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OUTDOOR GUIDE To

Antrim and Bennington New Hampshire

Compliments of the

Antrim Bennington Lions Club

Willard Pond in Antrim, as viewed from Bald Mountain

Visit our website at: www.placeinthewoodstradingpost.com

Stay & Play Packages Available Relax, Play and Enjoy a vacation at this working sheep farm on 130 acres. Self keeping private guest suites.

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Open Seven Days a Week Monday - Thursday: 9:00 to 6:00 Friday: 9:00 to 7:00 Saturday: 9:00 to 6:00 Sunday: 9:00 to 5:00

Conveniently located on Route 202 in Antrim Telephone: (603) 588-2446

New & Used Firearms Hunting & Fishing Gear Live Bait NH Fish & Game License Agent and

Check-in Station.

Canoes Kayaks Guide Service Canoe, Kayak

& Snow Shoe rentals

Camping

Clothing, Footwear Snow Shoes NH Made

Gifts and Specialty Items

DISCOVER PLACE IN THE WOODS…..

An authentic New England golf experience where golfers can enjoy the challenges put to them by legendary course architect, Donald Ross

740 2nd NH Turnpike Francestown, NH 03043 (603) 588-2000 www.CrotchedMountainResort.com

Play and Stay packages are our spe-cialty. Choose your length of stay and enjoy golfing at Crotched Mountain Re-sort & Golf Club. Head Professional Ken Hamel will set everything up for you. Golf, Carts, Lodging, and Meals can all be part of your play and stay.

Crotched Mountain Resort is one of twenty-four Shell Vacation Re-sorts. Shell Vacations Hospitality was created as the exclusive provider of hospitality services for internationally recognized resorts throughout North America. The accommodations at Crotched Mountain are cozy and convenient, charming sanctuaries set among the serenity of a peaceful retreat. We offer spacious one-bedroom suites that sleep four adults comfortably, and two-bedroom suites provide the privacy that your fam-ily enjoys at home.

Set in the rolling hills of New Hamp-shire, Crotched Mountain Golf Club ex-poses golfers to the true beauty of New England. An 18 hole, par 71 golf course, CMGC offers outstanding playing condi-tions accompanied by spectacular views of the surrounding Monadnock region.

Table of Contents

Antrim Cemeteries _______________ 4 dePierrefeu/Willard Pond ____ 6 Franklin Pierce Lake_________ 8 Gregg Lake _______________ 9 Lily Pond, Meeting House Hill _ 12 Loveren’s Mill ____________ 14 McCabe Forest ___________ 16 Meadow Marsh ___________ 18 Memorial Park ____________ 19 North Branch River ________ 20 Rye Pond ________________ 21

Bennington Bruce Edes Forest _________ 22 Cemeteries ______________ 23 Crotched Mountain_________ 23 Powder Mill Pond __________ 25 Rail Trail ________________ 26 Whittemore Lake__________ 27

Nearby and Shared Map of Antrim/Bennington ___28 Contoocook River __________30 Fox State Forest__________32 Harris Center ____________33 High Five________________34

Message from the Lions Club ____2 Message from Our Towns ______3

Special Places

Archery ________________ 35 Basketball ______________ 35 Biking _________________ 35 Birding_________________ 37 Boating ________________ 38 Camping ________________ 39 Dog Walking_____________ 40 Fishing_________________ 40 Geocaching______________ 42 Golf ___________________ 42 Hiking and Snowshoeing ____ 43 Horseback Riding ________ 44 Hunting ________________ 44 Playing Fields ____________ 46 Running ________________ 46 Skateboarding, Longboarding 47 Skiing _________________ 47 Snowmobiling ____________ 49

Star Gazing _____________ 50

Swimming_______________ 50 Tennis _________________ 50 Volleyball _______________ 50

Activities

And More! Being Wise in the Woods ___ 51 Youth Corner ____________ 52 Wildlife and Wildflowers ___ 53 Calendar _______________ 55 Outdoor Guide Future _____ 56

Copyright © 2009 by the Antrim Bennington Lions ClubThe Antrim Bennington Lions Club reserves the right to determine the distribution of the Outdoor Guide and the quantities for each location.

Introduction

Page 2

Message from the Lions Club One of the great advantages of living in Antrim and Bennington is the range of the outdoor activities available to us. Spending time outdoors is healthy for us, can be educational as we learn more about nature and the environment and most of all it is enjoyable. In addition our outdoor activities are available across all four seasons and we don’t have to drive far or spend much money to enjoy them. The key question is how do residents and visitors find out what these outdoor activities are. In response to this need the Antrim Bennington Lions Club has compiled the Outdoor Guide which we hope will enable all of the residents and guests of Antrim and Ben-nington to enjoy the outdoors even more. We had over 40 volunteers who allocated many hours of their time to make sure we have quality content for the Outdoor Guide. I would like to especially thank Virginia Dickinson who has worked long hours to provide all of the illustrations for the guide. I also would like to acknowledge Joe MacGregor, Celeste Lunetta, Peter Moore, Char Russell and Rod Zwirner who made significant contri-butions to the guide. We would also like to thank all of the sponsors who have purchased ads to allow us to print 6,000 copies of this guide which we expect will last till 2011 when we plan to do a revision and printing. In addition we have a version of the Outdoor Guide on the Internet at www.ablions.org/og that will provide interactive features and al-low contributions by people with additional input for the guide. The Antrim Bennington Lions Club has made this guide our major service project for 2009 and based on early feedback from resi-dent and local businesses we think we have a winner. We appreciate the support from the local community over the years with our major fundraisers—Home and Harvest BBQ at Tenney Farm and selling XMAS trees. These funds allow us to provide assistance to the community for sight and hearing needs, families that may need a little help and support youth programs. We are always looking for additional members who can help expand what we are able to do for the community. Please contact us if you are interested in becoming a member of our Lions Club. Respectfully, Email: info@ablions.org Richard Loveland Telephone: 603.478.1344 President, Antrim Bennington Lions Club June, 2009

Message from the Lions Club

Page 3

Message from Our Towns Welcome to Antrim and all the outdoor activities it has to offer! With its 35.7 miles square miles of land and .8 square miles of wa-ter offering trails, scenic views, history, water sports, and activi-ties of all kinds, Antrim is the perfect place to visit or to plan your “staycation”. Enjoy the outdoors and take advantage of the friendly small-town restaurants and businesses that will add to your outdoor experience. Browse through this guide and see all the possibilities from the wonderful hiking and bicycling trails to the variety of streams and lakes that offer fishing and water sports of all kinds. Visit the ar-eas that provide the quietness of the wilderness and watch for all the wildlife that call Antrim home. We have something for every-one. So, no matter what your taste, you will enjoy all that Antrim has to offer. Welcome. We are glad you’re here!

Neal A. Cass Town Administrator Town of Antrim

66 Main Street, PO Box 517 Antrim, NH 03440 (603) 588-6785 www.antrimnh.org

Welcome to Bennington! Our town is nestled in the Monadnock Re-gion and has a wide variety of outdoor activities to enjoy year round. In the winter Bennington offers skiing and snowboarding, snowshoeing, as well as snowmobile trails. From spring through fall Bennington offers an array of activities such as boating, fishing and swimming on our lakes and rivers, hunting, leaf peeping and bird watching are also very popular. There are ample hiking opportunities to experience in Bennington in our Town Forest, on mountain trails and railroad beds. Within this booklet, specific areas that are special to our town are fully detailed and provide a rich spectrum of what Bennington’s out-doors is all about. As you explore Bennington’s natural environment, be on the lookout for signs of the early history such as rustic stonewalls, historic buildings and open pasture lands. Bennington’s four seasons of activities serves as a perfect place to enjoy what nature has to offer.

The Bennington Conservation Commission

7 School Street Bennington, NH 03442 (603) 588-8005 www.townofbennington.com

Page 2

Message from the Lions Club One of the great advantages of living in Antrim and Bennington is the range of the outdoor activities available to us. Spending time outdoors is healthy for us, can be educational as we learn more about nature and the environment and most of all it is enjoyable. In addition our outdoor activities are available across all four seasons and we don’t have to drive far or spend much money to enjoy them. The key question is how do residents and visitors find out what these outdoor activities are. In response to this need the Antrim Bennington Lions Club has compiled the Outdoor Guide which we hope will enable all of the residents and guests of Antrim and Ben-nington to enjoy the outdoors even more. We had over 40 volunteers who allocated many hours of their time to make sure we have quality content for the Outdoor Guide. I would like to especially thank Virginia Dickinson who has worked long hours to provide all of the illustrations for the guide. I also would like to acknowledge Joe MacGregor, Celeste Lunetta, Peter Moore, Char Russell and Rod Zwirner who made significant contri-butions to the guide. We would also like to thank all of the sponsors who have purchased ads to allow us to print 6,000 copies of this guide which we expect will last till 2011 when we plan to do a revision and printing. In addition we have a version of the Outdoor Guide on the Internet at www.ablions.org/og that will provide interactive features and al-low contributions by people with additional input for the guide. The Antrim Bennington Lions Club has made this guide our major service project for 2009 and based on early feedback from resi-dent and local businesses we think we have a winner. We appreciate the support from the local community over the years with our major fundraisers—Home and Harvest BBQ at Tenney Farm and selling XMAS trees. These funds allow us to provide assistance to the community for sight and hearing needs, families that may need a little help and support youth programs. We are always looking for additional members who can help expand what we are able to do for the community. Please contact us if you are interested in becoming a member of our Lions Club. Respectfully, Email: info@ablions.org Richard Loveland Telephone: 603.478.1344 President, Antrim Bennington Lions Club June, 2009

Message from the Lions Club

Page 3

Message from Our Towns Welcome to Antrim and all the outdoor activities it has to offer! With its 35.7 miles square miles of land and .8 square miles of wa-ter offering trails, scenic views, history, water sports, and activi-ties of all kinds, Antrim is the perfect place to visit or to plan your “staycation”. Enjoy the outdoors and take advantage of the friendly small-town restaurants and businesses that will add to your outdoor experience. Browse through this guide and see all the possibilities from the wonderful hiking and bicycling trails to the variety of streams and lakes that offer fishing and water sports of all kinds. Visit the ar-eas that provide the quietness of the wilderness and watch for all the wildlife that call Antrim home. We have something for every-one. So, no matter what your taste, you will enjoy all that Antrim has to offer. Welcome. We are glad you’re here!

Neal A. Cass Town Administrator Town of Antrim

66 Main Street, PO Box 517 Antrim, NH 03440 (603) 588-6785 www.antrimnh.org

Welcome to Bennington! Our town is nestled in the Monadnock Re-gion and has a wide variety of outdoor activities to enjoy year round. In the winter Bennington offers skiing and snowboarding, snowshoeing, as well as snowmobile trails. From spring through fall Bennington offers an array of activities such as boating, fishing and swimming on our lakes and rivers, hunting, leaf peeping and bird watching are also very popular. There are ample hiking opportunities to experience in Bennington in our Town Forest, on mountain trails and railroad beds. Within this booklet, specific areas that are special to our town are fully detailed and provide a rich spectrum of what Bennington’s out-doors is all about. As you explore Bennington’s natural environment, be on the lookout for signs of the early history such as rustic stonewalls, historic buildings and open pasture lands. Bennington’s four seasons of activities serves as a perfect place to enjoy what nature has to offer.

