Kidder, Great Brook, Morgan Hill Trails - New London Conservation Commission

 Knowing I have a busy Summer ahead, I am trying to take advantage of every opportunity I can to get out right now. I decided after yesterday to "take it easy" and opted for some of the trails on the New London Conservation Commission list. I parked at the end of Morgan Hill Road in the allotted area with the sign, being careful not to intrude on the private driveway alongside. I started on Kidder Trail, which was like night and day from yesterday. Smooth and cruisy with little elevation gain. Nothing to see, just a lovely wander through the woods. I came out on what some maps call Kidder Brook Trail, which I have heard from here down to the road is closed by the landowners. I took a right, this is a wide snowmobile trail and wasn't too overgrown at this point. I quickly came up on the SRKG entering from the left. This is part of Section 5. This section follows the snowmobile trail for about a mile. When I reached the turnoff back into the woods, I decided to stay on the snowmobile trail, which per the map was now called Morgan Pond Trail and follow for another mile to a turnoff for Morgan Pond. The trail stayed pretty flat until the turnoff to the pond, which descended a little. Arriving at the pond there was a lovely breeze and a sign indicating the pond was the water source for a couple of surrounding towns. It was a very pretty spot. I headed back to the SRKG turnoff, which headed back into the woods. One of the few people I saw all day, a trail runner, passed me along this section. A little ways in, the trail veered off to the right and became Great Brook Trail, which I had done the other end of a few weeks ago. Still have to complete the middle section. I was surprised to find a variety of terrain along this section. The trail followed Great Brook for the majority if it, and a couple of larger ponds could be seen through the trees. Aside from the bugs, a really pretty area. I was really surprised to find a giant cascade area, that was very mossy and like a big slide. The trail popped out in a cleared area with a gravel road running through the middle. I did get turned around a bit here. Heading straight across the road, Great Brook Trail continued, however I was looking for Morgan Hill trail. I started down the road to the right a bit, which ended at the woods, and eventually saw an orange blaze on a tree, but no signs or markings. This was Morgan Hill Trail. Again, nothing scenic, but a really lovely wander through the woods. I passed 2 ends of Dura Crockett Trail and had originally considered taking the Morgan Hill Loop Trail which passes over the summit of Morgan Hill, but my legs were done from yesterday and then a little more technical trail today than I had anticipated, so I left Morgan Hill Loop for another day and continued on to my car. The trail popped out on the driveway near the parking area. The highlight of the day was the views behind the houses on Morgan Hill Road. Across to Mount Kearsarge and Pleasant Lake, it was a really spectacular view. Lucky residents that get to see that day in and day out. I continue to be impressed with the trail maintenance on the NLCC trails. It's been fun exploring them. 

Strava Activity

the other end of Kidder Trail on the snowmobile trail

Snowmobile Trail also SRKG Section 5

Morgan Pond

Morgan Pond

Great Brook Trail crosses straight over, turn right for Morgan Hill Trail

Morgan Hill Trail entering the woods off gravel road

Morgan Hill trail sign at Dura Crockett Trail intersection

view from Morgan Hill Road

Bear Mountain - Elwell Trail

 I've been interested in exploring more of the greater Cardigan area for a while, but have been hesitant as I've heard it can be a difficult area to navigate in places.. and I know much of it is old snowmobile trails etc, so I wasn't sure what type of condition they'd be in during Summer months. I decided to tackle Bear Mountain, which would finish the Sugarloaf area I have previously visited in the Bristol/Hebron area. I decided to do a reverse lollipop heading up Bear Mountain Trail, doing an out and back on a section of the Elwell Trail and then back down via Elwell Trail to Bear Mountain Road. I had read it was a short, steep up so I mentally prepared myself. The day was warm, but not ridiculously so. The trail head is on Bear Mountain Road, which is a Class VI road once Panorama Rd turns off it, I have read varying reports of the condition of the road from here and whether a vehicle can make it to the trailhead. I figured I'd give it a go and see how far I got. It started out quite tame, and definitely got rougher, but I was easily able to make it to the trailhead, which has room for maybe 2 cars just beyond on the right, being careful to not block either Bear Mountain Road or the gated road off to the left. There are options for parking along Bear Mountain Road earlier on, with a large cleared area near Panorama Rd with room for several cars, adding a half mile or so gravel road walk to the trailhead. I geared up and sprayed myself with bug spray and headed out. Immediately I encountered a super muddy area and remembered reading that it was typically wet down low. Pushing through, it was slightly overgrown, but marked well so easy enough to navigate. It was unfortunately rather buggy, which lessened my overall enjoyment of the area with no breeze for any reprieve. I thought the trail started out comfortably and kept waiting for the steep section. After crossing a small brook that steep section arrived.. I don't mind a short steep scramble if it's not exposed, which this is not. I took my time and enjoyed the peakaboo views over Newfound Lake along the way. Turns out this would be my favourite part of the day. From here on it became a slog. I reached Elwell Trail in relatively quick time (for me) and headed on up to the outlook below the summit. I only stopped briefly to enjoy the view as the bugs were incessant and really the only solution was to keep moving. I had not anticipated how rolling the trail would be. The ups were up and the downs were down with a few level sections in between. My plan was to hike about a mile and a half out to a powerline swath which would be my turnaround point. In some areas the trail was wet and muddy, and in others dry.. it was just seemingly neverending. The summit of Bear Mountain had similar but more restricted views than the outlook down below. Coming down the backside of Bear Mountain I crossed a few old woods roads, then encountered a snowmobile trail that was really muddy and I lost the trail on the other side. Using my digital downloaded tracks, I pushed through the woods, seeing that I was in the vicinity and thankfully found a blaze after about 10 minutes. Coming back this way it was much easier. When you hit the snowmobile trail, look left and there is a faded blaze on the tree. Head down the snowmobile trail a few hundred yards and a very small cairn and faded blaze mark the re-entry into the woods. From here the trail roller coaster ride became a little more subtle, however the tick situation started to get out of control. After what felt like years, I eventually reached the power line swath and carefully looked for cairns and marked stakes to navigate halfway across to the a slab that an actual power line tower was on. From here there are views over to Cardigan Mountain and the surrounding areas. I looked down at one point and realized I had many ticks crawling over my pants. I have often bragged that in all my years of hiking, I've been very lucky in the tick department, only finding a handful total. Today's hike made up for it and then some. I flicked off what I could see and headed back. I started to get really tired and just wanted to be done at this point. Knowing after re-crossing the snowmobile trail I had all those ups and downs again, I tried as best I could to just power on. I made it back to Bear Mountain summit and knew it was going to be a steep descent. Continuing on Elwell Trail, I honestly feel like it was as steep as Bear Mountain Trail, and made worse as it was very, very leafy and slippery. I took a really long time getting down and finally made it back to Bear Mountain Road. I did an out and back of about 0.3 miles to Backcountry Trail on Sugarloaf, which was where I had turned off Elwell Trail on my previous trip. I've never been so glad to be on a Class VI road and back to my car. In all, and including ones found up to 2-3 days later, I had 17 ticks on me! Yuck!

