Wantastiquet Falls

Distance: Roadside

Difficulty: N/A

Located in Hinsdale, New Hampshire on the Vermont boarder is a hidden gem of a waterfall. The waterfall is located in the Wantastiquet State Natural Area. From 119 in Hinsdale take a right onto Mountain Road right before you cross the bridge into Vermont. The parking lot is at the end of Mountain Road. From the parking lot you can hear and sometimes see the waterfall. You walk a few feet up the trail with the gate on it. Once you are standing on a bridge/culvert look to your right and you can see the waterfall.

My guess is that this waterfall does dry up when there is not a lot of rain. You can walk up a small trail to the base of the waterfall, but use caution as there are a lot of loose rocks and it is pretty steep.

If it was warmer I would have loved to stick my head under this.

I would not travel just to see this waterfall as there is a chance it is not flowing, but if you are in the area it is worth the stop. There is no hike to this waterfall, but if you are looking for a hike I would recommend continuing the two miles to the top of Wantastiquet Mountain. It was towards the end of the afternoon when we visited so we did not hike the mountain, but after exploring about the mountain it looks like it would be a good hike up a series of switchbacks with views of the area. This trail also connects to the trails at Madame Sherri Forest.

Wellington State Park

Newfound Lake is my favorite lakes in New Hampshire. It is the deepest lake in the state and rumored to be the cleanest. Wellington State Park is located on the lake and is a day use park with one of the largest fresh water swimming beaches in New Hampshire. That park also offers a boat ramp, nature trails, a snack bar, picnic area, kayak rentals and access to hiking trails. There is a small day use fee to enter the park.

The beach and swimming is my favorite part about this park. The beach is nestled in a cove of the lake providing some beautiful scenery.

The long beach provides opportunity to spread out and enjoy the water, which can be on the cooler side.

On warm days this can be a popular beach. It is not uncommon for the park to close due to capacity before noon due to the large crowds. If you are planning a visit on a weekend during the summer months I highly recommend going early or visiting during the week.

Sculptured Rocks

Distance: Roadside

Difficulty: N/A

Sculptured Rocks has been on my “to visit” list for a long time. Recently we finally took a drive to check them out. Located on Sculptured Rocks Road in Groton, NH is Sculptured Rocks part of the New Hampshire State Parks System. The parking lot is on the left hand side of the road with a sign marking it.

Across the street is the natural area. There is an Iron Ranger to self pay the fee to visit the State Park and a small kiosk. There are trails that go up and down each side of the river. Since we visited right after a rain storm there was a lot of run off on the sides and over the rocks, make it very slippery. Use caution when visiting this area. I’m not sure how far the trails go as it go to wet and slippery for us to safely walk the whole distance.

From the bridge that crosses the river you get a good view of how the water has carved a canyon into the rocks.

With the recent rains the water was rushing. I have been told when the water is lower and during the summer months this is a popular swimming hole. My daughter is already begging for us to go back and jump off the rocks.

I did not see any bathroom facilities here. My guess is on a warm summer day it can get crowded. If you are in the Newfound Lake area, I would highly recommend checking out this natural wonder.

Perry Reservation

Distance: 2 Miles Oneway

Difficulty: Easy

Located on Route 124/Turnpike Road in Sharon is Perry Reservation. This land is managed by Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forest. If you are heading towards Jaffrey the trail is located after Gridley River on the left. There is a sign marking the trailhead.

There is no parking lot therefore you have to park on the side of the road. This can be a busy road so be cautious of how you park. During hunting season this is a popular hunting area so make sure you wear orange if you plan to walk here.

Once you leave the road you follow an old tote road. The trail is not marked, but the tote road is pretty easy to follow.

Off to your left is a swamp with vibrant green colors.

The downfall to this trail is about a half mile of it there are many blow downs and wet area’s. We were able to navigate around the area’s without getting too wet.

Once you get past the wet areas you walk through a fun tunnel of pine trees.

About a mile down the trail you reach Annette Road which is a class six road meaning there could be off road vehicles on it.

If you take a right you head towards Hubbard Pond Road and a residential area. If you take a right and you head towards Hubbard Pond and Annette State Forest, which is what we did.

After walking about a half mile there is split in the road where you bare left. This road is gated. You continue to walk about another half mile until you get to the dam and Hubbard Pond. To my knowledge you cannot get to the other side of the dam and Annette State Forest from here.

