Pillsbury State Park

Pillsbury State Park is a hidden gem of the New Hampshire State Parks. The park features, camping, hiking, kayaking and a day use area. Located off of Rt 31 in Washington, NH is this wonderful state park. When you pull into the park there is a ranger’s station off the right where you stop to pay a small fee to use the park or register for camping. There is a small camp store that had some cool stickers.

We have visited Pillsbury State Parking for camping and for day use. For day use this is a great place to canoe or kayak. The launch point is past the ranger’s station. There is also canoes to rent. You start out by paddling around Butterfield Pond.

Then you can paddle through The Narrows into May pond.

This pond is a little bigger and there are small rock islands around the pond. It’s a very pretty and a fun area to explore. On several occasions we have seen a Loon with her babies.

This is also a great place to have a picnic at their small day use area. There are a few picnic tables, a shelter that can be rented for gatherings, an older slide and swings, outhouses and views of Mill Pond. From here there is also access to several hiking trails.

We have also spent a couple nights camping at Pillsbury State Park. It is not a big campground, which is nice as you can spread out or be in a group of people. We stayed at site 10 which has beautiful views and access to the water.

There is no electricity at their sites, so you are camping off grid. If you want a little more adventure there are sites you can hike or canoe to. We spent our time kayaking, fishing, hiking a couple of the smaller hiking trails. I really enjoyed walking out the Narrows, which is a 15 minute walk out to where Butterfield and May Pond meet.

This is one of the most relaxing camping trips we have taken. Our daughter loves campgrounds with a lot of amenities and activities, but it was nice to have a couple low key days.

The only downside is there is no swimming here. If you are camping you can swim at Lake Sunapee State Park for free, which is about 20 minutes away. Overall, we love Pillsbury State Park. With it being about an hour from our house it is a perfect place to camp or spend the day to relax and reconnect with nature. .

Parish Pond Town Forest

Distance: 2.1 with option for more or less, loop trail

Difficulty: Easy

Located in Amherst, NH is Parish Pond hiking trail. This is an easy hike, good for the whole family. The trail head is located on Spring Road and is marked with a hiking sign. After looking at the trail map I saw a couple other parking lots as well on Embarkment Road and Parish Pond Road.

From the parking lot you can go straight towards Beaver Dam Lookout or turn left towards the main part of the trail. We started out by going left and walking across a boardwalk.

From the boardwalk you get a view of a small stream and the bog.

About a quarter of a mile past the boardwalk is split in the trail. You can go either way as this is a loop. We chose to go left.

The trail is well marked with signs and yellow trail makers. We did see some red trail markers on part of the trail.

We continued on a flat walk through the woods. Part of the trail does border a residential area so please be mindful.

About a 3/4 of a mile through the hike you come to another split in the trail. Left heads towards the parking lot on Bamboosic Lake Road as well as the Josiah Parker Trail, which I am not familiar with. We went right to continue around the loop.

After another quarter of a mile is another split in the trail. You can go straight towards the Parish Pond Road parking lot or continue right around the loop. We continued around the loop. I have to admit this part of the trail I was a little disappointed in. Looking at the map, I thought we were going to be walking along the edge of the bog. We technically were, but there was no view, we continued to walk through the forest.

There is a side trail to an observation deck. it was a little less than a quarter of a mile down to the viewing area, with a viewing platform and a place to sit.

From the observation deck you got a pretty view of the bog. I bet in the fall, when the colors are turning this is beautiful.

We walked back to the start of the loop, towards the parking lot. At the junction for the parking and the Beaver Dam Lookout it was about 1.65 miles. We chose to take a left and check out the Beaver Dam. It is only three tenths of mile to the lookout. This is a pretty view of the pond and a beaver house. There is also a bench to sit and enjoy the view .

A few feet down the trail you can see evidence of a beaver dam. We had had a lot of rain so the water flowing over the dam.