Strava Activity

looking up Bear Mountain Trail

view from the outlook below the summit

view from the summit

view from the power line swath

view from the power line swath

view from the power line swath

zoomed in on Cardigan

Elwell Trail from Bear Mountain Road

Backcountry Trail intersection

Backcountry Trail intersection

Bear Mountain Road

Kulish Ledges and Osgood Hill

 I've been hankering for some views of late, and while I absolutely love all the miles I've walked over the past few months, there isn't always a big bang for your buck on those hikes. It was forecast to be another warm one. I headed over to Nelson to explore Kulish Ledges and Osgood Hill. I've seen a few reports on this hike of late and had read that the trail network had been significantly improved and expanded. I parked on Old Stoddard Road in the small parking area. There is the Harris Center dragonfly symbol on one of the trees, a kiosk and mailbox with maps. I headed down Old Stoddard Road a couple tenths, which is a dirt road. Look for another dragonfly symbol on the tree, and what may have been a parking area, has been blocked off with a large tree log. This is Bailey Brook Trail. I started on this, and found it rather damp and really buggy however it starts by walking past a pretty waterfall! I hadn't expected that so early! I knew the trail followed a brook, but hadn't expected waterfalls.. after following the brook for a while, with lots of cascades I came upon another really beautiful waterfall area! Another lovely surprise! Beside this was a gentle scramble (should you choose, as there was an "easy route" alternative) up and through an old mill foundation. From here the trail departed the brook a little and crossed an old woods road before going through a marshy area and then rejoining the woods road briefly before meeting up with the Kulish Ledge Trail. I took the left onto Kulish Ledge Trail, which meandered through some nice woods. I was amazed at how well maintained and marked the trail was. It reached a large marshy area with bridges. Such a variety of terrain. The trail started to climb from this point with lots of switchbacks before reaching what the paper map called East Pinnacle viewpoint. This was the best view of the day, which unfortunately for me was a little hazy, but still lovely. Beyond this was another short spur with a cairn to another restricted viewpoint. The trail continued to climb and shortly reached Kulish Ledges, which was much less open than I had expected. Similar view to the East Pinnacle viewpoint, just much less open. A couple tenths beyond this point, the trail intersected with some of the expanded trail network heading over to the other side of Osgood Hill. I'll come back and finish these another time. I took the right towards Osgood Hill summit and was again amazed at the trail maintenance and quality of markings and blazes. The summit is wooded, but open with a bench to sit and relax. I also found a register jar with a brand new notebook, just replaced this week. The note said the previous one had been submitted to the town of Nelson for its archives. I chose to do a loop and went down the blue blazed Holt Trail, which was so gentle, really only one short steep section. I didn't even feel like I was descending most of the time. This trail passes a couple of marked old cellar holes of original homesteads before reaching the marsh passed earlier and following it for a little ways before reaching the intersection with Kulish Ledge Trail just beyond the bridges. Retracing my steps, this time back at the old woods road I followed it a short distance back to the car. A real hidden gem, I only saw 2 other hikers the whole day. 

Strava Activity

start of Kulish Ledge Trail from parking area

Bailey Brook Trail off Old Stoddard Road

heading up through the old mill

cool find along the Kulish Ledge Trail (marked on paper map as well)

view from East Pinnacle viewpoint

view from the spur with cairn

view from Kulish Ledges

view from Old Stoddard Road back up to the peaks