Step off the beaten track this Fourth of July weekend!
Yes, beaches are lovely this time of the year, aren’t they? And while there are over 20 NH State Parks where you can swim, build sand castles or work on your tan ~ Perhaps it’s time to take a step back, dip into the shade of the forest and see what Greenfield State Park has to offer (we have a beach here too).
The trails out here are beautiful! Most wrap their way around small ponds and wetlands, tucked away deep in the woods. Links between the main trails and campground form a web throughout the woods here at Greenfield. There are long trails and short trails. Many offer a secret short-cut to be found by the adventuresome as they explore throughout the park. Others, such as the Hogback Loop Trail, offer up to a mile of quiet serenity away from the hustle and bustle of the main campground. This trail follows the edge of a small kettle pond that is stocked with trout. For those less fishing inclined, there are tremendous amounts of high-bush blueberries throughout the loop trail and the park.
In my wanderings over the past two weeks, I have gotten to enjoy most of these trails. I have seen grouse and chipmunks, grey squirrels and porcupines. By far the best place I have found so far is a small trail running between Beaver Pond and the access road for the Camper’s Beach. It is the sharpest ridge I have seen south of the Whites. All of these little spots come together to form a beautiful tapestry that makes up Greenfield State Park.
Whether it be for a day or a week, a swim at the beach or a hike in the woods, I hope that all of you will come out and visit either myself at Greenfield and Monadnock State Parks or one of the other Discover the Power of Parks interpreters throughout New Hampshire.
By: Sam Judson, Discover the Power of Parks Interpretive Ranger (Greenfield State Park)