From here we returned to the parking lot. The whole hike was about 2.1 miles. I read that in the winter people snowshoe and cross country ski here. This was no a favorite trail, but if you are in the area and need to kill some time it is a nice walk through the woods.

Tippin Rock Trail

Distance: 1 Mile oneway

Difficulty: more difficulty side of easy

Located in Swanzey, NH is Tippin Rock hiking trail, which is part of the Monadnock Conservancy. This is a fun hiking trail for the whole family. The trailhead is across the street from Chebaco Kennel’s on Warmac Road. The parking lot is on the edge of a field and there is only enough space for 1-2 cars. Many websites have reported if these two spots are full do not park in front of gate or along the road and recommend you come back at another time.

From the parking lot you walk through the field towards the right corner of the lot.

On the edge of the woods is trail sign and map marking the start of the trail.

From here the trail is a gradual incline for about .6 miles.

The trail flattens out and after another .1 miles you reach Tippin Rock. The story is that if you push on the right spot you can get it to rock. My husband tried, but was not successful.

From here you continue past the rock. Make sure you look off to your right as there is a small cave that is fun to check out.

Roughly another .1 of a mile you come to the first and best lookout of the trail. There is a nice ledge outcropping where you get beautiful untouched views looking west towards Vermont.

There is a second lookout a little further down, but it is not as good as the first.

Overall, we really enjoyed this trail. It was only a mile long and had enough of an incline to give us a little workout. This is a great trail for families as there is enough to keep kids entertained from the rock, cave and if you visit the right time of year, blueberries.

Rhododendron State Park

Distance: .6 mile loop with option for more.

Difficulty: Easy

Trail is good for strollers or wheelchairs

Located in Fitzwilliam, NH is Rhododendron State Park. This park is known for its grove of Rhododendron that blooms in mid July. The park is located on Rhododendron Road, with a sign marking the park. There is a parking area, outhouses and a couple picnic tables.

A trail map guides you around the property. I recommend doing the loop through the Wildflower trail, which marks a variety of wildflowers, then continue through the Rhododendron area. The trail is flat and easy to navigate.

The rhododendron provide a fun tunnel to walk through, making this a perfect hike for young children.

The best time to visit is when the flowers are in bloom. The state park website provides a bloom report. so you can try to plan your trip accordingly.

The loop is a little over a half mile, but if you want a little longer hike, you can connect with the Little Monadnock Trail from here.

Weekend at Huttopia Southern Maine

Glamping has been on my to do list for a while. Huttopia, is a Canadian based company that has locations in Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Canada. We wanted a last minutes weekend get away and decided to give them a try. We tried New Hampshire first, but they were booked. The Maine location had sites available.

Located in Sanford Maine one of the Huttopia glamping resort compiled of tiny homes and canvas tents. When you arrive you check in at the office, which also has a small store and a restaurant. After check-in you park in a large parking lot and carry your items to you tent/tiny home as there is no vehicles allowed in the campground. There are wagons if needed. I would say the furthest you have to walk is about a quarter of a mile.

Our tent was fairly close to the parking lot. It had a nice little porch with a gas camp stove and a couple chairs.

We had two bedrooms with a kitchenette area. Some tents have bathrooms, but ours did not.

The bathrooms were close to our tent and very clean. The tent was equipped with everything we needed; linens, kitchenware, camp stove, mini fridge, a fire pit, picnic table and two camp chairs. Our only complaint was the fire pit and picnic table where located behind the tent. It would have been nice if they were in front of the porch, most tents had the fire pits and picnic tables in the front.

We walked around the campground to explore the amenities, which are…

• pool

• playground

• various outdoor games

• hammocks

• pond and beach area with canoe and paddle board rentals

• fishing

• restaurant

We enjoyed dinner at the restaurant, which was pizza and beer.

The outdoor dining area is very relaxing with tables, chairs, lawn chairs and hammocks.