After enjoying the dam we turned around and headed back to our truck. The total distance is about 4 miles. This was not my favorite hike due to the amount of mud, water and down trees on the first section of the hike. Later on in the summer it may be better. I do enjoy Hubbard Pond as it is quiet and pretty. I would only hike this trail if you are comfortable navigating on your own and do not mind climbing around blowdowns and through mud.

Deering Wildlife Sanctuary Black Fox Trail.

Distance: 1 Mile to the Dam

Difficulty: Easy

Located on Clement Hill Road in Deering is Deering Wildlife Sanctuary which is a host to a variety of trails and outdoor exploration. The road to the trailhead is dirt and can be difficult to navigate during the winer and spring months. We visited the end of March without issue. The parking lot is on the right hand side on the road and is marketed by a small sign and a kiosk. This parking lot is for the Black Fox Trail. There are a couple other trailheads a little further down the road. I highly recommended printing off a map before you go.

We hiked the Black Fox Trail. This trail takes you through a recent forestry operation where they did selective cutting for the natural habitat. Parts of the trail can be muddy depending on when you visit.

You walk a gentle incline down towards Black Fox Pond. You are near private property so please be respectful and stay on the trail.

The trail takes you around Black Fox Pond, which is such a peaceful and beautiful pond.

There were bird boxes scattered around the shore and the islands. There was a lot sign of beaver. My guess is if you visit at the right time or do not have a talkative child with you, you can see some wildlife.

We walked to the Dam, which is almost a mile.

The trail continues around the pond and you can walk up an old dirt road back to Clement Hill Road and then back to your car. I am unsure of the distance.

There are still a lot of trails left for me to explore, but I really enjoyed walking along the pond as it was so peaceful. There is slight incline back up to the parking lot, but I feel this is a good hike for beginners.

Bruce Edes Memorial Forest Trails.

Distance: 1.5 Mile Loop

Difficulty: Easy

Located near the center of Bennington is a easy hiking path. The parking lot is located at the VFW on Summer Street. There is a sign that says “No Unauthorized Parking,” but that does not apply to those using the trails. There is plenty of parking at the VFW. Behind the VFW is a trail sign with a map and trail information.

You start out by walking down a set of old railroad tracks, which are perfect for balancing on.

Off to the left is a dam that provides a pretty waterfall and a bench to sit and enjoy the scenery.

As you walk down the railroad tracks you come to split in the trail where you can go right and walk along the river on the Blue Trail, go left and walk up into the woods or continue straight. We choose to walk along the river. There are various spots where you can get close to the water and enjoy the rapids.

At the end of the Blue Trail we connected back to the White Trail. A few hundred feet up the trail is a side trail, the Gold Trail, it takes you to a calmer spot in the river with a bench.

We continued around a loop on the White Trail, which meandered through the forests. There were many rocks to jump on and small streams to explore. It also looked like someone had raked the trail as it was really clean.

We did the loop, but did not do the trails in the middle of the forest. The loop was about 1.5 miles. The trail was fairly flat with very little incline. This is a great trail for younger children looking to jump on rocks and explore little streams or someone wanting to get a quick walk in.

Honey Hill

Distance: 1.5 Miles Oneway

Difficulty: Easy

Located in Swanzey is a nice hike with a beautiful view. Located just south of Monadnock High School and the trailhead for Mt. Caesar on Old Homestead Highway is the trailhead for Honey Hill. The parking lot looks like you are parking in someones front yard, but you are not. There is enough room for 4-5 cars. You walk up the left side of the lawn to the start of the trail. There is a sign at the start of the trail.

From here there are some down trees and it is pretty muddy.

About the first third of a mile of the trail was a steady incline. Then the trailed level out for about seven tenths of a mile.

Half of the trail is owned by the town of Swanzey and the second half of the trail is privately owned. Please be respectful when hiking this trail.

There are two ways to get to the top. You can go left and follow the blue trail which is a gentle switchback up to the top. The other options is to go right and take the yellow trail, which is about the same distance about a half mile,, but maybe a little steeper. We made a loop and went up the blue and down the yellow.

Once at the top you have a beautiful view of Mt. Monadnock .

There is also a bench to sit and enjoy the view.

Roundtrip the hike is about three miles. This is a good trail for beginner hikers or those with children who can hike a small incline and up to three miles. I enjoyed the view with this trail, I just wish it was more of a panoramic view to see the other mountains in the area.

