A look inside caring for New England's most popular trails
- Tags:
- Volunteers
![Looking back at the Mount Monadnock Summit after another successful Monadnock Trails Week](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_free/public/d7/MTW2018_PackingOutLookingatMonadnockSummit_ELord_830px.jpg?itok=N0t8abrf)
Reporting by Andy Crowley and photos by Emily Lord (unless otherwise mentioned).
Each year, the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests and New Hampshire State Parks host trail improvement projects at Monadnock State Park. In any given year, over 200,000 people hike its trails, which means we need a lot of volunteer help. 13th Annual Monadnock Trails Week was a success thanks to 486 volunteer hours logged over 4 days, plus another 192 hours contributed by Forest Society staff. Volunteers came from near and far to contribute to the restoring these well-loved trails. All training was provided on-site.
We pulled together some quick stats from the week along with a few of our favorite photos. Thank you to all the volunteers and staff who joined us this year. We hope to see you again next year. Bring a friend - we love to see new faces at trails week!
![Volunteers hike in tools for trail restoration projects on Mount Monadnock](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_free/public/d7/MTW2018_Trails_ELord-9267_resized.jpg?itok=k3Kvy6wF)
![Soil on the trails here eroded long ago, exposing rocks and roots](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_free/public/d7/Diptych_MTW2018_01_Hiking.jpg?itok=NV9V9EKU)
![](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_free/public/d7/Diptych_MTW2018_02_56Volunteers-2.jpg?itok=_kmr7sZt)
![Volunteers use rock bars to place rocks that will help keep hikers on the trail](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_free/public/d7/MTW2018_Trails_ELord-9300_resized.jpg?itok=eyD-4sJY)
![Trail work still happens in the rain!](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_free/public/d7/Diptych_MTW2018_02_InchesofRain.jpg?itok=PA1ErXF-)
![Volunteer Bob Humphrey is also a member of the Cardigan Highlanders Volunteer Trail Crew](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_free/public/d7/MTW2018_Trails_ELord-9445_Bob.jpg?itok=w13rCKYo)
![Newly finished stone steps blend into the existing rocky trail](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_free/public/d7/Diptych_MTW2018_04_StoneSteps.jpg?itok=vWi8MQTF)
![Bog bridges were built out of native timber on site](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_free/public/d7/Diptych_MTW2018_05_BogBridge.jpg?itok=dV4kDLa3)
![Volunteers installed new bog bridges on the White Arrow Trail and a XC Ski Trail](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_free/public/d7/Diptych_MTW2018_06_BogBridge.jpg?itok=AUkUqPxK)
![Volunteers showcase a completed bog bridge on the XC Ski Trail](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_free/public/d7/MTW2018_Trails_BogBridge_cDeegan.jpg?itok=uFN0aIZ6)
![Many hands make light work when it comes to hiking in new deck boards!](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_free/public/d7/Diptych_MTW2018_06_Decking_0.jpg?itok=Elrswdui)
![Rocks and mineral soil are used to create "waterbars" that help move water off the trail](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_free/public/d7/MTW2018_Trails_ELord-9660_Waterbars-1.jpg?itok=qpaUBhXm)
![Making a clear path for the water to get off the trail as quickly as possible.](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_free/public/d7/MTW2018_Trails_ELord-9660_Waterbars-2_Hannah.jpg?itok=n5lx0Ued)
![Volunteer Ray Jackson proudly displays one of the many new or reconstructed water bars](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_free/public/d7/MTW2018_Trails_ELord-9660_Waterbars-3_RayJackson.jpg?itok=dJnwcJaY)
![Volunteer smiles! Photo by Carrie Deegan](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_free/public/d7/MTW2018_GirlsCampSmiles_CDeegan.jpg?itok=B9RbcwVN)
![](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_free/public/d7/Diptych_MTW2018_07_HappyVolunteers.jpg?itok=Rpozrwxs)
![The kick-off to Monadnock Trails Week](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_free/public/d7/MTW2018_Trails_ELord-9215_BigGroup.jpg?itok=H0TJgfpX)
![Signs of a successful trails week](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_free/public/d7/Diptych_MTW2018_87_FinalTally.jpg?itok=FHD2a-0W)
![](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_free/public/d7/Diptych_MTW2018_87_NextYear.jpg?itok=b7VR5tqr)