We brought our own kayak and spent the evening paddling around the pond and swimming.

We wrapped up the evening with a camp fire and s’mores. My daughter liked that there were no cars in the campground so she could freely ride her bike everywhere.

Saturday morning we got up and had a yummy breakfast of smoothies, croissants and crepes.

After breakfast we took a nice hike around Bauneg Beg Mountain Conservation Area, which is less than five minutes from the resort.

After our hike we decided to head towards the ocean. Wells Beach is only about 25 minutes away from the resort. This is a great beach to spend a few hours.

After the beach we stopped for a late lunch at Food For Thought in Ogunquit. My husband had a beer and I had an adult capri sun, which was so good. Our food was amazing, my husband had a lobster roll, my daughter a salad, I got Nashville Chicken Sandwich and we split an order of street corn. The service was fantastic as well.

Next we stopped for a round of go-carts and mini golf at Wonder Mountain Funpark.

On the way back to the resort we stopped at Shain’s of Maine for some delicious ice cream. We spent the rest of the evening hanging around the tent. My husband said that I should not lie as I feel asleep at 7pm. The resort did have a band playing for a couple hours. We did not mind the music, but if you were looking for peace and quiet during your stay you may not have enjoyed it.

We left early Sunday Morning. Overall, we really enjoyed our stay. It was so nice not to have to pack everything for camping. If you are looking for an outdoor experience without having to buy all the camping gear this is the perfect place for you. We did feel that the price was a little expensive at around $250 a night. We would love to check out the other locations to see what they were like.

Bauneg Beg Mountain Conservation Area

Distance: 1.5 Mile Loop

Difficulty: Easy with a rock scramble

Bauneg Beg Mountain Conservation Area is located at 279 Fox Farm Hill Road in North Berwick, Maine. This is a great family hike in Southern Maine. We were recently staying at Huttopia and wanted a quick morning hike and this was perfect. There is a small parking lot at the trailhead. The trail starts out with some foot bridges, which are always fun to walk on.

A little further up the trail you will see a sign off to your right to North Peak. You can go this way for the loop or you can go straight, we chose straight. The trail continues through the woods following white trail blazes, then up a steady incline for a few hundred feet. You will come to another split in the trail. You can go left to Ginny’s Way or go right to Linny’s Way. We chose to go right.

After a short time you come to another split in the trail where you can go left through Devils Den or right towards North Peak. We went through Devils Den which is a fun little rock scramble.

Once you reach the top of the rock scramble you bear left and head towards the view point. On a clean day you can see Mt. Washington, but the day we visited it was cloudy, but still a pretty view.

You can go straight and head towards another parking lot/road on the other side of the lookout or you can go back down Devils Den, which we chose to do. After going back through Devil’s Den we took the trail to North Peak, This is a pretty trail through the woods. When you get to North Peak there is no view, but plenty of blueberry bushes.

The trail loops back to the start of the trail and then it is a short walk back to the parking lot. The loop we did was only about a mile and half, but you could do more if wished. We really enjoyed this hike, it was pretty and allowed you to get a little workout in. This is a good hike for children who like to climb as Devils Den is fun to climb.

Wells beach

Maine has several beautiful ocean beaches. Wells Beach is not exception. After traveling from Downeast Maine we needed to stop and stretch our legs. After some delicious pizza from Seacoast Pizza we decided to walk Well Beach.

We drove to Atlantic Ave in Wells and went to the northern end where there is a metered parking lot for Wells Beach. Since it was Sunday afternoon there was plenty of parking. The charge was $4 an hour. There is a bathroom/changing area and an outdoor shower. From the parking lot there is two options for beach access. There is a small beach right behind the restrooms that is located in an inlet. My guess is at high tide there is not a lot of room.

The water was warmer, shallow and no waves.

To the left of the bathroom/pay meter is a beautiful path to the main beach area. I just loved the roses that lined the path.