The Bennington Conservation Commission

7 School Street Bennington, NH 03442 (603) 588-8005 www.townofbennington.com

Page 4

Cemeteries There are five community cemeteries in Antrim: Meeting House Hill Cemetery, Centre Cemetery, North Branch Cemetery, Over East Antrim Cemetery, Maplewood Cemetery and one family cemetery. Today only two of them are used, the other four have been inactive for at least 100 years. Two of the cemeteries are in Antrim Center, one in North Branch, one in East Antrim, one on Route 202 just north of Antrim Village, and one on the Antrim-Hillsboro town line on Route 202. Meeting House Hill Cemetery: The original cemetery is located on Meeting House Hill in Antrim Center. It was started prior to the town’s incorporation in 1777 and was used for about 50 years. Adjacent to the cemetery is the site of the first meetinghouse. To access the cemetery follow Rte 31 to An-trim Center. Exit Rte 31 at the An-trim Grange and proceed up Meeting House Hi l l .The cemetery is on the left. Remember the road is a public way but is no longer maintained by the town. In the 1820’s when this was nearing full occupancy three more cemeteries were started. Centre Cemetery and North Branch Cemetery: These were tied to a nearby church. By 1820 the center of activity in town shifted from the top of Meeting House Hill to Antrim Center. Probably peo-ple were tired of going up the hill to attend church and do the town’s business. A new church and parsonage was constructed in An-trim Center-the church was demolished in the late 1800’s, but the parsonage is still present. A cemetery was started across the road from the parsonage. It was used until the late 1800’s. You can visit this cemetery by staying on Rte 31 at the Antrim Grange- it is across the road from the third house on your right past the Grange.

Special Places - Antrim

Page 5

The cemetery in North Branch is still active to a limited extent. Until recently it was controlled by its own trustees. It is referred to as “a public-private cemetery”. This means anyone could be bur-ied there but the town had no control over it and did not contribute to its maintenance. Recently that has changed with the trustees coming under the town umbrella. You can find this cemetery by go-ing on Rte 31 to North Branch, It is on Cemetery Road (which is the last left before reaching Rte 9). Over East Cemetery: This was started as a result of a church (no longer present) being located near the site. There may be people who lived in Deering buried here. At this point in Antrim’s history residents in East Antrim had a relationship with many residents of Deering (now North Bennington) You can visit this cemetery by go-ing north on Rte 202 from Antrim Village to Elm Ave. The present exit to Elm Ave is actually on the south side of the cemetery. Once on Elm Ave take the first right (about 500 feet) which is the origi-nal Elm Ave. Maplewood Cemetery: This is Antrim’s largest active cemetery, officially started in 1861 and is located on Rte 202 just north of Antrim Village. By this time in Antrim’s history the center of the town’s activity was moving to what is now Antrim Village. Maplewood is also a (public-private cemetery) with its own trustees. Family Cemetery: The last cemetery is a family cemetery. Located on Rte 202 it at the Antrim-Hillsboro town line. It is the burying site of the Whittemore family who lived on the farm nearby. Learn More: For more on Antrim’s cemeteries and early history read 'History of the Town of Antrim, New Hampshire, from its ear-liest settlement, to June 27, 1877' by Rev W. R. Cochrane. 'Parades and promenades: Antrim, New Hampshire, The Second Hundred Years' by Ellison, Dorothy M reports the second hundred years. The Town of Antrim website has name, row and plot # for Meeting House Hill, Centre and Over East cemeteries.

Tenney Farm “Lovin it Local”

1 Main Street Antrim, NH 03440 www.tenneyfarm.com 603-588-2020

Farm Fresh Plants, Produce, Natural

Ice Cream

Page 4

Cemeteries There are five community cemeteries in Antrim: Meeting House Hill Cemetery, Centre Cemetery, North Branch Cemetery, Over East Antrim Cemetery, Maplewood Cemetery and one family cemetery. Today only two of them are used, the other four have been inactive for at least 100 years. Two of the cemeteries are in Antrim Center, one in North Branch, one in East Antrim, one on Route 202 just north of Antrim Village, and one on the Antrim-Hillsboro town line on Route 202. Meeting House Hill Cemetery: The original cemetery is located on Meeting House Hill in Antrim Center. It was started prior to the town’s incorporation in 1777 and was used for about 50 years. Adjacent to the cemetery is the site of the first meetinghouse. To access the cemetery follow Rte 31 to An-trim Center. Exit Rte 31 at the An-trim Grange and proceed up Meeting House Hi l l .The cemetery is on the left. Remember the road is a public way but is no longer maintained by the town. In the 1820’s when this was nearing full occupancy three more cemeteries were started. Centre Cemetery and North Branch Cemetery: These were tied to a nearby church. By 1820 the center of activity in town shifted from the top of Meeting House Hill to Antrim Center. Probably peo-ple were tired of going up the hill to attend church and do the town’s business. A new church and parsonage was constructed in An-trim Center-the church was demolished in the late 1800’s, but the parsonage is still present. A cemetery was started across the road from the parsonage. It was used until the late 1800’s. You can visit this cemetery by staying on Rte 31 at the Antrim Grange- it is across the road from the third house on your right past the Grange.

Special Places - Antrim

Page 5

The cemetery in North Branch is still active to a limited extent. Until recently it was controlled by its own trustees. It is referred to as “a public-private cemetery”. This means anyone could be bur-ied there but the town had no control over it and did not contribute to its maintenance. Recently that has changed with the trustees coming under the town umbrella. You can find this cemetery by go-ing on Rte 31 to North Branch, It is on Cemetery Road (which is the last left before reaching Rte 9). Over East Cemetery: This was started as a result of a church (no longer present) being located near the site. There may be people who lived in Deering buried here. At this point in Antrim’s history residents in East Antrim had a relationship with many residents of Deering (now North Bennington) You can visit this cemetery by go-ing north on Rte 202 from Antrim Village to Elm Ave. The present exit to Elm Ave is actually on the south side of the cemetery. Once on Elm Ave take the first right (about 500 feet) which is the origi-nal Elm Ave. Maplewood Cemetery: This is Antrim’s largest active cemetery, officially started in 1861 and is located on Rte 202 just north of Antrim Village. By this time in Antrim’s history the center of the town’s activity was moving to what is now Antrim Village. Maplewood is also a (public-private cemetery) with its own trustees. Family Cemetery: The last cemetery is a family cemetery. Located on Rte 202 it at the Antrim-Hillsboro town line. It is the burying site of the Whittemore family who lived on the farm nearby. Learn More: For more on Antrim’s cemeteries and early history read 'History of the Town of Antrim, New Hampshire, from its ear-liest settlement, to June 27, 1877' by Rev W. R. Cochrane. 'Parades and promenades: Antrim, New Hampshire, The Second Hundred Years' by Ellison, Dorothy M reports the second hundred years. The Town of Antrim website has name, row and plot # for Meeting House Hill, Centre and Over East cemeteries.

Tenney Farm “Lovin it Local”

1 Main Street Antrim, NH 03440 www.tenneyfarm.com 603-588-2020

Farm Fresh Plants, Produce, Natural

Ice Cream

Page 6

This 1500 acres is the largest Audubon property in NH, contiguous with other conservation land making over 2000 acres of protected wildlife habitat. The 95 acre Willard Pond, 2083’ high Bald Moun-tain, 1620’ high Goodhue Hill, more than 4 miles of trails (great southeast view from top), many glacial erratics (huge boulders de-posited by receding glaciers), an unusual mixture of trees and plants, and an abundance of wildlife (including a pair of loons) make this sanctuary a unique and attractive area. Much of the land owned by NHA has come about through the fore-sight, generosity, and environmental concerns of Elsa dePierrefeu Leland and her family.

Directions: From Rte 202, go west on Rte 137, take a right on 123 at Hancock Center and go about three miles where you will turn right on Willard Pond Rd. Then go .7 miles to grouping of mail-boxes under a roof, bear left and continue for .9 miles to the end. Activities: walking, hiking, fly fishing only (no ice fishing), canoeing/kayaking. Use Policies: No motorboats, camping, swimming, hunting, smoking or fires are allowed. Dogs on a leash are allowed. Amenities: Kiosk with trail map, schedule of guided walks/hikes, there are no restrooms

Contact: New Hampshire Audubon at 603-224-9909 Web Link: www.newhampshireaudubon.org/sanctuary_antr.php Maps: A trail map is available at Willard Pond or by printing the Trail Guide PDF on their website. The Mill Pond Trail (yellow blazes): The Mill Pond Trail circles the Hatch Mill Pond, which was originally dammed to provide water power for the Hatch Sawmill. White Ash, Paper Birch, Red Maples and bog-loving shrubs can be found along this trail. Half-way around the mill pond is the start of the Goodhue Hill Trail (blazed in red). Goodhue Hill Trail (red blazes): Goodhue Hill sits above Willard Pond’s southeastern shore and is a prominent feature of the sanc-tuary. The trail is steady with some steep climbs to a rocky out-cropping with a moderate view. The Goodhue Hill Trail is reached via the south side of the Mill Pond loop trail. At the end of the one-way trail is the summit of Goodhue Hill and its rocky southeastern face that provides habitat for reptiles and the elusive bobcat.

Location: Antrim Stewardship: New Hampshire Audubon

dePierrefeu-Willard Pond Wildlife Sanctuary

Page 7

The Tudor Trail (yellow blazes): The Tudor Trail affords several wonderful opportunities to observe the pond life. Look closely for Hooded Mergansers, Wood Ducks and Common Loons. At the fork of the trail, bear right to continue on the Tudor Trail and continue around the pond shore. Bearing left starts the Bald Mountain Trail. The Bald Mountain Trail (red blazes): The Bald Mountain Trail will allow you to climb Bald Mountain (850’ ascent). An impressive ledge of boulders deposited by receding glaciers can be seen to the left of the trail. After the boulders, the trail veers sharply to the left, away from the pond, to begin the steep climb to the summit. The hike up this trail is well worthwhile for its spectacular view of the Monadnock Region. The Spur Trail (blue blazes): The trail is 2.5 miles round-trip, has moderate elevation change and is very remote. Moose, bear, bobcat, and fisher sign have all been found along this trail. Starting at the southwest corner of the parking lot, follow the Tamposi Trail up until it splits. Go left for a short, steep climb until you see the Spur Trail marked on your left.

Note: We thank The New Hampshire Audubon for let-ting us use their descriptions

Page 6

This 1500 acres is the largest Audubon property in NH, contiguous with other conservation land making over 2000 acres of protected wildlife habitat. The 95 acre Willard Pond, 2083’ high Bald Moun-tain, 1620’ high Goodhue Hill, more than 4 miles of trails (great southeast view from top), many glacial erratics (huge boulders de-posited by receding glaciers), an unusual mixture of trees and plants, and an abundance of wildlife (including a pair of loons) make this sanctuary a unique and attractive area. Much of the land owned by NHA has come about through the fore-sight, generosity, and environmental concerns of Elsa dePierrefeu Leland and her family.

