of moss was so beautiful.

We did not get there early enough, but I have heard that the sunrises are pretty spectacular. I still love the day time views.

There is some incline throughout the trail so make sure you were appropriate footwear and bring water with you. There is enough trails that are kid appropriate, just beware as there are some steep cliffs overlooking the ocean.

Madame Sherri Forest/Ann Stokes Loop

Distance: 2 Mile Loop

Difficulty: Easy side of moderate

I have been asking my hiking group what trails they want to hike . Madame Sherri Forest has come up frequently in group discussion. The end of August we finally got a chance to hike it. It is located near the Vermont border so not very close to the Peterborough area. The trail is located on Gulf Road in Chesterfield, NH. The reason this is a special place is due to the ruins of an old “castle.” Madame Sherri had build her “castle” in the New Hampshire and throwing parties. Unfortunately after Madame Sherri’s death the home fell into disrepair and eventually burned. The stairs and foundation are all that remains.

From the parking lot it is a short walk up to the ruins that you can explore.

If you are looking to get a hike in there are a few options. When you walk back towards the parking lot you take a left to connect to the other trails. A few feet down the trail is a mailbox where you can get a map of all the trails. We chose to do the Ann Stokes Loop. I thought this would be an easy walk through the woods, but it was harder thank I expected.

The loop we did was a little over two miles. It was a gentle incline up to a small pond. You had to walk down a side trail to see the pond.

From there it went up some steep rocky sections to a beautiful view.

The trail looped back around to the mailbox. My guess from looking at the map is the other trails may be harder with more of an incline and a longer distance.

I would rate this trail as moderate and good for people who have some hiking experience. Not a good trail for young children or those with limited to no hiking experience.

Taconic Mountains Ramble

Distance: Varies due to several trails

Difficulty: Moderate

When you are scrolling through social media do you ever see posts on places you should visit. I often see them and save them in case I need ideas of day trips. There has been one place I have wanted to visit for a while and on a recent trip to Vermont we finally were able to stop.

Taconic Mountains Ramble is a small state park near Castleton, Vermont. This is an undeveloped park with no facilities or staff stationed there. The day we visited there was a porta-potty, but I am unsure if there is always one there. There are several miles of hiking trails with beautiful views of Western Vermont.

The main reason that I was drawn to this park is because it is advertised as a Japanese Garden. I love a good garden and place to relax so I was very excited it check it out. When I was reading reviews about getting to the gardens it was reported that is is very steep terrain. I was little nervous about what we were getting into, but figured I we would give it a try.

The state park was a little difficult to find. It is located on St. John Road, which you can access from Rt 30 in Hubbardton by taking Monument Hill Road to Woods Road. We also followed the signs for Mt. Zion. There is a couple parking lots, but you want to go to the one at the end of the dirt road. From here there is a small kiosk and a couple places to sit to enjoy the views.

There is a small home that also has additional information on a bulletin board. There are several trails from this parking lot. Our focus was to see the Japanese Garden.

To get to the garden you walk past the house to a path that has my favorite sign.

Then down a steep grass embankment. It is only about a quarter of a mile to the garden. The garden is smaller than I expected, but it was still worth the trip.

There are seats around the garden and places to spread out for a picnic. There are some water features, a ladder to climb up on a rock and a chair, ponds with turtles and frogs and other sculptures.

i could have sat her all day. When you have an active ten year old you do not get much opportunity for down time. We spent about 20 minutes enjoying the garden.

We took the Spring Trail back to the parking lot which was between a quarter of a mile and half mile. Since we have not had a lot of rain this year there was nothing in the streams, but my guess is when there is, they are beautiful.

We did not explore a lot of the trails, but my guess is they are moderate too hard. There are some beautiful views in this area. I highly recommend checking out Taconic Mountains Ramble if you are in the area.

If you want more information on the history of the area check out the Vermont State Park Website.