The path is about an 1/8 of a mile to the beach. The beach is so beautiful. We walked about a mile down the beach and it looked like it went much further. There was more than enough room to spread out.

We did not swim, but there looked like a lot of fun waves to play in.

There was also a cool jetty that you could walk on.

This beach has made us excited to come back and explore further. There did not appear to be a lot of public parking, so I would plan ahead to ensure you get a parking spot.

6/26/2021 Update: We went back to the beach to swim and it was so much fun. The day we visited it was a little cloudy and windy. I thought for sure the parking lot was going to be full as we arrived around noon, but there was plenty of spells. The water was cold, but waves were a lot of fun to play in. There was plenty of room on the beach to spread out. If you are in the area I highly recommend you checking this beach out.

Ferry Way Trail Loop

Distance: 2 Mile Loop Trail

Difficulty: Easy

Located in the Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Newington, NH is a great loop trail overlooking The Great Bay. Located at the end of Merrimac Drive is the parking lot for the Ferry Way Trail Loop and Peverly Pond Trail. At the parking lot there is a kiosk and porta potty’s. From the parking lot you walk across the road to the trailhead.

The trail starts out by following a fence.

After the fence the trail goes down a small hill and bares to the left. You walk down a very wide trail. There are no trail markers, but it is pretty easy to follow.

About a half mile down the trail is the junction of the loop. You can continue straight or you can take a right and go across the bridge. We chose to go right.

After walking across the bridge you come into an open field. It was not obvious which way to go. My guess is when the grass has grown some it is easier to tell. You continue to walk straight.

After the field you walk down a wooded path.

Then you come to an over look of the Great Bay. Across the bay you can see Adams Point, another great hiking path.

After this lookout the trail starts to loop back around to the parking lot. There are spots along the trail that provide benches for people to sit and rest of enjoy the great outdoors.

This is a two mile flat, easy loop. I wish the trail had more water views. Overall not a bad trail to check out if you are in the area.

Peverly Pond Trail

Distance: .5 Miles Loop Trail

Difficulty Easy

No dogs allowed

Located in the Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Newington, NH is a great boardwalk trail. Located at the end of Merrimac Drive is the parking lot for the Ferry Way Trail Loop and Peverly Pond Trail. At the parking lot there is a kiosk and porta potty’s. The trailhead for Peverly Pond is off to the left.

This is a loop and whole trail is a boardwalk.

There is a lookout point that over looks the pond. This is a popular area to birdwatch.

From the pond loop you walk back to the parking lot. Right before the parking lot is a sign for a vernal pool.

This trail is only a half mile. This is great for little legs, strollers, wheel chairs etc. If you are looking for a longer hike I recommend walking the Ferry Way Trail Loop across the parking lot.

Goose Pond

Distance: 2.25 mile loop

Difficulty: Easy

Located on East Surry Road in Keene, NH is a pretty trail. Goose Pond has been on my to do list for a while and I am kind of upset I waited so long to hike it. There are two small parking lots for the trail. There was a sign directing people to the second parking area, which has a sign on it.

You start up a gradual incline into the woods. You walk about a quarter to a half mile in the woods before you come to Goose Pond. Once you get to the pond you can go right or left as this is where the loop starts and ends. We chose to go left. The trail follows around the edge of the pond.

For the most part the trail stays on the edge of the pond. There are a couple sections that goes into the woods and crosses a couple streams.

A downside to this trail is it is not well marked There are some faded white blazes in some places along the trail, but a couple times I had to pull out the All Trails app to make sure we were going the right way.

There are a couple dams that you walk over as you are looping back around.

Another downside to this trail is right after the second dam is a sluiceway that had water flowing over it. Since my husband and I had sneakers on we could not cross it, but if you had waterproof boots on you could. We ended up having to walk down to the first parking lot and walk about 900 feet up the road back to our car, which was not too big of a deal as the road was not that busy.

