RoySwkr
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The city of Concord NH decided to link several conserved properties with a hiking trail, which required permission for short segments on 3 other properties. Today was a good day to go, as it was dedication day with shuttles to trailheads and refreshment stops along the way. I was impressed to see that a fairly linear 7-mile trail could be built in Concord that only crossed 3 roads (not counting D5).
The trail starts on Silk Farm Road just W of the NH Audubon Center and follows the paved bike path to Exit 3 of I-89 (1.5 mi) where it crosses under the highway along the exit ramp and follows a gated snowmobile trail into the woods. After a succession of woods and farm roads, it crosses Rte.202 at Diamond Hill Farm (3.0 mi) where coffee and baked goods were served. There were more farm and woods roads to Currier Road (3.8 mi) where there is no obvious parking. The trail crosses a most impressive new bridge a few tenths beyond.
From here on, there are some sections of new hiking trail mixed with existing woods roads and trails. At the end of District 5 Road (5.2 mi), we got water, trail mix, and leftover baked goods, then back into the woods for the trip to Carter Hill Orchard on Carter Hill Road (7.2 mi) where there was soup, hot cider, and doughnuts in addition to leftovers.
There were dozens of hikers or far more than expected but the organizers handled it well, only a fraction stayed for the brief dedication ceremony where the speakers were all involved with the trail. I talked to several I knew, but missed the 80-year-old from New London who did one segment and found it easier than his section-hike of the A.T. in winter.
The trail starts on Silk Farm Road just W of the NH Audubon Center and follows the paved bike path to Exit 3 of I-89 (1.5 mi) where it crosses under the highway along the exit ramp and follows a gated snowmobile trail into the woods. After a succession of woods and farm roads, it crosses Rte.202 at Diamond Hill Farm (3.0 mi) where coffee and baked goods were served. There were more farm and woods roads to Currier Road (3.8 mi) where there is no obvious parking. The trail crosses a most impressive new bridge a few tenths beyond.
From here on, there are some sections of new hiking trail mixed with existing woods roads and trails. At the end of District 5 Road (5.2 mi), we got water, trail mix, and leftover baked goods, then back into the woods for the trip to Carter Hill Orchard on Carter Hill Road (7.2 mi) where there was soup, hot cider, and doughnuts in addition to leftovers.
There were dozens of hikers or far more than expected but the organizers handled it well, only a fraction stayed for the brief dedication ceremony where the speakers were all involved with the trail. I talked to several I knew, but missed the 80-year-old from New London who did one segment and found it easier than his section-hike of the A.T. in winter.