Robert Frost Interpretive Trail

Distance: About a mile loop

Difficulty: Easy

As we recently drove home through Vermont, I was looking for short hikes we could do to break up the driving. I came across Robert Frost Interpretive Trail in Ripton, Vermont. Not too far away from Lake Bomaseen State Park, one of my favorite Vermont State Parks. The day we visited the trail the parking area was closed, as well as a portion of the trail due to construction. We were able to park along the road.

There is a small kiosk with a map and an outhouse.

The trail starts out to the left of the kiosk and goes down a gravel pathway to a bridge.

The fun part of this trail is there are Robert Frost poems along the path. My daughter enjoyed reading the poems along the way.

The path is a little under a mile and goes through the woods, then a field and the along a stream and loops back to the bridge where you started. The trail provides some beautiful views.

The day we visited it was pretty busy with a couple large groups of people on the trail. If you are in the area and enjoys Robert Frost Poems I highly recommend you check out the trail. It is easy, trail, more of a walking path good for beginner hikers and those with children.

Good Harbor Beach

We are fortunate in New England to have access to a variety of ocean beaches whether you are looking for beautiful white sand, rocky coastlines, calm seas or rolling waves. Good Harbor Beach is one of those beaches you should put in your must visit list. Located at 99 Thatcher Road Gloucester, MA is Good Harbor Beach. Passes must be reserved in advance. The $30 fee is worth it.

There is ample parking, clean restrooms, a snack shack and a small beach store. There are lifeguards and we have seen local police at the entrance and walking the beach. The beach itself is fairly big with plenty of space. It is usually busy, but we do not feel over crowded or we like we did not have space.

The cool thing about this beach is when the tide is low a land bridge forms where you can walk to a small island to explore. It provides a great view of the beach.

The waves are usually pretty good here, which is the reason this is my daughters favorite beach.

We have visited this beach a few times and it has become one of our favorites. I would not recommend for young children as there is not a lot calm places for them to play. We saw lifeguards telling parents to take swimmies off their kids, my guess is because of the strong waves. It is perfect for older kids and adults who love to play in the waves.

Thorndike Pond

The last I knew the beach area was for Jaffrey Residences only.

Thorndike Pond has been one of our go to ponds since moving to the area. Friends who have lived here longer than us have said that Thorndike was always the place they went to catch frogs and not swimming. We love swimming there. We usually go in the evening and the beach is not too crowed, there are a couple picnic tables and grills, a shelter and an outhouse. There is a small parking area. You do have to walk several feet from the parking lot to the beach. The water is clean and cool.

Recently we decided to kayak and paddle board around the pond My husband and daughter kayaked while I rented a paddle board from Eastern Mountain Sports in Peterborough. We parked on the side of the road at the boat launch which is on Dublin Road in Jaffrey. The beach parking lot is almost across from Monadnock State Park enterenceand the boat launch is a little further up. I would say less than a mile.

The pond was very nice to paddle around.

In the middle is Whittemore Island that is managed by the Monadnock Conservency. We paddled around it to the trailhead.

We did not walk up the trail, but it looks like it is about a mile around the trails and an easy walk.

We then paddled over to the public beach to enjoy a swim and to play around with the paddle board.

I was surprised to find the beach was not too crowded for a hot summer Saturday. It was a perfect spot to sit and fuel up. The temps were in the low 90’s and I was impressed with my Pack-It lunch box, as it kept our drinks cold on this hot day. Overall Thorndike continues to be one of our favorite ponds in the area to swim, paddle and explore.

In the winter, when the ice is thick enough, it is also a great place to walk along the pond and get beautiful views of Monadnock.

As of Summer 2020 I have heard that the beach is for Jaffrey Residents only, but you can still put in at the boat launch and paddle around the pond.

Fremont Trail

Distance: 1.4 Miles Oneway

Difficulty: Easy

I love exploring new trails. The Fremont Trail in Peterborough has been on my to do list for a while. This week I had time to do some exploring. The trail is located on Old Jaffrey Road off Route 202 near Noone Falls. There is a small road where you can park near mailbox 100.. I did not see the trailhead closer to the road and started out the hike by walking down the old road that is all grass. Fortunately the trail looped around to the main trail through the field. The field is mowed so it is easy to follow.