Overall I loved this hike. The pond was beautiful and the trail was easy to walk. If you are in the Keene area I highly recommend checking out this trail.

Channing Trail at The Harris Center

Distance: 3.5 Miles Loop

Difficulty Easy

The Harris Center on Kings Highway in Hancock, NH is host to an array of hiking trails like North Pond Trail and Skatutakee Mountain. Behind the Harris Center building is another series of trails, called East Side Rails. When you are looking at the Harris Center building I recommend parking on the right hand side as the start of these trails are straight back towards a kiosk at the end of the lawn and edge of the woods. You follow the Dandelelyon Trail into the woods to the Boulder Trail. The Boulder Trail is a Loop, but we chose to take the trail off to the right. You walk through a beautiful boulder field towards Channing Trail.

My plan was to walk the Babbitt Trail Loop, but when we got to the intersection of this trail it had not been packed down and we were only wearing our microspike’s so we decided to continue on Channing Trail. The trail continues through the woods. There was a small stream and a bridge, but not much else for water features.

You continue through the woods and there is a small bog on your right.

This trail does pop out onto Kings Highway, which is a dirt road. You go left and head back towards the Harris Center. It is about a half of a mile walk back to the parking lot. The trail itself is relatively flat and easy to follow. I really enjoyed hiking this trail with friends. If you enjoy a nice walk through the woods, I highly recommend checking out this trail.

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Madison Boulder

Distance: .4 Miles

Difficulty: Easy

Did you know that the largest glacial erratic in North American and possibly the world is located right here in New Hampshire. When I was doing some research for my Explore the Granite State Challenge I learned about Madison Boulder. Located on Boulder Road in Madison is this amazing natural wonder. In the winter you have to park along the road as the parking lot is not plowed. In the non snowy months there is a small parking lot.

From the parking lot you walk .4 miles down a flat path to this amazing boulder.

From the NH State Park Website, “Boulder is a huge granite rock measuring 83 feet in length, 23 feet in height above the ground, 37 feet in width, and weighs upwards of 5,000 tons.” The boulder was pretty impressive. To get an idea of how big it is, in the picture below is my husband and daughter. My husband is 6ft 2in.

We only spent about 30 minutes total here, therefore I would not make this my primary destination, but if you are in the Conway area I highly recommend stopping to check it out.

Night Away at Wentworth by the Sea

Since COVID, we are missing our regular getaways. We were getting itchy for a change of scenery, but did not want to leave New Hampshire. An impromptu night away at The Wentworth by the Sea was just what we needed. Located in New Castle, outside of Portsmouth is this beautiful historic hotel. With our AAA Card we were able to get a better discount than the trip saver sites.

We left after work on a Friday night and stopped for dinner at Smuttynose Brewery in Hampton. Their restaurant is separate from the brewery. When they weather is warmer they had a nice set up outside with tables, chairs and fire pits. We were able to reserve a table ahead of time through Yelp. We enjoyed the atmosphere, beer and food. I was finally able to try a key lim pie beer, something I have been wanting to try and loved it.

Upon arrival to the hotel the check in process was very easy. The staff were friendly and they were taking appropriate COVID precautions to ensure everyone safety.

Our room was a typical two queen bed room. A nice perk was we had a little balcony, which would have been nice if i was warmer out, the view was still enjoyable.

We heading straight to the pool and hot tub area. Some of the amenities were closed due to COVID like the sauna, so if you are looking for a specific amenity make sure you ask ahead of time if it is open. The pool area had a limit of 20 people managed by the staff, we had the place to ourselves most of the evening.

The only downfall was there was no place to get a snack and we did not plan to bring snacks with us. There was a restaurant, but it was pretty expensive just to order an appetizer.

The next morning we enjoyed the pool and hot tub before checking out. If it was nicer there was a walking path down to Great Island Common, which is a park with great views of the ocean I would have loved to walk. With it being near zero degrees out we chose to drive instead.