Gleason Falls

I love a good waterfall and I love when I can find one in Southern New Hampshire. I am excited to add another one to my list. Gleason Falls is located on Beard Road in Hillsborough, NH. From West Main Street it is about 2.5 miles. The falls is right off the side of the dirt section of the road. There is a small area for parking and a sign marking the falls.

On the upstream part of the bridge you can see the start of the waterfall and a view of the beautiful stone bridge.

Downstream of the bridge is a small foot path to the stunning view of the waterfall.

There was a small pool at the bottom that I wonder if it could be a swimming hole.

About a mile back down the road, heading towards town, is a small picnic area. We spent about an hour playing around the pond and soaking up the sun. This was a perfect spot to spend time enjoying nature.

If you are in the Hillsborough area this waterfall and picnic area are worth checking out.

Cross Country Skiing in Jackson, New Hampshire

Have you ever seen, heard or read about places and you are constantly thinking, “I need to go there.” I keep a list of places I want to visit so when we are able to I can look quickly and pick a destination. On a recent mini vacation we had goals of cross country skiing. We were staying in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire and planned to cross country ski at Gunstock. Due to recent rains that was not a possibility. We decided to take the chance and drive north to more snow.

We ended up at Jackson Cross Country Ski Center located in the center of Jackson, NH. There is a small ski shop, check in area and seating area with tables and chairs. The receptionist was hesitant to let us go out on the trails as they were icy and only wanting people with cross country skiing experience on them. Luckily we have a few years experience under our feet and were able to get out on the trails. I highly recommend brining a map as there are a lot of trails. From the center you can ski around a field, which I believe is a golf course in the summer. The field was a little icy. We were were directed to ski along the Ellis River Trail.

To get to the Ellis Brook Trail you skip through a covered bridge and through a tunnel under the road.

There is also a section where you have to take your ski’s off to cross a dirt road. Once on the trail again we had great skiing conditions in the woods. We skied up along Ellis River, which was absolutely beautiful.

There was a little loop with a storybook on it, which is a nice addition for those skiing with kids.

After the Storybook Trail there was a Coco Hut where on the weekends and vacations it is open serving hot chocolate. Due to the recent rain and decrease in skiers the hut was not open. They had some cute figurines we could take a picture behind.

We skied up to the National Forest Boundary Line, then headed back to the ski lodge. We skied about 4-5 miles, which we were happy with since we were not sure we were going to get a ski in.

If you are either new to cross country skiing or been skiing for years that is a trail for you at in Jackson.

Winter Fun off the Slopes at Gunstock

We are not big downhill skiers. We have done it a few times, but it is not my daughters favorite. Therefore planning a winter mini vacation in New Hampshire is not always easy. When looking for activities tubing was high on our list. I read that Gunstock had one of the best tubing hills in New Hampshire, so we wanted to check it out.

The day we visited it had rained in the morning so we were not sure how it would be. We lucked out and it was snowing/freezing rain on the mountain so it did not impact the tubing hill. We did not order tickets ahead of time, which we probably should have as it is in 2 hour blocks, 12-2, 2-4 etc. We arrived a little after noon and were able to get in enough runs in the time allotted. My guess is when the weather is a nicer it can get very busy.

The tubing hill is a lot of fun. You are brought up on rope tow, so you do not have to walk up for every run.

Despite not having the best weather, we had a lot of fun doing multiple runs down the hill.

Included in the price of the tubing ticket is rides on the Mountain Coaster. We have done the Mountain Coaster in the summer, but never in the winter. It is a lot colder rushing down the mountain during the colder months, but still so much fun.

We had a great afternoon off the slopes. The staff were very friendly and personable. Even if you are not a down hill skier, Gunstock offers a lot of outdoor fun off the slopes.

2021 Update: With COVID Guidelines in place you need to reserve tickets in advance and there are no funds or exchanges. They replaced the tow rope with a magic carpet, which I felt was better. The mountain coaster was not running the day we visited and when I asked one of the attendants they were not sure if it was opening this winter. If this is on your list to do with tubing, I recommend calling before buying tickets. Tubing is still just as fun as it was last year.

Prescott Farm

Distance: Varies

Difficulty: Easy

Located in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire is a wonderful nature play area and trails. Prescott Farm is located only minutes from Weirs Beach in Laconia. They have many events throughout the year as well as a preschool, camps, nature programs and more. I have been wanting to visit for some time now and finally got the opportunity.

From the parking lot were some nice views.