Directions: From Rte 202, go west on Rte 137, take a right on 123 at Hancock Center and go about three miles where you will turn right on Willard Pond Rd. Then go .7 miles to grouping of mail-boxes under a roof, bear left and continue for .9 miles to the end. Activities: walking, hiking, fly fishing only (no ice fishing), canoeing/kayaking. Use Policies: No motorboats, camping, swimming, hunting, smoking or fires are allowed. Dogs on a leash are allowed. Amenities: Kiosk with trail map, schedule of guided walks/hikes, there are no restrooms

Contact: New Hampshire Audubon at 603-224-9909 Web Link: www.newhampshireaudubon.org/sanctuary_antr.php Maps: A trail map is available at Willard Pond or by printing the Trail Guide PDF on their website. The Mill Pond Trail (yellow blazes): The Mill Pond Trail circles the Hatch Mill Pond, which was originally dammed to provide water power for the Hatch Sawmill. White Ash, Paper Birch, Red Maples and bog-loving shrubs can be found along this trail. Half-way around the mill pond is the start of the Goodhue Hill Trail (blazed in red). Goodhue Hill Trail (red blazes): Goodhue Hill sits above Willard Pond’s southeastern shore and is a prominent feature of the sanc-tuary. The trail is steady with some steep climbs to a rocky out-cropping with a moderate view. The Goodhue Hill Trail is reached via the south side of the Mill Pond loop trail. At the end of the one-way trail is the summit of Goodhue Hill and its rocky southeastern face that provides habitat for reptiles and the elusive bobcat.

Location: Antrim Stewardship: New Hampshire Audubon

dePierrefeu-Willard Pond Wildlife Sanctuary

Page 7

The Tudor Trail (yellow blazes): The Tudor Trail affords several wonderful opportunities to observe the pond life. Look closely for Hooded Mergansers, Wood Ducks and Common Loons. At the fork of the trail, bear right to continue on the Tudor Trail and continue around the pond shore. Bearing left starts the Bald Mountain Trail. The Bald Mountain Trail (red blazes): The Bald Mountain Trail will allow you to climb Bald Mountain (850’ ascent). An impressive ledge of boulders deposited by receding glaciers can be seen to the left of the trail. After the boulders, the trail veers sharply to the left, away from the pond, to begin the steep climb to the summit. The hike up this trail is well worthwhile for its spectacular view of the Monadnock Region. The Spur Trail (blue blazes): The trail is 2.5 miles round-trip, has moderate elevation change and is very remote. Moose, bear, bobcat, and fisher sign have all been found along this trail. Starting at the southwest corner of the parking lot, follow the Tamposi Trail up until it splits. Go left for a short, steep climb until you see the Spur Trail marked on your left.

Note: We thank The New Hampshire Audubon for let-ting us use their descriptions

Page 8

Franklin Pierce Lake

This 519 acre lake was created in 1927 when the Jackman Dam was built by PSNH to harness the flow of the North Branch River for power generation. Manahan Park, in Hillsborough, has a sandy beach with lifeguards and boat launch.

Location: Antrim & Hillsborough

Directions: Public access at Manahan Park in Hillsborough off Rt 9 about ½ mi south of the intersection with Rt 31 North. As you drive in there will be a left to go to the boat ramp and going straight ahead will be the beach area.

Activities: Boating (power, canoeing, kay-aking, sailing), fishing and swimming. Mana-han Park has a boat launch and volleyball.

Page 9

About 195 acres in size Gregg Lake is a moderate warm water fish-ery. Public access is adjacent to the Antrim town beach. The lake feeds into the Contoocook River and is free of any of invasive non-native milfoil. The hours are daily until 9pm during the summer. Directions: Town beach and boat launch on Gregg Lake Rd. off of Rt 31 in Clinton Village. Parking lot between beach and boat launch.

Activities: Bird watching, boating (power, canoeing, kayaking, sail-ing), boat launch, fishing, picnicking, swings, swimming and volleyball. There are two picnic pavilions each with a BBQ grill for public use -just bring your own charcoal. There are swimming lessons for Antrim children led by certified Water Safety Instructors. In general, American Red Cross swim levels 1 through 4 are offered in July and August. Use Policies: No use of boat ramp after 9:00 PM. Motorboats shall be limited to 150 HP or less on Gregg Lake and all water-skiing on Gregg Lake shall be in a counter-clockwise direction at all times.

Location: Antrim Ownership: Town of Antrim

Gregg Lake Town Beach Area

Use Policies: Manahan Park is open to the public and available to residents of Antrim and Bennington. No dogs are allowed on the beach or picnic areas. Amenities: Public restrooms are available at Manahan Park. There are several picnic tables in a shaded area (some with BBQ pits). Lifeguards are on duty weekends in June and everyday from 8:30am to 5pm once school is out. Contact: Manahan Park beach house office # is 603-478-5454 Associations: In 2009 the Hillsborough Conservation Commission secured a grant from the NH Lake Association to initiate the Lake Host Program at the Manahan Boat ramp to prevent the introduc-tion of invasive exotic plant species. Also in 2009 the Franklin Pierce Lake Association was formed to ‘promote the protection and shared enjoyment of Franklin Pierce Lake.’ To become a volunteer ‘lake host’ or join the Franklin Pierce Lake Association, contact Robin Loveland robin@fplake.org Web Link: www.fplake.org PLEASE! - Keep this lake free of exotic species by removing and disposing of all plant debris from your boat and trailer before launching it in the lake.

Page 8

Franklin Pierce Lake

This 519 acre lake was created in 1927 when the Jackman Dam was built by PSNH to harness the flow of the North Branch River for power generation. Manahan Park, in Hillsborough, has a sandy beach with lifeguards and boat launch.

Location: Antrim & Hillsborough

Directions: Public access at Manahan Park in Hillsborough off Rt 9 about ½ mi south of the intersection with Rt 31 North. As you drive in there will be a left to go to the boat ramp and going straight ahead will be the beach area.

Activities: Boating (power, canoeing, kay-aking, sailing), fishing and swimming. Mana-han Park has a boat launch and volleyball.

Page 9

About 195 acres in size Gregg Lake is a moderate warm water fish-ery. Public access is adjacent to the Antrim town beach. The lake feeds into the Contoocook River and is free of any of invasive non-native milfoil. The hours are daily until 9pm during the summer. Directions: Town beach and boat launch on Gregg Lake Rd. off of Rt 31 in Clinton Village. Parking lot between beach and boat launch.

Activities: Bird watching, boating (power, canoeing, kayaking, sail-ing), boat launch, fishing, picnicking, swings, swimming and volleyball. There are two picnic pavilions each with a BBQ grill for public use -just bring your own charcoal. There are swimming lessons for Antrim children led by certified Water Safety Instructors. In general, American Red Cross swim levels 1 through 4 are offered in July and August. Use Policies: No use of boat ramp after 9:00 PM. Motorboats shall be limited to 150 HP or less on Gregg Lake and all water-skiing on Gregg Lake shall be in a counter-clockwise direction at all times.

Location: Antrim Ownership: Town of Antrim

Gregg Lake Town Beach Area

Use Policies: Manahan Park is open to the public and available to residents of Antrim and Bennington. No dogs are allowed on the beach or picnic areas. Amenities: Public restrooms are available at Manahan Park. There are several picnic tables in a shaded area (some with BBQ pits). Lifeguards are on duty weekends in June and everyday from 8:30am to 5pm once school is out. Contact: Manahan Park beach house office # is 603-478-5454 Associations: In 2009 the Hillsborough Conservation Commission secured a grant from the NH Lake Association to initiate the Lake Host Program at the Manahan Boat ramp to prevent the introduc-tion of invasive exotic plant species. Also in 2009 the Franklin Pierce Lake Association was formed to ‘promote the protection and shared enjoyment of Franklin Pierce Lake.’ To become a volunteer ‘lake host’ or join the Franklin Pierce Lake Association, contact Robin Loveland robin@fplake.org Web Link: www.fplake.org PLEASE! - Keep this lake free of exotic species by removing and disposing of all plant debris from your boat and trailer before launching it in the lake.

Page 10

CAUTION: You need to clean your water vessels thoroughly to make sure there are no invasive aquatic plants brought into Gregg Lake. No dogs or horses are allowed on the beach or the point. Dogs are permitted at the boat launch area. Children under the age of 12 must have a parent or qualified guard-ian supervising them at the beach. There is no smoking allowed on the beach or in the playground area. Glass bottles are prohibited. Large parties are requested to carry out their own trash. For complete set of ordinances, or updates, please look at www.antrimnh.org or call 588-3121 There is no diving allowed as the lake is shallow and there is no safe diving area, especially diving from the dock!

Page 11

Web Link: www.antrimnh.org Contact: Antrim Recreation Department 603-588-3121 for infor-mation about ordinances, swimming lessons and other information. Amenities: Public bathrooms are open from 10am -5pm. A portable toilet at the boat launch is available from Memorial Day through Labor Day. During July and August, there are Lifeguards on duty Monday through Friday from 10-5. On Saturdays and Sundays there is a Beach Attendant on duty, from 12-5, but no Lifeguards. Association: A Gregg Lake Association exists for the conservation and protection of Gregg Lake, surrounding forests, woodlands, marshlands and wildlife. For further information and meeting dates email Jeanne Baker, V.P. GLA at: jmbtiger@aol.com In conjunction with Antrim Recreation they have been operating the New Hampshire Lake Host program with several volunteers that provide weed watching and protect the lake from invasive plants. Meadow Marsh Trail: While visiting Gregg Lake you might want to drive or take a short walk to Craig Rd. to hike the Meadow Marsh trail (see page 18).

The Maplehurst Inn “Whatever your interests you’ll find lots to enjoy in the Monadnock area”

A quaint colonial inn that has been offering hospitality to travelers for over 200 years. Enjoy a charming room with private bath, Internet access, cable TV, dining and more.

67 Main Street, Antrim NH 03440 Tel: 603-588-8000 603-588-2800 Cell: 603-396-7031 Email: jules5512@yahoo.com www.NH-INN.com

Antrim Marketplace Full range of grocery items, delicatessen, specializing in fresh meat, seafood, party platters and hot-bar.

76 Main Street, Antrim NH 03440 Tel: 603-588-2800 Fax: 603-588-3337

Page 10

CAUTION: You need to clean your water vessels thoroughly to make sure there are no invasive aquatic plants brought into Gregg Lake. No dogs or horses are allowed on the beach or the point. Dogs are permitted at the boat launch area. Children under the age of 12 must have a parent or qualified guard-ian supervising them at the beach. There is no smoking allowed on the beach or in the playground area. Glass bottles are prohibited. Large parties are requested to carry out their own trash. For complete set of ordinances, or updates, please look at www.antrimnh.org or call 588-3121 There is no diving allowed as the lake is shallow and there is no safe diving area, especially diving from the dock!

Page 11

Web Link: www.antrimnh.org Contact: Antrim Recreation Department 603-588-3121 for infor-mation about ordinances, swimming lessons and other information. Amenities: Public bathrooms are open from 10am -5pm. A portable toilet at the boat launch is available from Memorial Day through Labor Day. During July and August, there are Lifeguards on duty Monday through Friday from 10-5. On Saturdays and Sundays there is a Beach Attendant on duty, from 12-5, but no Lifeguards. Association: A Gregg Lake Association exists for the conservation and protection of Gregg Lake, surrounding forests, woodlands, marshlands and wildlife. For further information and meeting dates email Jeanne Baker, V.P. GLA at: jmbtiger@aol.com In conjunction with Antrim Recreation they have been operating the New Hampshire Lake Host program with several volunteers that provide weed watching and protect the lake from invasive plants. Meadow Marsh Trail: While visiting Gregg Lake you might want to drive or take a short walk to Craig Rd. to hike the Meadow Marsh trail (see page 18).