The final stop for late breakfast was Donut Love in Hampton. If you love donuts this is a must stop if you are in the area.

Prior to check out there was a note slipped under our door offering us a second night at a substantially lower price, but we did felt one night away was enough. It was nice of them to offer this promotion.

Overall we loved our stay at the Wentworth by the Sea and would recommend this to couples, girls weekends, or those with older children. I would not recommend younger children as I saw a couple signs asking for children to keep noise at an appropriate level. All in all a great and much needed night away.

Fort Foster Park

Distance: Can do up to 3-4 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Located on Pocahontas Rd, in Kittery Point is a beautiful park with walking paths along the ocean. We visited in November and the gate was closed to the park, but you could park along the side of the road and walk in. It was a little under a half mile to the ocean from where we parked. Once at the ocean there is an old fort that you can walk on and a playground.

There is also a nice boardwalk to walk out on and get a view of the ocean.

There are some beaches to explore as well. My favorite part was the walking paths along the ocean.

There were several spots that had picnic tables if you wanted to make a day of out it. There was also shelter with several picnic tables.

We spent a little over an hour exploring the park and really enjoyed it. We ended up walking 2-3 miles around the park. This is a perfect place for a family outing as there is enough to do keep children entertained with the playground, beaches and walking paths.

Adams Point

Distance: 1.5 Miles

Difficulty: Easy

Loop Trail

Located on Adams Point Road in Durham, NH is a nice hiking trail. Adams point is home to The Jackson Estuarine Laboratory. Around the facility is some beautiful hiking paths overlooking the great bay. There are two parking lots one at the Laboratory and one a little before. We parked at the one before the lab and accessed the hiking trails from there.

The trails are flat. There is not a lot of signage or trail markers, but the trail is fairly easy to follow as it goes along the edge of the bay.

The only caution I give for this trail is it is narrow in some places with a steep drop off into the water. If I was walking with young children I would make sure you keep an eye on them.

Overall we enjoyed this hike around the point. This is a perfect place for a nice walk in the woods with some beautiful views of the bay. If you are looking for lunch while in the area check out Stoneface Brewing.

Ruth LeClair Trail at Gunnison Lake

Milage: 3 Miles

Difficulty: Easy

Loop Trail

Dogs allowed on leash

The Goshen Ocean referred to by locals is a hidden gem. Its formal name is Lake Gunnison which is a man made lake that provides opportunity for swimming, hiking, kayaking and just enjoying some beautiful scenery. Located off Rt 31 on Gunnison Lake Road in Goshen is the parking lot for the start of the Ruth LeClair trail and access to the water.

The trail is a loop and goes along the lake. We started by walking across the dam.

Once across the dam, the trail starts on the left and is marked with a sign.

The trail meanders through the woods and around the lake. The trail is easy to follow with a well worn path and yellow trail blazers.

There are several view points to get a good look at the lake.

The trail is relatively flat. There are a couple little hills, but easy walking overall. The path does cross over some private properties so please be respectful of it. There are also a couple bridges to cross.

There are a couple spots where you can stop and take a dip. One spot has a picnic table and what looks like an old rope swing. The bottom looked really sandy.

The loop is around 3 miles. We really enjoyed it. We saw two male bald eagles flying around the lake. There is also a view of Mt. Sunapee. I cannot wait to go back during the summer months and explore the lake for swimming. If you are in the area, I highly recommend checking out this trail or the lake for swimming or kayaking.

Frank Robbins Trail

Milage:2.75

Easy side of Moderate

Loop Trail

I love when there is a new trail to explore. The Northeast Wilderness Trust has worked hard this past year updating the Frank Robbins Trail.

The Trailhead is located on Binney Hill Road in New Ipswich. After you leave the tar onto a dirt road there is a small parking lot on the right that can fit 3-4 cars. From here Binney Hill Road is pretty steep and rocky, it would be difficult to get a car up the road. From the parking lot start walking up the road, which is fairly steep for a little over a quarter of a mile.