You walk through the field enjoying the various wildflowers and plants.

If you look behind you, you get a glimpse of Pack Monadnock.

There is a small stream that you cross before heading into the woods. You walk through the woods and cross another small stream.

There is a slight incline. for for about a half mile as you walk through the woods. The trails are not marked, but they are easy to follow.

When you get to the to the top of the hill there is a fairly large cellar whole on your right.

As you turn right and head down a hill you reach a beaver pond. There is not a great view of the pond, but you can see part of it. It is also very buggy here. To the pond it is about 1.4 miles.

From here you turn back the way you came. Walking back out onto the field towards the end was very peaceful as you could hear the birds and smell all the plants and flowers.

This is a great trail for beginners, families with young children and anyone who want to get some time in the woods without much effort

High Five Reservation

Distance: .4 Miles

Difficulty: Easy

Do you ever hear of a trail and think, I will get to it someday and it goes on a list of “to do’s. Today all I was thinking about was going for a sunset hike after dinner. Of course all the mountains I was thinking of faced east. Then my husband said, “doesn’t High Five have a good view?” A friend of mine has been telling me about High Five for a while and I have not gone yet. This was the perfect night to do so.

From the Society of the Protection New Hampshire Forest Website, to access to the property is from the south via Sky Farm Road in Deering. From the town of Hillsborough, take Route 149 East for 1.6 miles and then take a slight right onto Old County Road. Follow this road for 4.2 miles and then turn right onto Sky Farm Road. The property is located on the right after 0.8 miles. Parking is only available along the shoulder of the road. You will see a green gate and property sign. Please remember not to block the gate.

You walk up an old road that is mostly grassy.

After the first quarter of a mile to come to an open field with beautiful wildflowers and a view of Crotched Mountain.

As you continue up the trail you come to an open field with amazing views. To the north we could see Kearsarge and the White White Mountains.

To the west we could see the new windmills in Antrim and various ridge lines.

To the southwest you can see Mt Monadnock.

It was only 4/10’s of a mile to the top, making it an easy with some of the most stunning views in Southern New Hampshire.

There are also many beautiful wildflowers to enjoy.

A small bench and plenty of grass to lay out a blanket. Watch out for ticks and bugs as they are plentiful.

Not only are the views amazing the sunsets are pretty spectacular.

This short walk is a must do.

Gilmore Pond

The town of Jaffrey has put restrictions on many of their swimming areas/bodies of water to town residence only. Please watch out for resident only signs.

It can be hard to find a good swimming hole that is clean, open to the public and allows dogs. I am constantly on the lookout for a place that I can swim with my Golden Retriever.

Located on Gilmore Pond Road in Jaffrey is Gilmore Pond. This is a small pond with road side parking, a small beach and boat launch. This is a perfect place to get a swim in with your dog.

The bottom of the pond is mostly sandy. I am not sure if motorboats are allowed here, but every time I visit I see kayakers out on the pond. It is not a big swimming area, but perfect on a warm day when you want to cool off with your pup.

Update: My family and I recently explored Gilmore Pond by water. My husband and daughter kayaked and I rented a stand up paddle board from Eastern Mountain Sports in Peterborough. We parked at the boat launch and paddled a crossed the pond. It was very calm not a lot of people on the water.

As we rounded the corner on the right there is a small beach where the water is very sandy. There is not much actually beach space, but the water is clear and very sandy and you can walk out pretty far. Since it was a hot day it was pretty packed. The parking to walk to the beach is located on Sandy Lane off Gilmore Pond Road in Jaffrey. The walk is only about a quarter of a mile. There is a small parking lot. Another great place to take a dip.

As of Summer 2020 I have heard the Gilmore Pond no longer allows dogs.

Temple Mountain

Distance: 1.5 Miles

Difficulty: Easy side of Moderate

Located off Route 101 in Peterborough across from Miller State Park and Pack Monadnock is an old downhill ski area and Temple Mountain. There is a large parking lot with kiosk, provided ample parking.