Located right off the parking lot is the Nature Play area.

The Natures Playground is filled with a variety of play area’s made out of a variety of handmade items and the use of natures own items. There was a music area, a kitchen area, a playhouse with a slide and much more. Plenty to keep kids entertained for a couple hours.

My 10 year old was not as into it, but I think it is perfect for those under 10. She at least humored me.

In addition to the play area there are some nature trails. We walked the Pond Trail, which was easy walking. I apologized that I forgot to take pictures, as I was too caught up in the moment in walking through the woods with my family, which is a good thing. The trail was easy to walk.

The best part about these trails is they connected to our hotel, The Summit Resort, If you are saying here you can access these trails without having to get into your car.

If you are in the Lakes Region and want your children to burn off some energy this is a great place to take them.

Hitchiner Town Forest

Distance 1.5 Mile Loop

Difficulty: Easy

I am surprised with the amount of hiking trails that Milford, NH has. I feel like I am constantly finding a new one. I recently explored a new trail. Located on Mullen Road off of Osgood Road in Milford is Hitchiner Town Forest. This is a great forest that provides some nice hiking trails, many rock walls, connections to other trails and some surprisingly nice views.

There is a large parking lot, which is always nice at a trailhead. There are some covered picnic tables, but I read they are part of the Boy Scouts so I am not sure they are for public use. From the parking lot you can take a trail off to the right that heads towards the Burns Farm Trails which is park of Beaver Brook. If you go straight towards the covered picnic tables there is a small kiosk with the start of the trail.

There are two loops. One small one and one little big bigger. Both loops are only 1.5 miles.

All Trails Map

The trail is fairly flat. You hike through the forest and there are several areas where you can see evidence of an old stone walls.

There were also several areas that has glacier erratics.

There are two small areas with a little incline. As you are walking along the trail there are two ways to get to the summit of Burns Hill. The first trail split is the East Summit Trail on the left. This trail is a little steeper, but only for a few hundred feet.

You can continue down the trail to the South Summit Trail which takes a left. If you go straight you can hike on to Mile Slip Forest.

We found the forest was very beautiful and peaceful.

At the top of Burns Hill is a beautiful view of the Wapack Range, Rose and Pinnacle Mountains and way in the distance you could see Mt. Kearsarge. For such little effort I was surprised at the expansive and scenic view. I wish it was a little clearer as I think we could have seen further.

We looped back around to the East Trail and back to our car. I really enjoyed this trail. There is a variety to see. Plenty of rocks and trees for kids to explore and a beautiful view with minimal effort. A great trail for beginner hikers, hiking with younger children or anyone who wants to get a quick hike with beautiful scenery.

Mayflower Hill Town Forest

Distance: 1-2 Miles

Difficulty: Easy

Located on Shady Lane in Milford is a pretty little town forest. Mayflower Hill Town Forest has a couple different trailheads. The Shady Lane trailhead was the first one we came upon and there was a small parking we decided to explore the trail from there.

The forest and trails are small, only 1-2 miles, but so worth checking out. Check out the map to make sure you hit the lookout point. The trails are very easy to follow as they are well marked with white signs and arrows.

The loop we did from Shady Lane took us by a water tower and through a pretty little forest.

There was a lot of evidence of cellar holes and old quarries.

The best part of the hike was the view of the Wapack Range and Pack Monadnock. For such an easy hike, it was a beautiful view.

This is a fun hike for all ages and abilities or if you are looking for a quick hike with a nice view.

Warner Hill Fire Tower

We have been working on finishing the Fire Tower Patch Challenge. After we hiked our number four fire tower at Pawtuckaway State Park we wanted something close by so we could finish with number five. Warner Hill Fire Tower located in Derry, NH was only about 30 minutes away, so we went to check it out.

The Fire Tower is located off of Warner Hill Road. I had read that there was not a sign marking the road, but there is one there now. The road is gated so you have to park along the side. You walk only about a tenth of a mile up to the fire tower. I would not think of this has a hike, but a quick walk. The fire tower was recently updated.

There is not much of a view from the top of the tower, but you could see a little.

If you are in the area and like fire towers it is cool to check out, but there is no hike involved and very little views.

