About the Property
A network of trails starts from Avery Hill Road, including a 1.7 mile marked loop trail that winds through fields and forests to reach the top of Pine Mountain. The trail traverses the Avery Field near the site of the former Avery Farm and ascends the west slope of Pine Mountain. Open blueberry barrens at the summit provide spectacular views of the entire Belknap Range, including Mount Major and Lake Winnipesaukee, as well as excellent berry picking in season.
Visitor Use Guidelines
Please see our Visitor Use Guidelines page for a complete list of rules and regulations for Forest Society reservations.
Try an Outing on the Forest Society's Mobile App, Powered by OuterSpatial
This interpretive Morse Preserve outing will allow you to follow the trail as natural and cultural sites are explained on your way.
Trail Information
Arlene Frances Morse and Dana and Arthur Morse Loop Trails
Yellow Rectangles
Park across the street in the Town of Alton’s Mike Burke Forest. To reach the Evelyn H. & Albert D. Morse, Sr. Preserve from the parking lot, cross Avery Hill Road and walk to the right about 200 feet to the large “Evelyn H. & Albert D. Morse, Sr. Preserve” property sign.
This loop trail begins at the entrance to the Evelyn H. & Albert D. Morse, Sr. Preserve on Avery Hill Road. Walk in the entrance road and follow the yellow blazes along the old woods roads that are the Arlene Frances Morse Trail. After a little less than a half mile, the trail becomes a footpath and climbs more steeply through open scrub habitat. You will soon notice a trail junction, which marks the beginning of the Dana and Arthur Morse Loop Trail. From here, you can go either way around the 0.7 mile loop. If you continue straight (left fork), you will climb quickly and steeply to the summit of Pine Mountain, where there are sweeping views of Lake Winnipesauke and the Belknap Mountains. Look for rock cairns to guide you through the open area of blueberry barrens at the summit. A rock cairn marks the spot where the trail re-enters the woods on the eastern side of the barrens. From here, it follows an old stone wall and then descends through the forest back into fields, with more beautiful views to the west, before re-joining the Arlene Frances Morse Trail. Bear left here and retrace your steps back to the property entrance.
Robert A. Greenwood, Sr. Trail
None
This trail begins on Alton Mountain Road and follows an old road as it winds steeply up the north side of Pine Mountain. The road passes through old field and early successional shrub habitat until it ends at the junction with the Dana and Arthur Morse Loop Trail near the blueberry barrens at the mountain’s summit. Views to the north from the Robert A. Greenwood, Sr. Trail are spectacular, so be sure to pause and turn around to enjoy them on your way up. There are no parking spaces available on Alton Mountain Road, so we prefer that visitors to the Evelyn H. & Albert D. Morse, Sr. Preserve access the property from the west side on Avery Hill Road.
Recommended Properties Nearby
The land was first settled as farmland in the 18th century, as evidenced by the cellar holes, cemeteries, cleared fields, and old farm house that was removed from the property. The land also became a source of forest products for much of the last century.
Two miles of trails/woods roads over gently rolling terrain through beech and hemlock forest. There are a few vernal pools visible from the trail network, and a field in the southwest corner of the property.