The Maplehurst Inn “Whatever your interests you’ll find lots to enjoy in the Monadnock area”

A quaint colonial inn that has been offering hospitality to travelers for over 200 years. Enjoy a charming room with private bath, Internet access, cable TV, dining and more.

67 Main Street, Antrim NH 03440 Tel: 603-588-8000 603-588-2800 Cell: 603-396-7031 Email: jules5512@yahoo.com www.NH-INN.com

Antrim Marketplace Full range of grocery items, delicatessen, specializing in fresh meat, seafood, party platters and hot-bar.

76 Main Street, Antrim NH 03440 Tel: 603-588-2800 Fax: 603-588-3337

Page 12

Lily Pond is just under 10 acres with glacial erratics, a beaver dam, bird/wildlife watching, hiking and ledges. Land around the pond as well as at the rear of the Meeting House Cemetery are privately owned and the land should be treated with the utmost of respect and care. Public access is by foot trail through a series of formal and informal easements. Ownership: Hurlin Property is town owned. The land north of Hurlin and Lily Pond land is privately owned. The private land owners have kindly given permission for walking on these trails so please be considerate of the owners and other neighbors when using the area. Directions: Trail to Lily Pond starts at Center Cemetery on Route 31. Hurlin Trail starts at Meeting House Hill Cemetery and goes to Route 31 opposite Center Cemetery. Be careful of poison ivy and nesting birds in Spring. There is parking by Meeting House Hill Cemetery, but there is no designated parking on Rt.31 so seek a wide area on the side of the road to park. Activities: Hiking, bird/wildlife watching, walking to cemeteries. Use Policies: Dogs are allowed but must be under “owner control” by voice or leash, and owners need to pick up after their dogs. Amenities: none Web Link: www.antrimnh.org Contact: Antrim Conservation Commission Maps: Hurlin Trail and Lily Pond Trail (by students and teachers of Great Brook Middle School) are available in the Town Hall or as a PDF on the Town website. Trails: The Hurlin Trail starts at the southwest corner of the Meeting House Hill cemetery. Follow the orange discs as it wends its way down the southern flank of Meeting House Hill to Route 31. Continue across Route 31. Enter the old Center Ceme-tery, proceed straight across and descend down over the wall to right of a yellow birch tree. Follow white blazes on deeded trail easement close to the wall. Go left at end of wall to the lookout near beginning of beaver-dam and Lily Pond where it formally termi-nates. The overall trail length is a short mile, with Route 31 transecting the trail at the halfway point.

Location: Antrim Ownership: see below

Lily Pond, Meeting House Hill and Hurlin Property

Page 13

CAUTION: to get to ledges (a.k.a. as Hedgehog Hill) you must walk on the beaver dam; this may not hold you in the summer. From the ledges you can make out the true kettle bog surrounded by the lar-ger body of water created by the dam. Winter is the best time to cross the frozen pond.

Page 12

Lily Pond is just under 10 acres with glacial erratics, a beaver dam, bird/wildlife watching, hiking and ledges. Land around the pond as well as at the rear of the Meeting House Cemetery are privately owned and the land should be treated with the utmost of respect and care. Public access is by foot trail through a series of formal and informal easements. Ownership: Hurlin Property is town owned. The land north of Hurlin and Lily Pond land is privately owned. The private land owners have kindly given permission for walking on these trails so please be considerate of the owners and other neighbors when using the area. Directions: Trail to Lily Pond starts at Center Cemetery on Route 31. Hurlin Trail starts at Meeting House Hill Cemetery and goes to Route 31 opposite Center Cemetery. Be careful of poison ivy and nesting birds in Spring. There is parking by Meeting House Hill Cemetery, but there is no designated parking on Rt.31 so seek a wide area on the side of the road to park. Activities: Hiking, bird/wildlife watching, walking to cemeteries. Use Policies: Dogs are allowed but must be under “owner control” by voice or leash, and owners need to pick up after their dogs. Amenities: none Web Link: www.antrimnh.org Contact: Antrim Conservation Commission Maps: Hurlin Trail and Lily Pond Trail (by students and teachers of Great Brook Middle School) are available in the Town Hall or as a PDF on the Town website. Trails: The Hurlin Trail starts at the southwest corner of the Meeting House Hill cemetery. Follow the orange discs as it wends its way down the southern flank of Meeting House Hill to Route 31. Continue across Route 31. Enter the old Center Ceme-tery, proceed straight across and descend down over the wall to right of a yellow birch tree. Follow white blazes on deeded trail easement close to the wall. Go left at end of wall to the lookout near beginning of beaver-dam and Lily Pond where it formally termi-nates. The overall trail length is a short mile, with Route 31 transecting the trail at the halfway point.

Location: Antrim Ownership: see below

Lily Pond, Meeting House Hill and Hurlin Property

Page 13

CAUTION: to get to ledges (a.k.a. as Hedgehog Hill) you must walk on the beaver dam; this may not hold you in the summer. From the ledges you can make out the true kettle bog surrounded by the lar-ger body of water created by the dam. Winter is the best time to cross the frozen pond.

Page 14

In 1999 the Nature Conservancy acquired 633 acres in the north-east corner of Antrim and adjoining Stoddard to protect this glob-ally rare White Cedar Swamp now known at the Loverens Mill Cedar Swamp Preserve. In 2006 the Conservancy doubled the protected lands with the acquisition of 635 acres in neighboring Windsor. This preserve has been cooperatively developed and maintained by the Nature Conservancy and Society for the Protection of NH Forests (SPNHF). Nature conservation partners have connected the pre-serve to a larger conservation project which includes the 5,000-acre SPNHF owned Peirce Reservation in Stoddard and Windsor.

Location: Antrim Ownership: Nature Conservancy

Loveren’s Mill Cedar Swamp

Directions: From Antrim go north on Rt31, take a left on Rt 9 head-ing west for about two miles to Loveren Mill Rd. Turn right on Loveren Mill Rd and just across the bridge, there is a parking area on the right. The Preserve is located along a dirt road across the road, and slightly North of the parking area. Follow this road 0.25 miles to the Preserve trailhead, which is marked by a sign and register box. Activities: Hiking and walking. Use Policies: No pets are permitted, foot travel only, stay on trails in wetlands, no camping or fires, no hunting in eastern part of preserve Amenities: There are no restrooms or water available. A public rest area with bathrooms is located on route 9 just west of Loveren Mill Road. Web Link: www.nature.org/newhampshire

Maps: A Preserve Map is available at The Nature Conservancy Web Link indicated above. Loveren’s Trail: Three mile trail. As you walk the access road into the Preserve from Loveren's Mill Road, you pass the remains of the Loveren's Mill site and dam, originally constructed in 1798. As you enter the trail you discover a mixed forest of balsam fir, red spruce, white pine, and red oak. Just 0.1 mile from the trailhead is a 200-foot boardwalk that ex-tends into the swamp and over a thick bed of sphagnum moss. You may note that the site is unusual in that it is a "boreal" swamp with species typical of more northern latitudes. This is indicated by a black spruce to your left as you step onto the boardwalk and by a small tamarack about 50 feet away on your right. The Loveren's

Page 15

Mill site is at an elevation of 1,040 feet, and the surrounding high hills funnel cold air down into the swamp, thus simulating a climate found further north. Other wetlands plants you will find along the boardwalk include, cinnamon fern, maleberry, smooth winterberry, sheep laurel, mountain holly, and red maple. In the spring and early summer the bog mat is accented with yellow loosestrife, also known as "swamp candles". Back on the trail, you encounter several huge boulders. These "glacial erratics" were deposited more than 15,000 years ago by re-treating glaciers. Enjoy the fragrant balsams as you proceed to-ward the North Branch of the Contoocook River. In the summer, ebony jewelwing damselflies breed and lay eggs on the grass stems in the water here. The North Branch provides wildlife habitat for mink, muskrat, river otter, and beaver. Watch for moose signs along the final stretch of the trail. Other wildlife species that inhabit the preserve include wild turkey, white-tailed deer, Easter coyote, fisher, and black bear. Common birds include black-capped chickadee, hermit thrush, white-throated sparrow, veery, and Louisiana waterthrush. .

Note: We thank The Na-ture Conservancy for letting us use their descriptions

Page 14

In 1999 the Nature Conservancy acquired 633 acres in the north-east corner of Antrim and adjoining Stoddard to protect this glob-ally rare White Cedar Swamp now known at the Loverens Mill Cedar Swamp Preserve. In 2006 the Conservancy doubled the protected lands with the acquisition of 635 acres in neighboring Windsor. This preserve has been cooperatively developed and maintained by the Nature Conservancy and Society for the Protection of NH Forests (SPNHF). Nature conservation partners have connected the pre-serve to a larger conservation project which includes the 5,000-acre SPNHF owned Peirce Reservation in Stoddard and Windsor.

Location: Antrim Ownership: Nature Conservancy

Loveren’s Mill Cedar Swamp

Directions: From Antrim go north on Rt31, take a left on Rt 9 head-ing west for about two miles to Loveren Mill Rd. Turn right on Loveren Mill Rd and just across the bridge, there is a parking area on the right. The Preserve is located along a dirt road across the road, and slightly North of the parking area. Follow this road 0.25 miles to the Preserve trailhead, which is marked by a sign and register box. Activities: Hiking and walking. Use Policies: No pets are permitted, foot travel only, stay on trails in wetlands, no camping or fires, no hunting in eastern part of preserve Amenities: There are no restrooms or water available. A public rest area with bathrooms is located on route 9 just west of Loveren Mill Road. Web Link: www.nature.org/newhampshire

Maps: A Preserve Map is available at The Nature Conservancy Web Link indicated above. Loveren’s Trail: Three mile trail. As you walk the access road into the Preserve from Loveren's Mill Road, you pass the remains of the Loveren's Mill site and dam, originally constructed in 1798. As you enter the trail you discover a mixed forest of balsam fir, red spruce, white pine, and red oak. Just 0.1 mile from the trailhead is a 200-foot boardwalk that ex-tends into the swamp and over a thick bed of sphagnum moss. You may note that the site is unusual in that it is a "boreal" swamp with species typical of more northern latitudes. This is indicated by a black spruce to your left as you step onto the boardwalk and by a small tamarack about 50 feet away on your right. The Loveren's

Page 15

Mill site is at an elevation of 1,040 feet, and the surrounding high hills funnel cold air down into the swamp, thus simulating a climate found further north. Other wetlands plants you will find along the boardwalk include, cinnamon fern, maleberry, smooth winterberry, sheep laurel, mountain holly, and red maple. In the spring and early summer the bog mat is accented with yellow loosestrife, also known as "swamp candles". Back on the trail, you encounter several huge boulders. These "glacial erratics" were deposited more than 15,000 years ago by re-treating glaciers. Enjoy the fragrant balsams as you proceed to-ward the North Branch of the Contoocook River. In the summer, ebony jewelwing damselflies breed and lay eggs on the grass stems in the water here. The North Branch provides wildlife habitat for mink, muskrat, river otter, and beaver. Watch for moose signs along the final stretch of the trail. Other wildlife species that inhabit the preserve include wild turkey, white-tailed deer, Easter coyote, fisher, and black bear. Common birds include black-capped chickadee, hermit thrush, white-throated sparrow, veery, and Louisiana waterthrush. .