Pawtuckaway Fire Tower

Distance: .4 miles oneway

Difficulty: Easy side of Moderate

Pawtuckaway State Park in Nottingham, New Hampshire offers an array of outdoor activities. We recently visited with the solo goal of hiking to the fire tower. The tower is located on the South Summit. There are a few different ways to get here, but we chose the shortest and steepest trail. The trail is located off of Route 107. There are signs for the fire tower along Reservation Road and then Tower Road. Part of the road is dirt and my guess is during the wet season some of the road floods. You can bring a car in here, but I would recommend an SUV or Truck.

There are several trailheads along this road. The one that goes to the Fire Tower has an outhouse. It is nice that there is an outhouse, but it is not very clean. I am not picky about outhouses, but this one was pretty bad.

There is a sign that marks the start of the trail.

The trail starts out steep.

There are a lot of boulders and my daughter enjoyed exploring them.

The trail continues to be fairly steep until you get to the tire tower. The good thing is, it is only .4 miles to the tower.

With it being mid November, leaves on the ground and some ice I could see where the trail could get slippery. Please use caution.

Being able to climb up a fire tower is pretty fun.

The views from the tower are pretty good.

Even though it is a short and steep hike it is worth it for the views.

There are other trails if you wanted to make your hike longer. If you are visiting the state park I highly recommend checking out the other trails.

Edward MacDowell Reservoir Loop

Distance: 4.6 mile loop

Difficulty: Easy

Located in Peterborough, New Hampshire is MacDowell Dam Reservoir which is part of the Army Corps of Engineers. The area provides an array of outdoor activities from a beach for swimming, trails for bike riding, picnic areas, opportunities for canoeing or kayaking and hiking trails. There are several trails around the reservoir. The write up is about the trail that goes around the lake.

I parked in the small parking lot across the dam. From here you can easily access the trail. The trail meanders through the woods with views of the lake.

One of the things I loved about this trail was there were a lot of foot bridges to cross.

As you got closer to Route 137 in Peterborough you walked along Branch Brook, which provided some small, but beautiful cascades.

Right before you get to Route 137 is a new bridge that crosses the brook and goes up to the road.

It is about two and a quarter miles from the parking lot at McDowell Dam to Rt 137. From here you can either turn around and head back the way you came or you can take a right and walk the road for little less than a mile. You walk along Rt 137 to Spring Road. There is a small parking lot on your right as you walk onto Spring Road, but this is not the trail, it is a dead end. Keep going past this small parking lot to Richardson Road. There is a trail sign leading you to take a right onto this road.

As you loop back around you do walk through a residential area before getting back to the trail. By trail I mean it is more an old road.

This side of the lake provides a lot better views, but it can be windy and at certain times of the year this area can flood. This is also a popular area for people to run and swimming their dogs.

When you are back on the dam make sure you check of the view.

The loop was 4.6 miles. It was pretty level the whole way with a couple small hills on the wood side. I really enjoy walking along the lake and the brook. The only downside was having to walk along Rt 137, but we did not see a lot of traffic. This is such a great hike if you want to giet some miles in without a lot of elevation and beautiful views.

Palmer-Bartell Forest

Distance: 2 Mile Loop

Difficulty: Easy side of Moderate

Located on Route 13 in Brookline near the Milford town line is the Palmer-Bartell Forest. This trail has off road parking with a kiosk. The trail starts out very wide.

It crosses the rail trail that goes between Milford and Brookline. After crossing the rail trail the path narrows and starts gradually up hill.

I was surprised with how much incline there was. The trails are not well marked. There was some signs, but I did have to use my All Trails App to determine which trails I wanted to hike. If you do not have that app I recommend printing out a map with bring with you. Despite the trails not being marked well, they are maintained well.

My daughter and I did the loop around the Balanced Rock Trail. We did walk along the power lines for several hundred feet There is not much of a view.

We encountered a couple small rock scrambles.

Since we live in New Hampshire a hike is not complete without seeing at least once rock wall.

The loop we did was a little over two miles. There are several other options of trails to explore if you wanted a longer hike. Due to some inclines and small rock scrambles I would not recommend this trail for young kids unless they are good hikers. Good for all other ages and hiking abilities.

Five Fun Fall Activities

I love fall and living in New England. We are fortunate to have an array of fall fun activities. Hiking is obviously one of my favorite activities but I do enjoy other fall activities. Below are some of my favorite places to visits or events to enjoy. I apologize for the lack of photo’s as some of these we have visited in the evening/night time so not the best of taking photo’s. Also I get carried away with being with my family that I forget to take photo’s, I hope no one will fault me for that.