From the parking lot you walk up an old road. You can bare left and follow the Beebe trail, which is relatively steep and goes up various rocks. I always take the road, which is also part of the Wapack Trail. There is a lot of loose rocks so if you are not sure about your footing you may want hiking poles. 8/10ths of a mile up the trail bares right and continues up the mountain along the Wapack Trail. If you continue up the road you will come to a lookout with a view of Pack Monadnock. There are remnants of the old ski area along the hike.

From there you head back down the road a few feet and follow the Wapack Trail south.

The trail meanders through the woods, it is fairly flat and very peaceful. There very limited views from this part of the trail.

A little over a half mile from the lookout you come to the Rock Chairs. There is no view, but the chairs are pretty cool.

If you are looking for more views you can continue south on the Wapack trail until you come to the Sharon Ledges. Below the ledges are another parking spot if you wanted to leave a car. It is about 4.5 miles from the Temple Mountain Parking Lot to the Sharon Parking Lot.

The hike is a good work out and something different to see along with opportunities for further hiking if desired.

Beaver Brook Falls

Distance: .8 miles to falls

Difficulty: Easy

I am constantly on the look out for a new waterfall to explore. I had heard about Beaver Brook Falls through my various google searches. After Easter festivities and breakfast I was itching to get a hike in, but wanted something kind of quick. With all the snow melted and rain we have had I thought it would be a great time to check out the falls.

From Route 9 heading east out of Keene take a right onto Washington Street. Take a left onto Concord Road and then an immediate left onto Washington Street Extension. Drive to the end and there is a gate. Park near the gate, but not in front of it. Also be mindful that this is residential area.

This is not a true hike, but more of a walk, as you are walking down an old tar road along power lines. I feel you could push strollers down this road. My husband said he liked walking down the old road because he felt like he was in a scene of the Walking Dead.

As you are walking up the road you are following Beaver Brook which provides a relaxing sound and a beautiful stream. Along the hillsides we saw several cascades flowing down due to the recent rainfalls.

There was a sign about an Old Man of Keene, we looked for it, but are not sure if we found the correct one as many of the ledge outcroppings looked like they could be a man.

There is a small incline heading up to the falls, but nothing that is hard. You can also start to see the falls from the road. In order to get a good view it is best to climb down the embankment to the bottom of the falls. Just use cautions as it is very steep, the rocks are loose and slippery when wet.

Once you get to the base of the falls it is pretty enjoyable.

I would not consider this a real hike, but it is a nice walk to a pretty waterfall. It was about .8miles to the falls. There is a section at the top of the falls if you wanted to spread out a blanket for a picnic. Good walk for young families or beginner hikers. I would only caution if you chose to walk to the bottom of the falls due to the loose rocks and it being steep.

Wildcat Waterfall

I love when I find hidden gem in a suburban area. We had to run some errands in Nashua and my daughter had some tokens to Fun World. After spending a few hours in crowds I needed some time in nature. That is when I remembered about a waterfall in Merrimack that my co-worker had told me about.

Located off of Baboosic Lake Road on Currier Road in Merrimack is a nice conservation area, Wildcat Falls Conservation Area. There are a few different trails in this area, but the main attraction is the waterfall.

From the parking area we started on on the path, which was still icy and muddy. There is a small pond to your right where we saw some ducks swimming around.

At the first intersection we went right to take the Falls Loop Trail. This was a nice walk along the Souhegan River. There were a couple benches along the way if you wanted to relax and enjoy the view. It was flat, until right before the falls.

Then there was a series of steps leading up to an outcropping of rocks that overlooked the waterfall. It was about a half mile to the falls.

There were signs that said swim at your own risk, so I am not sure if people swim here in the summer.

With the recent rain and snow melt the falls were pretty impressive.

After enjoying the view of the falls, we looped back to the Connector One Trail. Which was also flat.

In total we walked about an easy mile loop. I love that this waterfall is easy to get to, but also provides some time in nature. Perfect hike for beginners or with children. Just use caution by the falls as the rocks can get slippery if wet and there is no railing.