Note: We thank The Na-ture Conservancy for letting us use their descriptions

Page 16

The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (Forest Society) owns and manages the 187-acre McCabe Forest as a con-servation area for wildlife, water quality, timber, and public recrea-tion. Donated to the Forest Society by Dorothy McCabe in 1982, the McCabe Forest features extensive frontage on the Contoocook River, widely varied and productive wildlife habitat, well-managed pine and hardwood forests, and a host of wildflowers and other plants. The Forest Society is the oldest membership-driven conser-vation organization in NH.

Directions: From the center of Antrim, follow Route 202 North. In approximately 0.2 miles turn right onto Elm St. Extension Rd. Parking area is 300' on the right. There is a kiosk there. Activities: bird watching, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, walking

Use Policies: Dogs are al-lowed but must be under “owner control” by voice or leash, and owners need to pick up after their dogs, no wheeled vehicles are al-lowed, registered geocaches are permitted. Web Link: www.forestsociety.org

Associations: Society for the Protection of New Hampshire For-ests (Forest Society) Amenities: There are no restrooms or water available. Maps: Yes, a two mile trail map is available at the kiosk area. Trails: This 2 mile counterclockwise loop trail starts at the parking lot and mean-ders through the woods and along the Contoocook River passing 18 stations featuring some of the natural resources you will see on your walk.

Location: Antrim Ownership: Forest Society

McCabe Forest

Page 17

Note: Trail descriptions cour-tesy of Forest Society

In early spring and/or at times of extensive rain, some of the loop trails may be flooded over, so you may have to back-track or find another spur trail. There is a kiosk in the parking lot which contains a trail guide with a description of these stations. Within the loop of the trail is the home and barns which used to belong to Dorothy McCabe but are now privately owned and should be respected as such.

Page 16

The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (Forest Society) owns and manages the 187-acre McCabe Forest as a con-servation area for wildlife, water quality, timber, and public recrea-tion. Donated to the Forest Society by Dorothy McCabe in 1982, the McCabe Forest features extensive frontage on the Contoocook River, widely varied and productive wildlife habitat, well-managed pine and hardwood forests, and a host of wildflowers and other plants. The Forest Society is the oldest membership-driven conser-vation organization in NH.

Directions: From the center of Antrim, follow Route 202 North. In approximately 0.2 miles turn right onto Elm St. Extension Rd. Parking area is 300' on the right. There is a kiosk there. Activities: bird watching, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, walking

Use Policies: Dogs are al-lowed but must be under “owner control” by voice or leash, and owners need to pick up after their dogs, no wheeled vehicles are al-lowed, registered geocaches are permitted. Web Link: www.forestsociety.org

Associations: Society for the Protection of New Hampshire For-ests (Forest Society) Amenities: There are no restrooms or water available. Maps: Yes, a two mile trail map is available at the kiosk area. Trails: This 2 mile counterclockwise loop trail starts at the parking lot and mean-ders through the woods and along the Contoocook River passing 18 stations featuring some of the natural resources you will see on your walk.

Location: Antrim Ownership: Forest Society

McCabe Forest

Page 17

Note: Trail descriptions cour-tesy of Forest Society

In early spring and/or at times of extensive rain, some of the loop trails may be flooded over, so you may have to back-track or find another spur trail. There is a kiosk in the parking lot which contains a trail guide with a description of these stations. Within the loop of the trail is the home and barns which used to belong to Dorothy McCabe but are now privately owned and should be respected as such.

Page 18

For a short walk near the town beach try the Meadow Marsh Trail. Less than a mile long, it takes in vistas across two marshes where animal signs, birds and wildflowers can be numerous.

Location: Antrim

Meadow Marsh (Craig Rd, Hattie Brown Rd.)

Directions: Continue west beyond Gregg Lake town boat ramp, Craig Rd will be to the right. Easy parking at beach/boat ramp area. Activities: walking, hiking, cross country skiing Use Policies: Dogs are allowed but must be under “owner and own-ers need to pick up after their dogs, no motorized vehicles. Amenities: none Contact: Antrim Conservation Commission Web Link: www.antrimnh.org Maps: see Gregg Lake on page 10 for a larger map of the area. Meadow Marsh Trail: Right onto Craig road, over the little bridge about 150 feet there is a trail into the woods along the marsh fol-lowing white blazes and/or orange disc markers to the right. Trail crosses Craig Rd and into the woods past a cellar hole and good size erratic, then across Hattie Brown Rd. Trail goes to the waters edge and back to Craig Rd. This last section is affected by high water at times and currently has some '08 storm damage. Nice walk in either a clockwise or counterclockwise (as described) direction. Also pleasant walking up Hattie Brown Rd, a private road.

Page 19

Located near the town center and highlighted with War Memorials for WWII, the Korean War and Vietnam War. This is a great place to relax or engage in one of the many activities available. For relaxing try fishing in Mill Pond, reading a book on one of the benches and watch children play on the toddler and youth swings. For a more active time there you can play tennis, basketball and go skateboarding. During the summer the Recreation Department sponsors a program, called Antrim in the Evening, which features concerts held weekly on the Bandstand starting at 6pm on Wednesdays (in case of in-clement weather, concerts are moved indoors to the Antrim Town Hall on Main Street). Located on Jameson Ave. the park is open daily till 9 PM throughout the year. (Continued on next page)

Location: Antrim Ownership: Town of Antrim

Memorial Park and Mill Pond

Page 18

For a short walk near the town beach try the Meadow Marsh Trail. Less than a mile long, it takes in vistas across two marshes where animal signs, birds and wildflowers can be numerous.

Location: Antrim

Meadow Marsh (Craig Rd, Hattie Brown Rd.)

Directions: Continue west beyond Gregg Lake town boat ramp, Craig Rd will be to the right. Easy parking at beach/boat ramp area. Activities: walking, hiking, cross country skiing Use Policies: Dogs are allowed but must be under “owner and own-ers need to pick up after their dogs, no motorized vehicles. Amenities: none Contact: Antrim Conservation Commission Web Link: www.antrimnh.org Maps: see Gregg Lake on page 10 for a larger map of the area. Meadow Marsh Trail: Right onto Craig road, over the little bridge about 150 feet there is a trail into the woods along the marsh fol-lowing white blazes and/or orange disc markers to the right. Trail crosses Craig Rd and into the woods past a cellar hole and good size erratic, then across Hattie Brown Rd. Trail goes to the waters edge and back to Craig Rd. This last section is affected by high water at times and currently has some '08 storm damage. Nice walk in either a clockwise or counterclockwise (as described) direction. Also pleasant walking up Hattie Brown Rd, a private road.

Page 19

Located near the town center and highlighted with War Memorials for WWII, the Korean War and Vietnam War. This is a great place to relax or engage in one of the many activities available. For relaxing try fishing in Mill Pond, reading a book on one of the benches and watch children play on the toddler and youth swings. For a more active time there you can play tennis, basketball and go skateboarding. During the summer the Recreation Department sponsors a program, called Antrim in the Evening, which features concerts held weekly on the Bandstand starting at 6pm on Wednesdays (in case of in-clement weather, concerts are moved indoors to the Antrim Town Hall on Main Street). Located on Jameson Ave. the park is open daily till 9 PM throughout the year. (Continued on next page)

Location: Antrim Ownership: Town of Antrim

Memorial Park and Mill Pond

Page 20

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North Branch River

The North Branch River’s variety of activities include fishing, pic-nicking, hiking, canoeing, kayaking and a renowned white water run only for those that know the sport and not for the faint hearted or unprepared. Steels Pond is approxi-mately 36 acres in size. It provides the water source for a small hydro power plant, whose gen-erated electricity is sold to Public Service of New Hampshire. There is no recreational activity at this Pond, other than some limited fishing off of the bridge, a short distance from Route 9.

Location: Antrim

Directions: Located in downtown Antrim, take either West Street or Summer Street and turn onto Jameson Rd where there is park-ing for Memorial Park. Activities: Bandstand, basketball, fishing, tennis courts, toddler and youth swings. For skateboarding, protective gear including properly fitting helmets and safety pads are highly recommended for all users. Use Policies: Glass bottles are a real problem for the courts, grassy and picnic areas. Please bring your beverages in unbreakable containers, and, of course, please don’t litter!

Page 21

Rye Pond is a gem of a natural area. The pond actually straddles three towns: Antrim, Nelson and Stoddard. The pond is a warm wa-ter fishery and has limited car-top boat access from the Virginia Baker Natural Area, off Route 123. In 1995, the Harris Center for Conservation Education was able to protect 26 acres on the eastern end of Rye Pond with help from many generous donors, including the Baker family. There are no established trails at Rye Pond, though you can follow an angler’s path partway around the pond. The land is open to hunting.

Location: Antrim Ownership: Harris Center

Directions: From Hancock village, drive west on Route 123. About a mile past Willard Pond Road, you’ll see Rye Pond on the right Use Policies: Dogs allowed on a leash.

Virginia Baker Natural Area at Rye Pond

Welcome Center has several picnic tables, hibachis and a short walk to the river for fishing, cooling off

Calmer river for canoeing and kay-aking in this area

Pullout and view of the double arch stone bridge

Page 20

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CALL TO COMPARE PRICES AND SAVE TODAY!

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Propane Gas Home Heating

Kerosene Diesel Fuel

Biodiesel 24 Hour Service

North Branch River

The North Branch River’s variety of activities include fishing, pic-nicking, hiking, canoeing, kayaking and a renowned white water run only for those that know the sport and not for the faint hearted or unprepared. Steels Pond is approxi-mately 36 acres in size. It provides the water source for a small hydro power plant, whose gen-erated electricity is sold to Public Service of New Hampshire. There is no recreational activity at this Pond, other than some limited fishing off of the bridge, a short distance from Route 9.

Location: Antrim

Directions: Located in downtown Antrim, take either West Street or Summer Street and turn onto Jameson Rd where there is park-ing for Memorial Park. Activities: Bandstand, basketball, fishing, tennis courts, toddler and youth swings. For skateboarding, protective gear including properly fitting helmets and safety pads are highly recommended for all users. Use Policies: Glass bottles are a real problem for the courts, grassy and picnic areas. Please bring your beverages in unbreakable containers, and, of course, please don’t litter!

Page 21

Rye Pond is a gem of a natural area. The pond actually straddles three towns: Antrim, Nelson and Stoddard. The pond is a warm wa-ter fishery and has limited car-top boat access from the Virginia Baker Natural Area, off Route 123. In 1995, the Harris Center for Conservation Education was able to protect 26 acres on the eastern end of Rye Pond with help from many generous donors, including the Baker family. There are no established trails at Rye Pond, though you can follow an angler’s path partway around the pond. The land is open to hunting.

Location: Antrim Ownership: Harris Center

Directions: From Hancock village, drive west on Route 123. About a mile past Willard Pond Road, you’ll see Rye Pond on the right Use Policies: Dogs allowed on a leash.

