Annette State Forest is 1500 acres on the corners of Rindge, Jaffrey and New Ipswich, NH. It holds Annette Wayside Park and Hubbard Pond. Early March is definitely still winter in all parts of NH, and my husband, youngest son and I geared up to explore some of Annette’s trails. We parked in a cleared […]
Author: Lisa Wiley
My name is Lisa Wiley and I am native to mid-New England, but a NH transplant once my husband and I started a family. We have five children and multiple pets, including a bassett named Rue who will be featured in many of my posts! I work in two academic libraries and recently completed a Bachelors in Education and Training through Granite State College. My husband and I are both educators and love outdoor adventures on a shoestring budget! On the side, we garden and raise chickens and angora rabbits. I enjoy spinning the angora fiber from these gentle animals into beautiful yarns. I can't wait to share the adventures of the 'Wiley Rangers' as we explore NH!
Watatic, Wapack Winter Hike
Winter adventures in the woods with the family take a fair amount of consideration. Weather conditions in New Hampshire change dramatically on a dime and trail conditions become a major consideration. Finally a perfect day dawned for a family hike I’ve taken many times in summer and fall- Mount Watatic in Ashburnham, Massachusetts. This small […]
Chesterfield Gorge in Winter
Chesterfield Gorge State Wayside area on Rt. 9 in Chesterfield lies a few miles to the west of busy Keene, NH. This unique geologic wonder invites exploration in all seasons, but is best when the Wilde River is running high! The 13 acre park is cared for by NH State Parks and local conservation groups. […]
Temple Mountain Retreat
Hiking in late Autumn in NH demands preparation and creativity! Convincing myself to leave my cozy slippers for a walk in the woods is hard enough, convincing the family to come along can be a challenge. Thankfully, Autumn weekends provide eclectic opportunities for adventure to add incentive. Temple Mountain State Reservation lies in one of […]
Family Hiking 101: Pisgah’s Kilburn Trail
I learned many important lessons on my recent visit to Pisgah State Park. Allow me to share with you a diary of our expedition one November afternoon…. I have been hungry to get back to the NH’s largest State Park, Pisgah, on the southwest border. I also wanted to have an adventure as a family, […]
Shieling Forest & the last light of Autumn
In Peterborough NH lies a forested property named Shieling State Forest. These 45 or so acres are cared for by numerous conservation organizations, including NH Division of Forest and Lands and the Society for the Protection of NH Forests. In 1980, Elizabeth Yates McGreal donated the land and buildings into a trust, with monies encumbered […]
We share the Forest: Reminder for Hunters and Hikers
Autumn in southern NH means color! As the sun wanes and days get shorter, plants make less chlorophyll so their natural shades shine bright as they pass away. A late afternoon hike around Annette Wayside Park in Rindge gave our family a much needed dose of fall color. Walking the small pond trail was not […]
Silver Lake State Park
This last September Saturday was beautifully clear and warm. Silver Lake State Park is easily accessed on Route 122, with a massive parking lot. At the far end of the lot there are hiking/biking trails supported by the town. Hollis is fascinating, as it is immediately surrounded by busy Nashua and Milford and Manchester, but […]
Rhododendron & Little Monadnock
The changing fall landscape prompted our recent hike to Rhododendron State Park in Fitzwilliam, NH. This place is famous for it’s July blooms, but the trails are worth visiting in all seasons. We arrived in the later afternoon with a few hours of daylight left. I wanted to hike the portion of Rhododendron which branches […]
Clough Park State-of-Mind
If you ever find yourself needing a respite from noise and clutter, Clough State Park needs to be on your list. There is no way to get to this portion of NH without driving on winding roads and through historic villages, setting the stage for a relaxing afternoon adventure. Clough State Park adjoins the Hopkinton-Everett […]