There are options for other trails as well. Due to not having appropriate footwear and it being later in the day we opted out of a longer hike today. It was still nice to get a quick mile in with a beautiful view.

Crotched Mountain Trails

Distance: 1.7 miles to the top, but options or more or less

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Variety of options for trails.

Located on Crotched Mountain Road in Greenfield, New Hampshire is the Crotched Mountain Accessible Trails. There are two trails here, the Dutton Trail, which is great for strollers, little legs, and beginner hikers. There is also the Gregg Trail that goes out to an observation deck then on to the top of Crotched Mountain.

From the parking lot there are two options for The Gregg Trail, go straight up a steady incline or take a right up a some switchbacks. The Gregg Trail provides a beautiful view of Rose and Pinnacle Mountains to the east.

Where the two trail reconnect you reach an observation deck that looks towards Mt. Monadnock and to the northwest. The views were beautiful.

If you hike up a little further you go through a blueberry field and get a much better view to the east and west.

From here you walk into the woods where there is a split in the trail. To the left you can take Shannon’s Trail to the top of Crotched Mt or you can take a right and follow the Lower Link that takes you to a series of other trails.

The Shannon Trail goes through the woods and over a stream. It is a fairly flat walk through the woods.

Roughly the last half mile of the trail is a steady incline up over some boulders. There is another trail split off to the left that takes to on the Bennington Trail.

There are several places to stop and enjoy the view before you reach the top.

Once at the top there is a picnic table and spectacular views of North Pack and Pack Monadnock, Mt. Monadnock and on a clear day you can see a ski mountain in Vermont. it was about 1.7 Miles to the top.

I love the view that you get from the Observation Deck via the Gregg Trail with minimal effort. If you want a little more challenge and a sweeping view of the area, I highly recommend continuing up the Shannon Trail to the top of Crotched Mountain.

Mile Slip Forest Mitchell Brook Trail

Distance: 1.5 Mile Loop

Difficulty: Easy

Located at the end of Mile Slip Road in Milford is a great town forest. I recently did the Badger Hill Trail. On the trail map I noticed another trail that followed a brook and I wanted to check it out.

My family and I recently visited the trail. From the parking lot there is a hiking sign marking the start of the trail. The trail slowly goes down a hill. There is a junction of the trail, yellow markers goes to the right and white trail markers go to the left. I am not sure where the yellow ones went, but I followed the white ones towards the brook.

We continued down until we could see the brook in the faint distance. The trail goes along the brook, not really close, but you can see it. There is a spot on the trail with a map that shows some benches near the water, so you are able to get closer. We did see two benches beside the stream which looked like a nice place to relax.

We followed the stream for about a half of a mile. We saw some large dear tracks. Signs of porcupine eating a tree. Along with a couple trees with some cool mushrooms on them.

The trail looped up around to the main trail where you can also connect to the Badger Hill Trail, if you wanted a longer hike with some incline . At the connecting trail there is a nice hill for doing some trail sliding.

The main trail is a multipurpose trail, we did see a couple snowmobiles so just use caution when you are on the main trail heading back to the parking lot. From where the Mitchell Brook Trail connects with the main trail it is about a half mile back to the parking lot.

This trail is great for beginner hikers and family hikes. The whole loop is about a mile and a half with minimal incline.

Beaver Brook Trail off Proctor Hill Road

Distance: 3 Miles, but option for variety of distances

Difficulty: Easy

Located across from Diamond Machine on Rt 130 in Hollis is an another trailhead for the Beaver Brook Trail Association. My husband and I recently had an hour to ourselves while our daughter was at art lessons so we decided to check out this trail as it was close to her art studio. We followed the Beaver Brook Trail to Cow Lane and then to Eastman Meadow Trail and then back to the parking lot. The map is a great resource of all the trails through the Association.

The trail is fairly flat. It was a little icy, but were were able to walk without any type of crampons.

There are some pretty sections of the trail over looking, streams, bogs and a pond.

As well as a platform viewing area.

My favorite part was a boardwalk that went over a bog connecting Cow Lane and Eastman Meadow trail.