Virginia Baker Natural Area at Rye Pond

Welcome Center has several picnic tables, hibachis and a short walk to the river for fishing, cooling off

Calmer river for canoeing and kay-aking in this area

Pullout and view of the double arch stone bridge

Page 22

Special Places - Bennington

35 acres of town forest between Route 202 and the Contoocook River. Trail named after Bruce Edes, to honor this dedicated and involved community leader.

Location: Bennington Ownership: Town of Bennington

Directions: Going south on Route 202 turn left on Route 31 and be-fore the bridge turn left again into the VFW parking lot where there is trailhead parking. Activities: open to all for walking and hiking Use Policies: Dogs on a leash are allowed and please pick up after pets. No canoeing or kayaking on Contoocook by the Bruce Edes trail. W e b L i n k : www.dodgelibrary.com Associations: Benning-ton Conservation Com-mission Maps: Maps are available in a display box at the rear of the VFW building. They can also be picked up at the Dodge Library and Ben-nington Garage. Trails: To get to the beginning of the trail walk north along the railroad track. The trail is marked by markers.

Bruce Edes Forest

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Page 23

Crotched Mountain Area

The Crotched Mountain Area lies on the border of Bennington and Francestown and offers three activities—hiking, golf and skiing. You can climb to the summit of the 1917’ mountain or play golf or cross country ski at Crotched Mountain Golf Club and ski at Crotched Mountain Ski and Ride Resort.

For downhill skiing at Crotched Mountain Ski and Ride see page 47. At Crotched Mountain Golf Club see page 42 for golf and page 48 for cross country skiing The following information is for hiking the trail up to the summit of Crotched Mountain from the Bennington side (there is another trail that goes to the summit from Crotched Mountain Rehab Center. Directions: From the center of Bennington follow Rt. 31 east for about 1 1/2 miles then turn left onto Mountain Rd. Continue on Mountain Rd. about 1 tenth of a mile after it turns into a dirt road there is a small pullout area on the left. A few hundred yards ahead there will be a sign for the trailhead. Use Policies: Dogs on a leash are allowed. Amenities: none Maps: There is a canister at the trailhead with trail maps available. Trails: The hike to the summit of Crotched Mountain on the Ben-nington Trail is approximately 1.2 miles. Parts of this trail are fairly steep in that you will be making an ascent of almost 1000 feet. At the time of printing this guide there were still quite a few fallen trees and branches across the trail from the December 2008 ice storm. The trail is marked with orange circles although they are a bit faded and could not be found as the summit got closer. At the summit is a Verizon cell tower and a view in several directions. There are other trails to the summit so as you are leaving be care-ful to get on the same trail you came up.

Location: Bennington Ownership: Private Lands

Cemeteries There are three cemeteries in Bennington. Evergreen: A public cemetery located on Old Stagecoach Road Calvary: A private cemetery also located on Old Stagecoach Road. Sunnyside: A public cemetery at the corner of Eaton Avenue and Bible Hill Road.

Page 22

Special Places - Bennington

35 acres of town forest between Route 202 and the Contoocook River. Trail named after Bruce Edes, to honor this dedicated and involved community leader.

Location: Bennington Ownership: Town of Bennington

Directions: Going south on Route 202 turn left on Route 31 and be-fore the bridge turn left again into the VFW parking lot where there is trailhead parking. Activities: open to all for walking and hiking Use Policies: Dogs on a leash are allowed and please pick up after pets. No canoeing or kayaking on Contoocook by the Bruce Edes trail. W e b L i n k : www.dodgelibrary.com Associations: Benning-ton Conservation Com-mission Maps: Maps are available in a display box at the rear of the VFW building. They can also be picked up at the Dodge Library and Ben-nington Garage. Trails: To get to the beginning of the trail walk north along the railroad track. The trail is marked by markers.

Bruce Edes Forest

A Common Place Eatery Main Street, Bennington Tel; 603-588-6888 Closed Mondays Tues - Sat: 6am to 2pm Friday Dinner: 5pm –8pm Sunday: 7am - 11am

Breakfast and Lunch Dinner on Friday nights featuring Prime Rib Homemade—desserts, soups, corned beef hash and more

Page 23

Crotched Mountain Area

The Crotched Mountain Area lies on the border of Bennington and Francestown and offers three activities—hiking, golf and skiing. You can climb to the summit of the 1917’ mountain or play golf or cross country ski at Crotched Mountain Golf Club and ski at Crotched Mountain Ski and Ride Resort.

For downhill skiing at Crotched Mountain Ski and Ride see page 47. At Crotched Mountain Golf Club see page 42 for golf and page 48 for cross country skiing The following information is for hiking the trail up to the summit of Crotched Mountain from the Bennington side (there is another trail that goes to the summit from Crotched Mountain Rehab Center. Directions: From the center of Bennington follow Rt. 31 east for about 1 1/2 miles then turn left onto Mountain Rd. Continue on Mountain Rd. about 1 tenth of a mile after it turns into a dirt road there is a small pullout area on the left. A few hundred yards ahead there will be a sign for the trailhead. Use Policies: Dogs on a leash are allowed. Amenities: none Maps: There is a canister at the trailhead with trail maps available. Trails: The hike to the summit of Crotched Mountain on the Ben-nington Trail is approximately 1.2 miles. Parts of this trail are fairly steep in that you will be making an ascent of almost 1000 feet. At the time of printing this guide there were still quite a few fallen trees and branches across the trail from the December 2008 ice storm. The trail is marked with orange circles although they are a bit faded and could not be found as the summit got closer. At the summit is a Verizon cell tower and a view in several directions. There are other trails to the summit so as you are leaving be care-ful to get on the same trail you came up.

Location: Bennington Ownership: Private Lands

Cemeteries There are three cemeteries in Bennington. Evergreen: A public cemetery located on Old Stagecoach Road Calvary: A private cemetery also located on Old Stagecoach Road. Sunnyside: A public cemetery at the corner of Eaton Avenue and Bible Hill Road.

Page 24

Bennington Country Store Owners: Bruce and Diann Lydon

Groceries Beer and Wine Delicatessen

6 Main Street Bennington, NH 03442

Email: diannlydon@yahoo.com Phone: 603-588-2153 Fax: 603 588-3167

Hours: Open everyday from 6am to 8pm

Page 25

419 acre pond located in Bennington , Greenfield and Hancock. It is widening of the Contoocook River with backwaters and dams owned by Monadnock Papermill There is a wide variety of fish species and wildlife with great canoe and kayak paddling on a flatwater area. This pond has significant infestation of variable milfoil. For this reason it is very important to clean off your boat of any residual after it has been in Powder Mill Pond before putting it into any other body of water.

Location: Bennington

Powder Mill Pond

From Rt. 202 make left onto Forest Road. Go 1.2 miles, across the covered bridge; parking lot and boat ramp on right.

Pullout on Rt. 202 with parking.

A very nice pad-dle from the Greenfield boat launch to the pullout area on Rt. 202.

Page 24

Bennington Country Store Owners: Bruce and Diann Lydon

Groceries Beer and Wine Delicatessen

6 Main Street Bennington, NH 03442

Email: diannlydon@yahoo.com Phone: 603-588-2153 Fax: 603 588-3167

Hours: Open everyday from 6am to 8pm

Page 25

419 acre pond located in Bennington , Greenfield and Hancock. It is widening of the Contoocook River with backwaters and dams owned by Monadnock Papermill There is a wide variety of fish species and wildlife with great canoe and kayak paddling on a flatwater area. This pond has significant infestation of variable milfoil. For this reason it is very important to clean off your boat of any residual after it has been in Powder Mill Pond before putting it into any other body of water.

Location: Bennington

Powder Mill Pond

From Rt. 202 make left onto Forest Road. Go 1.2 miles, across the covered bridge; parking lot and boat ramp on right.

Pullout on Rt. 202 with parking.

A very nice pad-dle from the Greenfield boat launch to the pullout area on Rt. 202.

Page 26

An eight mile section of the old Peterborough and Hillsborough Rail-road is now a recreational trail following the Contoocook River be-tween Hillsborough and Bennington. The trail is maintained by Trails Bureau and Tri County OHRV Club. A local snowmobile club grooms trails for snowmobiling in the winter.

Location: Bennington Ownership: State of New Hampshire

Directions: At the north end the access point is near the Deering Fish & Game Club on Long Woods Rd, about 2 miles south of Route 149 and parking is allowed. The south end access is at the old Ben-nington Depot, which is now a VFW post, located on Routes 47 and 31 just east of Route 202. Activities: This is a multi use trail that allows ATVs, biking, cross country skiing, horseback riding, snow shoeing, snowmobiling and walking. Look for the permitted use sign at the trail. Use Policies: Dogs are allowed but must be under “owner control” by voice or leash, and owners need to pick up after their dogs. Associations: Tri County OHRV Club Maps: see Contoocook map on page 31 for an overview of the roads. Trails: The trail is 7.7 miles long and intersects several roads, many having limited parking. Heading north the intersections are: Start at the VFW post in Ben-

nington which has ample parking Depot Road in Antrim has ample parking, just east of the Con-

toocook River.

Rail Trail

Bennington Garage, Inc. Full Service - Inspection

Foreign - Domestic Auto - Truck - Motorcycle

Open: Monday through Friday

7:00 AM to 5:00PM

20 Main Street - 7 School Street, Unit 104 Bennington, NH 03442 Tel: 603-588-2182

Page 27

41 acre cold water lake. summer swimming lessons for Bennington children and fishing.

Location: Bennington

Directions: Traveling south from Bennington town center on Route 31, travel 1 1/2 miles and then turn right on Whittemore Lake East Rd. which will take you to the parking lot and boat ramp. Activities: boating (canoeing, kayaking), fishing (State stocks with trout, no ice fish-ing) and swimming Use Policies: no motor-boats or outboard mo-tors, beach area is re-stricted to Bennington residents and no dogs are allowed. Amenities: Portable toilets are available at the side of the parking lot.

Whittemore Lake

Ian Aldrich fishing at Whittemore Lake

About 800’ south of the Iron Bridge on North Bennington Road there is limited parking where the Rail Trial crosses.

The Rail Trial crosses Bennington Depot Rd. right by Blueberry Hill, about a 1/4 mile north of the Deering line, again with lim-ited parking.

Proceeding north, the Rail Trail intersects 2nd NH Turnpike again, about 1/2 mile past the entrance to the landing strip, just south of McAlister Fire Station. There is very limited parking available.

Continuing on, take the right on Holton Crossing Rd. to the in-tersection of Hedgehog Mt. Rd. (where Holton Crossing turns into Longwoods Rd.). The Rail Trail crosses here with limited parking.

There is major parking area right off of Longwoods road by the Rail Trail (at the entrance to Deering Fish and Game).

3/4 mile north there is another crossing of the Rail Trail across Longwoods.

Page 26

An eight mile section of the old Peterborough and Hillsborough Rail-road is now a recreational trail following the Contoocook River be-tween Hillsborough and Bennington. The trail is maintained by Trails Bureau and Tri County OHRV Club. A local snowmobile club grooms trails for snowmobiling in the winter.