Red Apple Farm in Phillipston, Massachusetts. There are so many options around New England for apple picking that it is really hard to pick one to visit let alone a favorite one. We recently visited Red Apple Farm and loved the variety of activities. Besides apple and pumpkin picking, there is a gift shop with a variety of products and food. Our favorite in the gift shop were the hot cider donuts and hot apple cider. There are hiking trails, various play areas for kids, wagon rides and farm animals. I may have fallen in love with the baby goat.

One of our favorite buildings was the Brew Barn. They had a nice selection of local beers on tap. My husband and I got a flight of beer to sample.

For lunch they have a very popular open air BBQ pit. The food was fresh, well made and flavorful. We spent about 3-4 hours exploring the area, We loved the variety and that there was something for everyone.

Trombly Farms Milford, New Hampshire This farm has a huge variety of pumpkins and some local goods in their shop. They also have a corn maze. My favorite part is on the weekends they do an after dark corn maze where you have to find your way through the maze in the dark. The night we went the moon was bright, it was fun trying to navigate through the maze by the moonlight. There were some teenagers trying to scare each other which can add some fright to your adventure. If you have not done a corn maze after dark, i highly recommend it, it’s a different but fun experience.

Barrett Hill Farm Mason, New Hampshire This farm has produce at their stand that is always fresh and flavorful along with a variety of local products. In season they also have strawberries and blueberries for picking. The last couple years they have put on an event called the Haunted Mile. They lead you on a mile hike around their fields and through their forest trying to scare you. Last year I took my nine year old daughter and her friend and they were just scared enough, but loved it. I’m excited to see what they have done this year.

New Hampshire Audubon Society Concord, New Hampshire This is a fun place to check out year round with their hiking trails and displays insides their building. Around Halloween they do an Enchanted Forest where they guide you on a Jack-o-Lantern lit walk. Along the walk you stop at various points to listen to stories. This is a very family friendly event as it is not scary. If you have young children I recommend you check it out. You do need to buy tickets in advance.

Birchward Apple Orchard on Reed Road in Mason New Hampshire is not the typical orchard you would expect to see on a top list of places to visit, but it is one of my favorites. It is close to my home. It is a quiet orchard that has a good variety of apples, peaches and plums. The reason that I have included it in my list is because I love the view and they have a great variety of apples that are all crisp and flavorful and not too expensive. The staff is always friendly. If you are looking for a place to pick without crowds or any frills, this is the place to visit.

Mt Kearsarge via the Auto Road

Distance .5 Miles

Difficulty: Easy side of moderate

Located in Wilmont, NH is Mt. Kearsarge. This has been on my list to do for a while as my daughter and i have been trying to finish the Fire Tower Challenge, which we have been procrastinating on. I am motivated to finish this challenge this year so we took a little trip to explore the mountain.

We hiked Pitcher Mountain in Stoddard on the way up to Kearsarge so we could check off two fire towers.

View from Pitcher Mountain in Stoddard

I should have done more research before heading to Kearsarge. Our goal was to go up the auto road and hike the trail up to the fire tower. I did not realize there were two entrances to the mountain First we went to Winslow State Park. Here is access to some hiking trails and a picnic spot, but not the auto road. Thankfully the Rangers were very nice and called over to Rollins State Park , where the auto road is located and let them know we were coming and we did not have to pay the park entrance fee again. The parks are about 30 minutes away from each other.

Once we found the correct park, it is about a three and half mile drive up the auto road to a parking lot and picnic area. This was a great place to have lunch before we headed up to the fire tower.

From the parking area there are two trails, the Lincoln Trail, which we were told was rough, steep and had big boulders. Since we only had sneakers we opted to take the Rollins Trail to the top. Both trails are about a half mile. The trail was rockier and steeper than I expected.

It was also muddy in spots despite the lack of rain we have had. A couple sections of the trail had large rubber mats that my daughter called the magic carpet. I was not a fan of these as they did not feel stable to walk on. I am not sure why they had them on the trail.

There are some beautiful views along the trail, but the view from the top is amazing.

You get a 365 degree view of the area. With such little effort, it is a huge reward. The fire tower was closed, it looked like they were making some repairs to it.

The only thing I wish we had brought was our hiking boots due to the multiple loose rocks on the trail and at times it being so steep you could easily twist an ankle. I saw that some places classified this trail as easy, but I would say it is more the easy side of moderate. If you are looking for a short hike with a magnificent reward this hike is worth the drive up the mountain.