We only spent an hour on the trail, but really enjoyed it and were able to hike three miles. It was also nice for my husband and I to get some alone time, which does not happen very often. If you are looking for a cheap date, hiking is a great way to do it. These are great trails or all abilities of hikers and those with young children. In the winter they are good for snowshoeing and cross country skiing.

Mile Slip Town Forest Badger Hill Trail

Distance: 2 Mile Loop

Difficulty: Easy side of Moderate

Mile Slip Forest is located at the end of Mile Slip Road in Milford, NH. A great thing about this trail is there is a large parking lot. There are a few different trails that you can take. From the parking lot you can do about a mile loop on the Mitchell Brook Trail which follows Mitchell Brooke or you can do a loop up to Badger Hill, which this write up is about. There are some different variations you can do of this trail. I would recommend either using the All Trails app or printing off a map to bring with you.

The trail starts out by following a multi-use trail until you come to a trail sign on the left that heads up into the woods. We meandered through the woods with gentle inclines at times. This side of Badger Hill trail is fairly easy to follow with trail markers.

We continued on the trail and when we got to the top of the hill there are more access trails and a large fire pit. Follow the trail markers past the fire pit and down hill. It will feel like you are missing the bench, but you are not. You will come to a trail sign pointing the way to bench.

Unfortunately there is not a great view due to trees being in the way. You are looking towards the Wapack Range.

You return to the sign that marked the trail to the bench and finished the loop down the hill. There are some steeper section this way. In the winter Microspikes are needed. In the fall when there are leaves on the ground the steeper sections can be slippery.

The trail was a little difficult to follow on the way down as it was not as well marked as it was on the way up, but we were able to figure it out. In the winter the bottom part of the trail that meets the access trail can be fun for sliding down on your butt as pictured below.

You finished the loop by taking a left and walking the access trail back to the parking lot or going straight on the Mitchell Brook Trail. If you do both loops it is a little under three miles. If you just to Badger Hill, it is about two miles. Overall this is a good hike to get a little elevation in, but not great views.

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

Senter Falls

Distance: .75 Loop

Difficulty: Easy

Waterfalls, I just cannot say how much I love them. I usually love them just in the summer, but the last couple winters I have really found a new love for frozen waterfalls. The different formations they take with the change in weather and the beauty of the water rushing below the ice. I recently watch a video on Facebook with Live Free with Kris where she visited four waterfalls in the Wilton/Lynborough Area. I had visited three of them, Purgatory Falls, Tucker Brooks Falls and Garwin Falls. I had not been too or heard of Senter Falls, of course I had to check it out.

Located on Lyndeborough Road in Lyndeborough NH is the trailhead. The best way to get to the trail head is from Second NH Turnpike near the Francestown town line. Lyndeborough Road is a dirt road. The road is not maintained in the winter. Please plan accordingly. The trailhead is about a half mile in on the right hand side. There is a trailhead sign that says Alan and Edgar Rice Nature Area. There was not much of a parking area. There was only enough room across from the trailhead for one car.

The trail starts out by going down a small incline and over a nice wooden bridge.

After you cross the bridge and bare to the left you will see that you have the option to go right or left, both marked by blue trail markers. I recommend going right for the best views of the falls. This is a loop trail. Within just a couple minutes you come to the first set of falls.

Then you climb up along the waterfall for about a quarter of a mile for some great views.

With the final cascade being the best off all.

When you get to the top of the waterfall the trail goes left up a incline, then you follow a ridge and then have a steep descent connecting you back to where you started.

Of course there was a little time to play on the ice on the side of the trail. 

The trail is a little less than three quarters of a mile. I would only recommend it in the winter if you have some form of microspikes.

We have been back in the spring time and the falls were just a beautiful.

While you are in the area make sure you check out Frog Rock.