Location: Bennington Ownership: State of New Hampshire

Directions: At the north end the access point is near the Deering Fish & Game Club on Long Woods Rd, about 2 miles south of Route 149 and parking is allowed. The south end access is at the old Ben-nington Depot, which is now a VFW post, located on Routes 47 and 31 just east of Route 202. Activities: This is a multi use trail that allows ATVs, biking, cross country skiing, horseback riding, snow shoeing, snowmobiling and walking. Look for the permitted use sign at the trail. Use Policies: Dogs are allowed but must be under “owner control” by voice or leash, and owners need to pick up after their dogs. Associations: Tri County OHRV Club Maps: see Contoocook map on page 31 for an overview of the roads. Trails: The trail is 7.7 miles long and intersects several roads, many having limited parking. Heading north the intersections are: Start at the VFW post in Ben-

nington which has ample parking Depot Road in Antrim has ample parking, just east of the Con-

toocook River.

Rail Trail

Bennington Garage, Inc. Full Service - Inspection

Foreign - Domestic Auto - Truck - Motorcycle

Open: Monday through Friday

7:00 AM to 5:00PM

20 Main Street - 7 School Street, Unit 104 Bennington, NH 03442 Tel: 603-588-2182

Page 27

41 acre cold water lake. summer swimming lessons for Bennington children and fishing.

Location: Bennington

Directions: Traveling south from Bennington town center on Route 31, travel 1 1/2 miles and then turn right on Whittemore Lake East Rd. which will take you to the parking lot and boat ramp. Activities: boating (canoeing, kayaking), fishing (State stocks with trout, no ice fish-ing) and swimming Use Policies: no motor-boats or outboard mo-tors, beach area is re-stricted to Bennington residents and no dogs are allowed. Amenities: Portable toilets are available at the side of the parking lot.

Whittemore Lake

Ian Aldrich fishing at Whittemore Lake

About 800’ south of the Iron Bridge on North Bennington Road there is limited parking where the Rail Trial crosses.

The Rail Trial crosses Bennington Depot Rd. right by Blueberry Hill, about a 1/4 mile north of the Deering line, again with lim-ited parking.

Proceeding north, the Rail Trail intersects 2nd NH Turnpike again, about 1/2 mile past the entrance to the landing strip, just south of McAlister Fire Station. There is very limited parking available.

Continuing on, take the right on Holton Crossing Rd. to the in-tersection of Hedgehog Mt. Rd. (where Holton Crossing turns into Longwoods Rd.). The Rail Trail crosses here with limited parking.

There is major parking area right off of Longwoods road by the Rail Trail (at the entrance to Deering Fish and Game).

3/4 mile north there is another crossing of the Rail Trail across Longwoods.

Page 28

Map of Antrim Map of Antrim

BENNINGTONContoocook River, Bennington Forest

CemeteriesPlaying Fields

Crotched Mountain Trail

Powder Mill PondRail Trail

Whittemore Lake

ANTRIM Cemeteries (5)dePierrefeu-Willard Pond Wildlife SanctuaryGregg LakeFranklin Pierce LakeLily Pond and Meetinghouse HillLoveren's MillMcCabe ForestMeadowMarsh (Craig Road, Hattie Brown Rd.)Memorial Park Rye Pond

BENNINGTONContoocook River, Bennington Forest

CemeteriesPlaying Fields

rotched Mountain Trai

Powder Mill PondRail Trail

Whittemore Lake

BENNINGTONContoocook River, Bennington Forest

CemeteriesPlaying Fields

Crotched Mountain Trai

Powder Mill PondRail Trail

Whittemore Lake

ANTRIMCemeteries (5)dePierrefeu-Willard Pond Wildlife SanctuaryGregg LakeFranklin Pierce LakeLily Pond andMeetinghouse HillLoveren's MillMcCabe ForestMeadowMarsh (Craig Road, Hattie Brown Rd.)Memorial Park Rye Pond

and Bennington and Bennington

BENNINGTONContoocook River, Bennington Forest

CemeteriesPlaying Fields

Crotched Mountain Trail

Powder Mill PondRail Trail

Whittemore Lake

ANTRIM Cemeteries (5)dePierrefeu-Willard Pond Wildlife SanctuaryGregg LakeFranklin Pierce LakeLily Pond and Meetinghouse HillLoveren's MillMcCabe ForestMeadowMarsh (Craig Road, Hattie Brown Rd.)Memorial Park Rye Pond

BENNINGTONContoocook River, Bennington Forest

CemeteriesPlaying Fields

rotched Mountain Trai

Powder Mill PondRail Trail

Whittemore Lake

BENNINGTONContoocook River, Bennington Forest

CemeteriesPlaying Fields

Crotched Mountain Trai

Powder Mill PondRail Trail

Whittemore Lake

ANTRIMCemeteries (5)dePierrefeu-Willard Pond Wildlife SanctuaryGregg LakeFranklin Pierce LakeLily Pond andMeetinghouse HillLoveren's MillMcCabe ForestMeadowMarsh (Craig Road, Hattie Brown Rd.)Memorial Park Rye Pond

Page 30

Special Places - Nearby and Shared Contoocook River

The Contoocook, around 70 miles long, with its unusual drainage to the north is designated a protected river by state statute. Antrim has more frontage designated as 'wild' than any of the other 12 towns bordering or straddling the river. After the dams in Bennington there is a nice paddle to Hillsboro where the fall is less than 10 feet. Paddling down this stretch is much longer than the linear 7+ miles as the bends in the river make this a 13 mile paddle( “strainers” - downed trees are possible).

Directions: see map on next page Activities: canoeing, kayaking, fishing, swimming, tubing Use Policies: We are fortunate that Wyman Chevrolet has gener-ously allowed us to use the area behind their Body Shop to put in or take out our canoes and kayaks. Since this is private property they have asked us to check in with their office before using. Let’s all make sure we do not abuse this privilege being extended to us. Deering Fish and Game is at the end of the Deering Fish and Game Rd. (bearing left at fork). This is a private area by the river owned by Deering Fish and Game. We will explore the possibility of per-mission to use this area and will update the website if granted.

Location: Antrim, Bennington

Page 31

Canoe/kayak launch in Bennington at inter-section of 202 and Antrim Rd. Adequate parking on west side of bridge.

On Depot Rd, just before river there is parking and canoe/kayak launch area.

Small parking area and steep launch at inter-section of Mill St. and Union St.

Iron Bridge has a nice parking area, but it is relatively steep for a canoe/kayak launching area.

Deering Fish and Game has excellent parking and canoe/kayak launch area - see Use Policy.

1000’ past Holton Crossing, before and after bridge have very limited parking, but good launch area

Great parking and launch area behind Wyman Chevrolet Body Shop—see Use Policy on preceding page.

Page 30

Special Places - Nearby and Shared Contoocook River

The Contoocook, around 70 miles long, with its unusual drainage to the north is designated a protected river by state statute. Antrim has more frontage designated as 'wild' than any of the other 12 towns bordering or straddling the river. After the dams in Bennington there is a nice paddle to Hillsboro where the fall is less than 10 feet. Paddling down this stretch is much longer than the linear 7+ miles as the bends in the river make this a 13 mile paddle( “strainers” - downed trees are possible).

Directions: see map on next page Activities: canoeing, kayaking, fishing, swimming, tubing Use Policies: We are fortunate that Wyman Chevrolet has gener-ously allowed us to use the area behind their Body Shop to put in or take out our canoes and kayaks. Since this is private property they have asked us to check in with their office before using. Let’s all make sure we do not abuse this privilege being extended to us. Deering Fish and Game is at the end of the Deering Fish and Game Rd. (bearing left at fork). This is a private area by the river owned by Deering Fish and Game. We will explore the possibility of per-mission to use this area and will update the website if granted.

Location: Antrim, Bennington

Page 31

Canoe/kayak launch in Bennington at inter-section of 202 and Antrim Rd. Adequate parking on west side of bridge.

On Depot Rd, just before river there is parking and canoe/kayak launch area.

Small parking area and steep launch at inter-section of Mill St. and Union St.

Iron Bridge has a nice parking area, but it is relatively steep for a canoe/kayak launching area.

Deering Fish and Game has excellent parking and canoe/kayak launch area - see Use Policy.

1000’ past Holton Crossing, before and after bridge have very limited parking, but good launch area

Great parking and launch area behind Wyman Chevrolet Body Shop—see Use Policy on preceding page.

Page 32

The Caroline A. Fox Research and Demonstration Forest (Fox For-est) has been the State of New Hampshire's forest research sta-tion since 1933. The forest is a gift to New Hampshire from Caro-line Fox of Arlington, Massachusetts. Presently the forest contains 1,445 acres and all hikers, bikers, and cross country skiers are wel-come, and there are trails to meet everybody's skill level. Points of interest are Mud Pond Bog, Black Gum Swamp, & Monroe Hill Tower. There are trail guides (not to scale) in the mailbox in the parking lot of the main entrance

Location: Hillsborough Ownership: State of NH Fox State Forest

Directions: From Antrim take Rt. 202 towards Hillsborough, turn right onto Main St. at the traffic light. In about 1 mile you will reach a set of traffic lights in the center of Hillsborough. At the lights turn left (opposite the junction for Route 149) onto what starts out as School Street and then becomes Center Road. Travel 1.9 miles on School Street/Center Road and then turn right into a parking lot prominently signed as "NH Dept. of Resources and Economic Development, Division of Forest and Lands, Fox Forest, Southwest Region Headquarters". Upon pulling into the driveway, turn left to access the large parking area. There is a trail kiosk next to the lot with trail maps and brochures. Trails leave the parking area from both sides of the lot (one side heading across the road) and are well signed.

1830 House Motel ‘Affordable Lodging’

Junction of Route 9 and 31 626 West Main Street Hillsborough, NH 03244 (603) 478-3135

Featuring: Cable TV Free WiFi access Great location

Page 33

Directions: Follow 202 south from Antrim. About 3 miles from An-trim take a right onto Route 137 into Hancock. Route 137 intersects Main Street in Hancock. Bear right on Main St.. Go straight down Main St. (this is also Route 123). Stay straight on Route 123 past the church and post office on your right. Follow Route 123 for 2-3 miles and bear left onto Hunt's Pond Road. take Hunt's Pond Road for about .4 mile and turn left onto King's Highway. Follow King's Highway for .7 mile and the Harris Center is on your left. There are green and white signs for the Center from the center of Hancock. Website: www.harriscenter.org Contact: Tel: 603.525.3394 Email: bryan@harriscenter.org Trails: The public can enjoy more than 15 miles on 10 trails that are on land owned, managed, or protected by the Harris Center. These trails are maintained by a dedicated group of volunteers. If you would like to lend a hand, please join one of our regular trail-maintenance sessions, or give us a call; we’d love to have your help! There are two main areas of trails: one that leads up Mount Skatutakee and Thumb Mountain; the other run mostly east of and below the Harris Center’s building on King’s Highway in Hancock. Whether you’re up for a half-day hike to the views from Thumb or Skatutakee, or just looking for an hour-long hike on the eastside trails, fun adventures await. Maps: www.harriscenter.org/documents/Skatutakee&thumbtrails.pdf and www.harriscenter.org/documents/EastsideTrails.pdf The same maps can also be found at the Harris Center’s building.

The Harris Center brings nature and environmental education to more than 4,000 students in 25 local schools, including elementary schools in Bennington and Antrim, Great Brook Middle School, and Conval Regional High School. As a land trust, the Harris Center has protected more than 12,000 acres of important habitat throughout the Monadnock Region highlands, much of it through the use of conservation easements in collaboration with generous landowners. And the Harris Center provides a myriad of public programs, in-cluding after-school activities for kids, summer camps, extended learning opportunities for adults, weekend outings, and evening presentations.

