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Day of Hiking in Central New Hampshire

Here are some hikes I completed in Central New Hampshire. These will make for a great day of hiking in that area. All of the hikes are relatively short, so you can see a lot of different environments in a single day.


I started the morning at Esther Currier wildlife management area. There was not much wildlife when I went but I did find some interesting plants. It was later when I arrived due to the drive (around 8 am). It would probably be wise to arrive earlier if looking for mammals. There are many lookouts onto ponds to look for birds and other wildlife. The trail has little if any elevation gain and is relatively short out and back trail. These is also an observation blind (at the far end away from the Mountain Road entrance). The trail could be walked in an hour easily enough but I would suggest allowing more time to view wildlife as that is the primary reason to go here.







Next I stopped at  Philbrick - Cricenti Bog Trail which is only a few minutes away. This is very nice Black Spruce bog with wooden planks you walk on. I was able to see some Azaleas and bog plants blooming. There are also some pitcher plants. The only wildlife seen was a frog, but I did see a bear print in the mud. This trail is a very short loop and can be completed in under an hour even allowing for time viewing the plants.








A few minutes drive took me to Messer Pond. I saw a couple of garter snakes. This trail is one I would probably skip as there wasn't much to see here. There is a picnic table at the pond if you'd like to eat lunch there.



I then went to John Hay Wildlife Reservation on Lake Sunapee. This is very nice lakeside trail with good views of the nearby Mountains. You can also follow the trail to the "Main House" which has gardens, hummingbird feeders, and bees. The cost is 8$ for a day pass and can be paid in cash where you park. The trails are a couple of miles in total with little elevation gain. I would suggest two hours.






Next I went up to Winslow State Park on Mount Kearsarge. You will want to make a reservation here as the gate may be unmanned and this will also ensure your parking spot. The cost at the time of writing is 5$ and can be done online. This was the best hike of the day and very beautiful views from the summit. If you can only do one of these hikes, I would recommend it be this one.













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