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

Out with the Old Pack and in with the New Pack

About 13 years ago, my husband and I moved into our first and current home.  We were excited about living in the Monadnock Region due to the almost unlimited outdoor activities in our backyard.  For my first birthday in our new home my husband bought me a camelbak day pack and the Hiking the Monadnock Region Book.  This is what started my journey of exploring the trails in our area.  For the last 13 years I have been using the same backpack for all my hiking adventures.  This fall I noticed that there were holes forming in the bottom of the pack.  My husband tried to convince me to get a new one, but I was not emotionally ready.  I know it sounds silly, but this pack is a symbol of so many hikes since moving to the Monadnock Region. Such as hiking Mt. Monadnock, exploring other trails in Vermont and New Hampshire. As well as hiking so many trails solo and with my husband. Also, my daughters first hike and hikes with friends.

I was recently chosen as an ambassador for the 365 Mile Challenge.  One of the many perks of being an ambassador is receiving amazing swag to try out and review.  I was lucky enough to get picked for a Deuter Speed Lite 22 Hiking Backpack. I figured now was a good time to start making the transition to a new pack. When it arrived I was in love with the color, we did not get to pick which color, but I feel I lucked out as other ambassadors got red and black, but I am partial to the green.  The other part I noticed and love is there is a yellow flower attached to the pack.  It is such a fun talking point.  As I emptied out the old pack and filled up the new one I was feeling a little sentimental. It was time to move on, it is just a backpack, right?

Out with in old and in with the new.

I worked on organizing my new backpack.  There was plenty of room for all my items.  The only thing I missed was there is only one small pocket instead of several small ones like my older pack It did seem a little disorganized.  I like there is a pocket on the side for my water bottle. There is also a small pocket on the hip belt to put small items like chapstick. The biggest part of the backpack had plenty of room for my first aid kit and all my winter essentials. There is also a front pouch that does not have a zipper that will be great for when I walk to yoga and can put my mat in it. 

I tested out the backpack on an easy three and half mile hike.  Even though the pack is not broken in yet, it was comfortable.  The hip straps fit nicely, which is good because I have wide hips.  The straps were comfortable and easy to adjust.  I am also large chested and the chest strap did not make me feel like I was pressing my breasts together like other packs have. The pack was easy to get on and off.  When I did need to find something it was not hard to find items in my pack even though I was worried about being able to organize some of my things.   

Some of my fellow ambassadors from the 365 Mile Challenge also had feed back on the pack. 

Julie: “I love all the straps and loops, awesome pockets on the waist. I’m 5’10 and once I was able to get the straps adjusted for my height it fit well. There is Good airflow. I looooove the color! It's sort of a ruby red. And who doesn't love a cute flower on their pack? Overall a good pack and a decent fit for my tall frame.” 

Kari: “I have never invested in a pack for myself. I have always had hand-me-down or borrowed packs. They have worked fine for me, but I have never LOVED a backpack. I have a new Deuter Speed Lite 22 SL backpack that is a lady's fit and I cannot believe how great it is! My two favorite features is the chest strap and the shoulder adjustment straps. All of the backpacks I have used have chest straps that are not effective because of their location. I cannot move it high enough for it to be effective and comfortable. This pack adjusts so it is actually across my chest (and not my breasts) and helps carry the weight. I also love the shoulder adjustment straps because it pulls the pack nice and close to my body so I am able to carry the weight close to my body. It makes all the difference. I am still learning about the different features and storage space. I have been using my backpack for sledding excursions and for day to day. I am looking forward to using it on a longer skiing trip and cannot wait for it to be my go to summer hiking pack!” Kari can be found on Instagram @pofahlpaths

Kari and her new pack.

Overall I am really enjoying the pack as it’s perfect for my height of 5ft 3 inches. If you are a taller women I would recommend trying it on first. I have only used it twice, but I have not found any complaints about it. I would highly recommend this pack to other women. I do always recommend that you go to a store to try a pack on before buying as they fit all body types differently.

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

Dinsmore Brook Conservation Area

Distance: Varies

Difficulty: Easy

I recently did this trail with some friends. Let’s just say that the hike did not go as planned. There are two locations for this hike. I chose the trail located on Old County North Road. There is a small kiosk and on the kiosk at the trail head was a sign that said bridge out. There was no other information. We decided to try the trail anyway. About a two tenths of a mile down the trail the bridge was out. The stream was too wide and high to cross. We ended up going back to the cars and headed for the other trailhead on Second NH Turnpike North. From Route 47 turn onto School House Road, then take the first sharp right turn onto the Turnpike, a few hundred yards and look for the woods road on the left hand side for the trailhead. There is a small white sign nailed to a tree.

