We Are the Woods:

With warmer weather upon us, many more of us like to head for a restorative walk in the woods. The Forest Society owns and manages more than 175 Forest Reservations throughout the state, all open to the public.

When you visit our Forest Reservations, it may be helpful to remember that we are a non-profit conservation and forestry organization—which means that recreation is just one of the reasons we have protected the land. Equally important are the other conservation values, such as wildlife habitat or water quality, or working forest, that are part of the package. The public is welcome, but typically our lands are different than parks in that you won’t find much in the way of built infrastructure like public restrooms.

With that caveat, here are three suggestions for day trips involving Forest Society lands, one in the Sunapee region, one in the White Mountains, and one on the Seacoast.

Andrew Brook Trail/Lake Solitude

One of our newest ownerships is the trailhead of the long-established Andrew Brook Trail leading to Lake Solitude, one of the many magical places in New Hampshire with nice views rewarding the six-mile round-trip hike with 1,600 feet of elevation (what, or who, goes up, must come down, or at least we hope so).

Thanks to the generosity of many in the hiking and trail crew community, the Forest Society was able to acquire 33 acres along Mountain Road in Newbury where the trail starts. A few years ago, the Goubert family donated 75 acres of land abutting the trailhead and both are now the Andrew Brook Forest Reservation.

It’s new enough that it’s not yet fully described on our own site—but you can find ample description online via other trail sites, such as alltrails.com/trail/us/new-hampshire/mount-sunapee-andrew-brook-trail. A quick search for ‘Andrew Brook Trail’ will get you the information you need.

The Andrew Brook Trail and others in the vicinity have been maintained for decades by the Cardigan Highlanders Volunteer Trail Crew. Crew leader Craig Sanborn said the group has adopted the trail and makes sure the path is clear, well marked and well drained.

Lost River, Woodstock

While Mount Sunapee was our first Forest Reservation (later conveyed to the State to become Sunapee State Park), Lost River is the one we’ve owned the longest, since 1912.  Located in Woodstock (near Lincoln), it’s not far off I-93, or can be combined with a drive across the Kangamaugus Highway.

It’s also one of the places where there is lots of infrastructure, most notably the boardwalk through the Lost River Gorge offering access to the famous boulder caves. White Mountains Attractions operates the site, and a portion of the proceeds from admission come back to the Forest Society to support our mission. It’s a great day trip for kids, and you can find directions and other details online at www.lostrivergorge.com.

The Lost River Forest Reservation also includes the Dilly Cliff trail, a short but strenuous (steep) hike to a point looking out over the gorge. There’s no charge for that little hike. Visit www.forestsociety.org/property/lost-river-reservation to learn more.

By the way, one of the incentives for becoming a new member of the Forest Society is free passes to Lost River. You can join via our website.

Creek Farm, Portsmouth

Depending on the day, you might also find more solitude on a Forest Society property inside the city limits in Portsmouth, at Creek Farm. Although we’ve owned the property for more than 15 years, it’s still a little bit of secret spot featuring 1,100 feet of frontage on Sagamore Creek. It’s a great place to paddle (check the tides), and if you don’t have a kayak you can always go to Portsmouth Kayak  Adventures (www.portsmouthkayak.com) located just up the creek, rent a kayak and paddle over to Creek Farm for a picnic.

Creek Farm also hosts part of the Little Harbor Loop Trail, an easy 1.5 mile walk that also crosses state land at the Wentworth Coolidge Historic Site and City of Portsmouth Land. You can park at Creek Farm or at the Historic Site, walk the loop, then head into town for a refreshing beverage of your choice.

Information about many of those destinations can be found on our Forest Reservation Guide at  www.forestsociety.org/reservation-guide. And we’ll even send you a patch if you complete our Forest Reservation Challenge—read all about that here: https://www.forestsociety.org/challenge

Jack Savage is the executive editor of Forest Notes: New Hampshire’s Conservation Magazine published by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. He can be reached at jsavage@forestsociety.org, or follow him on Twitter @JackatSPNHF.