Birch Ridge Community Forest

 I was last here at Birch Ridge back in 2022. SELT has since expanded the network some, and new trails have been added in the AMC 6th edition. Decided to spend the day today cleaning up those new to me trails, as it was a raw, grey day and I didn't want to venture too far from home. I started at the Brienne Rd trailhead which is a big cul-de-sac that allows parking. A very short connector joins up with Corridor 22 of the NH Snowmobile trail network. I had done this section previously, but it was the best access point to grab the new to me trails. I took a left onto Corridor 22 and started a gentle ascent up the slopes of Birch Ridge. I was on snowmobile trail for 95% of the day, so mostly wide open trail and nothing technical. At about 1.3 miles, I took a left onto Lion Camp Pride Trail, which was one of the new to me sections. This trail descended for roughly 2 miles. I'm glad I chose to come in this direction as I ended up having some lovely views opening up in front of over Merrymeeting Lake and the surrounding peaks. There was one cleared section with a nice open view. At the lowest point, the trail actually leaves SELT property and crosses through Camp Pride (this area is closed from June-September while the camp is in use). It was here I saw the only other hikers of the day, a group with their fur children. Once through the camp, the trail takes a sharp right at a gate on Lions Camp Pride Way and starts to climb back up the slope of Mt Jesse. The trail ended back at Corridor 22, just below the summit of Mt Jesse, which appeared to be on private land with signs indicating an active rifle range. The walk along Corridor 22 from here was really, really nice for a snowmobile trail. While some areas were more of a true class VI style road, there were long stretches of super smooth, relatively flat terrain that made it easy going. I loved that section. Back on SELT property, I continued to Lookout Trail, which I had done previously but at that time it was an out and back. Now it is expanded to a loop. I could see on the map that the section of Corridor 22 between the 2 ends of the loop looked quite steep, so I chose to descend that section, and take the loop back up. I think that was a good move, as it was really quite steep and I wouldn't have loved that after about 7-8 miles already. So I continued past the top end of Lookout Trail and descended down to a kiosk intersection between Corridor 22 and Webber Rd. Continuing straight on Webber Road for just a few hundred feet was the bottom end of Lookout Trail. I turned left here and it was a much gentler ascent back up. The actual "lookout" is right near the top end of the trail, but today I couldn't see much as rains and mist was moving in. Back on Corridor 22, I turned right and went a very short distance to Reuben Webster Trail, which was the only non-snowmobile trail I took today. It started and ended as a wide open old road, but the middle was narrow and very windy with thick leaf cover in places today. While there were a few white SELT markers on trees, I was thankful someone had left the pink flagging tape from when the trail was created.. that made it much easier to follow. This is a roughly 0.5 mile trail that cuts off a corner of Corridor 22 including that steep descent and then ascent back up Birch Ridge. Once back at Corridor 22, I did my only double up, which was just a quarter mile or so back down to the car. The only other person I saw all day was a hunter heading up towards Mt Jesse. I ended up with 9 miles and 1300ft of gain! Solid day!

Strava Activity

Brienne Rd trailhead

heading up Corridor 22

looking up at Mt Jesse summit

more of Corridor 22

top end of Lookout Trail

bottom end of Lookout Trail

the lookout on Lookout Trail

Reuben Webster Trail

Surry Mountain Preserve

 I headed out to Surry Mountain Preserve today. Really pretty day, but it was very windy. Luckily, I was never exposed and the wind didn't affect me too much. What it had affected was the debris. I parked at the trailhead on Old Gilsum Road. This was a lollipop hike again. Lots of those lately! First surprise of the day was a boot brush right at the trailhead with a sign to brush off your muddy boots! Never seen that before. The trails were creatively called Red Trail and Yellow Trail. Red Trail started at the trailhead and is also used by mountain bikes, although I thought it was very technical for bikes (but not being a rider, I can't truly say). Red Trail was more of an old road, wide and relatively easy going. Just over a mile in, the Yellow Trail splits off giving the option for a loop. I decided to take Yellow Trail first, returning the entire way on Red. The trails don't hit any actual peaks or anything scenic, rather head over a small ridge. They are well marked, but Yellow was a bit harder to follow in places, particularly with all the debris. Lots of small to medium sized debris, and a couple larger blowdowns as well. Nothing impassable, but I did find myself wandering off trail quite a few times. I never got far before realizing and was able to backtrack and reset easily enough. Along the trail at one point there were some rock cairns and structures that the guide says the source and origin is unknown, which was interesting. It was here that I had my only real problem, which once I figured it out, it was obvious, but I saw a blaze (the blazes are arrows) and headed in the direction of the arrow only to realize it wasn't the trail. It took me a solid 5 minutes before I realized the blaze I was looking at was for people coming in the opposite direction. Once I made that correction, it was was obvious and I was able to continue. The destination of both the Red and Yellow trails is Lily Pond. Just before reaching the pond on Yellow Trail, per the AMC Guide there was an unmarked path that led 0.2 miles to Rocky Gorge. I was a bit nervous about finding and following this path after the adventures on Yellow Trail with debris, but it ended up being very obvious and rather easy to follow. I wasn't exactly sure what I was looking for, but once I reached it, I knew I had arrived. A small brook with an impressive eroded rock formation. I backtracked to Yellow Trail and continued around to meet back up with Red Trail and took the short spur down to the pond. There was a little lean to shelter with a firepit where I stopped for a brief rest. I then just followed Red Trail back to the car. 