The trail follows an old road/ATV/Snowmobile trails. I’m not sure if we were on the trail the whole hike or if we were just following the ATV/Snowmobile trails. There are trail markers making the trail, but halfway through the hike I did not see them anymore. There were views of wetlands and a flowing stream.

If you are going to hike this I would recommend printing off a map, it’s not the best map, but it gives you an idea of where you are going. The day that we did the trail it was very icy and of course I was the only one that did not have my micro spikes. My husband had bought me a new pair for Christmas and I was excited to try them out, but I figured with the warmer weather and rain that the trail would be muddy not icy. I was wrong.

The trail is relatively flat, my guess is it can be really muddy. There is not official parking area so you have to park on the side of the road. This would be a good trail for snowshoeing if we ever get any snow or if you are looking for a leisurely walk into the woods.

On a happy note three of us, a friend, my daughter and I finished the 365 Mile Challenge, meaning we did 365 self propelled miles in 2018. Click here to read more about the challenge.

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

Pulpit Rock Trail

Distance: 1-3.5 Miles

Difficulty: Easy

I have been hearing a lot about this trail and was recently in the area so I wanted to check it out. I ended up doing it on two different days because the first time we hike the trail, I parked at the wrong end and we did not make it to the main feature of the trail, which is the waterfall.

The first time we hiked it we parked the the trailhead located off Horace Greeley Road in Bedford. From Rt 101 we turned onto Joppa Hill Road. We followed the road until the intersection of Horace Greeley Road and Joppa Hill Road. There is a farm directly in front of you. Turn left and the trail head is on your right I would guess between a quarter of a mile to a half mile from the turn. There is a small sign marking the trailhead, but it is easy to miss. There is room for 1-2 cars to park here or your can drive a little bit down the dirt road. It can be muddy if we have had a lot of rain. There is a little bit bigger parking lot for 2-4 cars depending on the size of the cars. There is a small kiosk marking the start of the trail.

You start out of by walking along a bog where you can see beaver and birds. There are planks to walk over.

Then you head into the woods for a few minutes before coming to a split into the trail. You can go straight which loops you further up the trail, but is longer or you can take a left into the field. We went left through the field. There are signs stating animal activity in the field so they ask that you walk on the outskirts of the field to the other side and go back into the woods.

You meander through the woods, up little hills and over streams. We talked about a mile and half in, but due to having movie tickets, we did not have enough time to complete the whole three and half mile trail. I was disappointed that we did not make it to the main feature of the trail.

Since some of my coworkers live in this area I asked them about the trail. Of course we parked at the wrong end to see the falls. There is nothing wrong with doing the hike from where we started, but if you are on a time crunch I would not recommend it.

Since I hate to leave a trail unfinished I followed my co workers instructions and went back a second time, this time we parking at a much bigger parking lot off of New Boston Road in Bedford. This parking lot was better marked and had room for multiple cars. There is a sign that you need to lock your cars and secure your belongings, which I do not see at many trail heads so I wonder if there has been some break ins here.

We followed the Kennard Trail for almost a mile to Pulpit rock. We started out by walking on some board walks. Then following a fairly flat trail until we reached Pulpit Rock. There are a few side trails, but you want to stay on the Kennard Trail.

Once at Pulpit Rock there is a kiosk with information about the area.

You can stand and look down in to the gorge.

There are trails around the rock and down into the gorge. Due to the ice we were not able to get all the way down, but were able to get some decent views.

I am excited to come back and explore when there is no ice. Please use caution as the rocks can be very slippery, if you are hiking with kids make sure they stay away from the rocks.

If you want a shorter hike I would start from the New Boston Road side, if you are looking for a longer hike I would start from the Horace Greeley Road Side.