Continuing walking along the road until you come to a Kiosk and intersection of the Wapack Trail on your left. It almost a half mile from the parking area.

This is the start of the Frank Robins Trail as well as part of the Wapack. There is a map on the Kiosk if needed. The trail is a loop.

We chose to continue straight down the road. Follow the yellow triangles that mark the Wapack Trail. A little ways up the trail on the right the Wapack Trails turns off towards Binney Hill Pond and Pratt Mountain.

Continue down the road, you will observe white trail blazes marking the Frank Robbins Trail. After walking a few hundred feet the trail leaves the road and goes into the woods. It is well marked with double blazes and a trail sign.

From here the trail meanders through the woods and up and down small hills. The trail is very easy to follow.

Unfortunately there is not much of a view point. At one point you can get a glimpse of Pratt and New Ipswich Mountains. My guess is when there are leaves on the trees you cannot see these mountains.

As you are looping back around you will come back to the Wapack Trail, which is marked with a yellow gate and yellow triangle blazes. If you go right you will head towards Mt. Watatic. If you bare left you head back towards Binney Hill Road.

You will arrive back at the Kiosk and will turn right to head back to the parking lot. I enjoyed the trail, it was a good workout and a nice walk through the woods. Unfortunately, there are little to no views along the trail. The whole hike from the parking lot back was about 2.75 Miles. I am glad that I have this trail close by as well as options for other trails at this location.

Fells Mansion and Hiking Trails

Distance: Varies

Difficulty: Easy

I love Groupon for many reasons, but the biggest reason is finding very inexpensive ways to visit local attractions. The Fells located in Newbury, NH on the shores of Lake Sunapee, is a wonderful historical mansion, gardens and hiking trails which are all my favorite things. The Mansion is open Memorial Day thru Columbus Day. The trails are open year round with a small fee at a kiosk.

We visited Columbus Day Weekend. I did make a reservation for the Mansion tour, which I highly recommend. We arrived about a hour prior to our reservation so we could explore the grounds.

The main parking is about a quarter of a mile from the mansion. There is small parking lot closer if you can not walk the distance. It is an easy walk down a dirt road.

The gardens were beautiful. The only downfall was the water features were not on because it was later in the season.

I loved the sculptures around the grounds.

I would love to see the gardens when everything is in bloom.

In order to view the mansion you can take self guided tour or you can join a tour. I highly recommend joining a guided tour to learn about the history of the John Hay family, the owners of the estate.

After our tour we hiked the trails around the mansion. Make sure you grab a map so you make sure you walk all of them. I loved how the trails took you along the edge of Lake Sunapee.

If you want a further hike make sure you check out the trails across the street from the parking area.

For the younger kids there is a fairy garden where they can build a fairy house, a couple tree swings and some fun paths to run down.

If you are in the Sunapee area I highly recommend spending a few hours at The Fells. While you are in the area make sure you check out Clark Lookout Trail for some spectacular views of Lake Sunapee. If you are looking for a bite to eat, I recommend grabbing a beer and food at the Flying Goose Pub.

Clark Lookout Trail

Distance: .4 Miles Oneway

Difficulty: Easy

Located right off exit 12 of Interstate 89 in New London is a short trail that provides a stunning view. After exiting the interstate pull into the Park and Ride on Rt 103A. Across the road is the trailhead. After walking a few feet up the path you come it a small kiosk and free lending library.

Front here you take a left and walk up a gravel pathway.

It is a steady incline until you reach the top, where you are greeted with the most stunning view of Lake Sunapee and Mt. Sunapee.

For such little effort, the views were spectacular. A great place to sit and enjoys the beauty of the Sunapee area. If you are looking for a bite to eat or a beer I highly recommend checking out The Flying Goose Pub. If you are looking for a little history, stop by The Fells.