Strava Activity

Hedgehog Hill

 This one took me by complete surprise. I loved it. Hedgehog Ridge Trail is about 4 miles long in total, so I am breaking it up into 2 trips, and today I did a lollipop from Hedgehog Mountain Road. The parking area is about a quarter mile from the trailhead, however the road is a quiet dirt road so no issues walking down to the trailhead. The stick of the lollipop is only about a tenth of a mile long. At the junction with Woods Road, I turned right and headed up Hedgehog Mountain Trail to the summit area, which was a steep little climb, but less than a mile. The summit area was gorgeous, a huge firepit and gorgeous views over to Kearsarge and surrounds. I spent quite a bit of time up there enjoying the views. It was very clear. From here I picked up Hedgehog Ridge Trail. I can almost guarantee, if a trail has the word Ridge in it, I'm probably going to enjoy it. And I did. I only went about 1.1 miles along Hedgehog Ridge Trail to the intersection with Woods Road, but it was really nice. Some undulating ups and downs, nothing crazy but enough to keep it interesting. A variety of terrain from rock slab to pine needle path. There were clearings here and there along the way so you could see the views. A couple of twists and turns, but it was well marked so easy to follow. There was one tiny little scramble (really tiny) that was almost a bit too tall for me, but I figured it out, which led up to another beautiful viewpoint. Once on Woods Road, it alternated between Class VI type terrain, smoother woods road and narrow footpath. The initial descent on the Class VI terrain was a bit steep, and with the leaves hiding rocks it was a bit slow going, but once on the more level areas it was smooth sailing. The last quarter mile or so turned off the road back into the woods and was a bit more rustic, but thankfully well marked and easy enough to follow. The trail rejoined Hedgehog Mountain Trail back near the start and it was an easy walk back to the car. 12/10, I thoroughly enjoyed. 

Strava Activity

Manchester Cedar Swamp Preserve

 Take 2 on this one. I had come over to do it a few weeks ago, but there was a car in the parking lot that made me uncomfortable so I called an audible.. back again and mission was successful. There were a couple cars in the lot when I arrived, and the lot was almost full when I finished, yet I only saw 6 people the entire time! I started on the All Persons Trail, which is a lollipop trail that is graded gravel, that very gently climbs ever so slightly before reaching a lollipop loop called Cedar Swamp Trail that included some wooden bridges. The whole thing was very pretty. Several different areas to stop with fancy benches and educational plaques along the way. I picked up Woodland Trail here, which becomes a true hiking trail. Woodland Trail is essentially a big circle, which I took in a clockwise direction. Nothing really of note to see, but the temps were perfect and the light filtering through the trees was perfect. The trails are all really well maintained and marked. On the backside of Woodland Loop is another offshoot called Rhododendron Trail, which drops down and crosses a brook to create another lollipop through some rhododendron stands. The loop essentially follows an inner circle between 2 brooks. The only faux pas of my day was just before crossing the brook to start the lollipop, I inadvertently followed a trail that appeared well established and was flagged following alongside a pond.. this trail however is not on the map (perhaps the flagging indicates it is in the process of being built?). It ended at a road/driveway. I had questioned myself as my little dot on my digital map was off the trail, but sometimes the GPS coordinates on my phone are off, so I wasn't sure and kept going. When I reached the road and determined I really was off track, I just turned around and backtracked before getting on the actual trail and completing the Rhododendron Loop trail. Only added about half a mile extra, so no harm, no foul. Once back at Woodland Trail, I completed the loop and repeated the first section again to return to the parking lot. Super pretty area!

Strava Activity

intersection of All Persons Trail and Woodland Trail near the kiosk

Cedar Swamp Trail off the All Persons Trail

Woodland Trail 

lots of boulders and open woods with beautiful light this time of year

Rhododendron Loop crossed a power line swath before the loop part

this is where I went wrong. I went straight instead of turning left

gorgeous light along the not correct part

back on track on Rhododendron Loop

rhododendrons!