Location: Hancock Ownership: Harris Center Harris Center for Conservation Education

Page 32

The Caroline A. Fox Research and Demonstration Forest (Fox For-est) has been the State of New Hampshire's forest research sta-tion since 1933. The forest is a gift to New Hampshire from Caro-line Fox of Arlington, Massachusetts. Presently the forest contains 1,445 acres and all hikers, bikers, and cross country skiers are wel-come, and there are trails to meet everybody's skill level. Points of interest are Mud Pond Bog, Black Gum Swamp, & Monroe Hill Tower. There are trail guides (not to scale) in the mailbox in the parking lot of the main entrance

Location: Hillsborough Ownership: State of NH Fox State Forest

Directions: From Antrim take Rt. 202 towards Hillsborough, turn right onto Main St. at the traffic light. In about 1 mile you will reach a set of traffic lights in the center of Hillsborough. At the lights turn left (opposite the junction for Route 149) onto what starts out as School Street and then becomes Center Road. Travel 1.9 miles on School Street/Center Road and then turn right into a parking lot prominently signed as "NH Dept. of Resources and Economic Development, Division of Forest and Lands, Fox Forest, Southwest Region Headquarters". Upon pulling into the driveway, turn left to access the large parking area. There is a trail kiosk next to the lot with trail maps and brochures. Trails leave the parking area from both sides of the lot (one side heading across the road) and are well signed.

1830 House Motel ‘Affordable Lodging’

Junction of Route 9 and 31 626 West Main Street Hillsborough, NH 03244 (603) 478-3135

Featuring: Cable TV Free WiFi access Great location

Page 33

Directions: Follow 202 south from Antrim. About 3 miles from An-trim take a right onto Route 137 into Hancock. Route 137 intersects Main Street in Hancock. Bear right on Main St.. Go straight down Main St. (this is also Route 123). Stay straight on Route 123 past the church and post office on your right. Follow Route 123 for 2-3 miles and bear left onto Hunt's Pond Road. take Hunt's Pond Road for about .4 mile and turn left onto King's Highway. Follow King's Highway for .7 mile and the Harris Center is on your left. There are green and white signs for the Center from the center of Hancock. Website: www.harriscenter.org Contact: Tel: 603.525.3394 Email: bryan@harriscenter.org Trails: The public can enjoy more than 15 miles on 10 trails that are on land owned, managed, or protected by the Harris Center. These trails are maintained by a dedicated group of volunteers. If you would like to lend a hand, please join one of our regular trail-maintenance sessions, or give us a call; we’d love to have your help! There are two main areas of trails: one that leads up Mount Skatutakee and Thumb Mountain; the other run mostly east of and below the Harris Center’s building on King’s Highway in Hancock. Whether you’re up for a half-day hike to the views from Thumb or Skatutakee, or just looking for an hour-long hike on the eastside trails, fun adventures await. Maps: www.harriscenter.org/documents/Skatutakee&thumbtrails.pdf and www.harriscenter.org/documents/EastsideTrails.pdf The same maps can also be found at the Harris Center’s building.

The Harris Center brings nature and environmental education to more than 4,000 students in 25 local schools, including elementary schools in Bennington and Antrim, Great Brook Middle School, and Conval Regional High School. As a land trust, the Harris Center has protected more than 12,000 acres of important habitat throughout the Monadnock Region highlands, much of it through the use of conservation easements in collaboration with generous landowners. And the Harris Center provides a myriad of public programs, in-cluding after-school activities for kids, summer camps, extended learning opportunities for adults, weekend outings, and evening presentations.

Location: Hancock Ownership: Harris Center Harris Center for Conservation Education

Page 34

Location: Deering Ownership: Forest Society

High Five Reservation

After a ¼ mile walk you are rewarded with a spectacular panoramic view from the top of Wilson Hill. Looking northwest you will see the wind turbines of Lempster on a clear day. To the south you can see Crotched Moun-tain and their ski slopes. The Deering Reservoir is to the northeast.

Directions: Driving south on 202 in An-trim take a left right after the Tut-tle Library on Aiken Street, then take your immediate right onto Depot Road (you will see parking lot on left). Go straight onto Gillis Hill Rd. at the intersection of North Bennington Rd. Go straight across onto Wilson

Hill Rd. (changes to Sky Farms Rd.) at 2nd N. H. Turnpike and follow for 1.5 miles and sign and pullout will be on the left. Activities: Hike to the top of Wilson Hill. Use Policies: Dogs are al-lowed but must be un-der “owner control” by voice or leash, and owners need to pick up after their dogs, no wheeled vehi-cles are al-lowed.

Page 35

In Antrim there is a variety of biking available, from easy to diffi-cult, from road to mountain and that will keep you off the main roads that are typically busy with no shoulders. Bicycle Ordinance - No person less than sixteen years of age may operate or ride a bicycle on a public way, unless he or she wears protective headgear. The following three loops are from a local bicycling enthusiast in Antrim all starting on Main Street in downtown Antrim.

Biking - on road and off road

In Antrim basketball hoops are set up in the multi use park area at Memorial Park, off Jameson Avenue in Antrim. The Antrim Memo-rial Gym is also available for basketball, call 588-3121 to reserve a time.

Bennington has a basketball court available at Newhall Field on Bible Hill Road.

Basketball

#1 Easiest: This mountain bike loop is all class 5 and 6 roads but no technical trails. The route starts by climbing up High St then takes a right onto Old Hancock Rd. Either Pleasant St, (the first right) or West Street (the second right) will bring you back down town. #2 Intermediate: If you wanted some more climbing and miles stay on Old Hancock road until it ends at Gregg Lake Road. Take a left on Gregg lake road and climb up the road, ride past the town beach and take a right onto Craig Rd. This is a dirt road and has a good climb. At the end of Craig Rd, take a right onto Old Pound Rd. which has a great down hill that ends at Rt 31. Take a right onto Rt 31 for a about 1/8 mile. Then take a left on Miltmore Rd which is a dirt road. Then take a right on Smith Rd which will bring you back

If you are interested in archery, Morse Sporting Goods has a 15 target 3D course on their property. The course consists of differ-ent 3 dimensional targets ranging from a buffalo to a coyote. These targets are randomly set for the archer to guess the yardage and take one shot. The archer score is decided by the rings on the tar-gets. The higher the score the better. Cards are available inside the shop and the cost is $5.00 per round.

Archery

Activities Activities are listed in the Table of Contents in alphabetical order.

Page 34

Location: Deering Ownership: Forest Society

High Five Reservation

After a ¼ mile walk you are rewarded with a spectacular panoramic view from the top of Wilson Hill. Looking northwest you will see the wind turbines of Lempster on a clear day. To the south you can see Crotched Moun-tain and their ski slopes. The Deering Reservoir is to the northeast.

Directions: Driving south on 202 in An-trim take a left right after the Tut-tle Library on Aiken Street, then take your immediate right onto Depot Road (you will see parking lot on left). Go straight onto Gillis Hill Rd. at the intersection of North Bennington Rd. Go straight across onto Wilson

Hill Rd. (changes to Sky Farms Rd.) at 2nd N. H. Turnpike and follow for 1.5 miles and sign and pullout will be on the left. Activities: Hike to the top of Wilson Hill. Use Policies: Dogs are al-lowed but must be un-der “owner control” by voice or leash, and owners need to pick up after their dogs, no wheeled vehi-cles are al-lowed.

Page 35

In Antrim there is a variety of biking available, from easy to diffi-cult, from road to mountain and that will keep you off the main roads that are typically busy with no shoulders. Bicycle Ordinance - No person less than sixteen years of age may operate or ride a bicycle on a public way, unless he or she wears protective headgear. The following three loops are from a local bicycling enthusiast in Antrim all starting on Main Street in downtown Antrim.

Biking - on road and off road

In Antrim basketball hoops are set up in the multi use park area at Memorial Park, off Jameson Avenue in Antrim. The Antrim Memo-rial Gym is also available for basketball, call 588-3121 to reserve a time.

Bennington has a basketball court available at Newhall Field on Bible Hill Road.

Basketball

#1 Easiest: This mountain bike loop is all class 5 and 6 roads but no technical trails. The route starts by climbing up High St then takes a right onto Old Hancock Rd. Either Pleasant St, (the first right) or West Street (the second right) will bring you back down town. #2 Intermediate: If you wanted some more climbing and miles stay on Old Hancock road until it ends at Gregg Lake Road. Take a left on Gregg lake road and climb up the road, ride past the town beach and take a right onto Craig Rd. This is a dirt road and has a good climb. At the end of Craig Rd, take a right onto Old Pound Rd. which has a great down hill that ends at Rt 31. Take a right onto Rt 31 for a about 1/8 mile. Then take a left on Miltmore Rd which is a dirt road. Then take a right on Smith Rd which will bring you back

If you are interested in archery, Morse Sporting Goods has a 15 target 3D course on their property. The course consists of differ-ent 3 dimensional targets ranging from a buffalo to a coyote. These targets are randomly set for the archer to guess the yardage and take one shot. The archer score is decided by the rings on the tar-gets. The higher the score the better. Cards are available inside the shop and the cost is $5.00 per round.

Archery

Activities Activities are listed in the Table of Contents in alphabetical order.

Page 36

down to North Main St then back to Main St. #3 Advanced: For a more technical loop climb up High St, then take a right at the end of North Road. There is a metal gate at the end of the road but it’s OK for mountain bikes. Ride past the right turn which leads up and over Nahor Hill which is also known as Gray-stone for the lodge that used to be located there. Also ride past the left hand turn which brings you down to the junction of Old Hancock Road and High St. About 200 yards past the left turn look for a small single track on the left. Take this trail down to Old Hancock Rd. Then cross Old Hancock Road and take the class 6 road called Old Antrim Road. It is known to the locals as beer can alley because of all of the beer cans that are usually at the end of it. This is a tech-nical logging road that climbs up to Brimstone Corner Rd. Take a right on Brimstone corner Rd. At the bottom of the hill Brimstone Corner Rd changes from class 5 to class 6. At the top of the climb is Brimstone Corner. There is a left turn that goes to Hancock. Check out the stone culvert that goes under the road at this junc-tion. Take a right at the junction to continue on Brimstone Corner Road toward Gregg Lake. Stay on this class 6 road all the way until you come to the Lake. When you see the lake you can stay on Gregg Lake Road and ride back to town or you could take a left on Craig road and follow the directions for Craig road mentioned for ride #2. Rail Trail: This is an eight mile trail that runs from Bennington to Hillsborough and is an easy bike ride running through farmland and along the Contoocook River. Refer to the Rail Trail description on page 26 for a map and parking. Antrim Youth Bike Safety Rodeo: This is a yearly event held in late April, early May. The event is designed for kids ages 4 and older. This is a free event that focuses on being an educated and safe rider, as well as on having some fun and celebrating the biking season.

Edmunds Ace Hardware Two Locations

56 Main Street, Antrim NH (603) 588-6565 Maple Street, Henniker NH (603) 428-3265 www.edmundsstore.com

Page 37

Birding While you can find interesting birds throughout Antrim and Ben-nington, there are a few hot spots that are worth checking out. Bald Mountain in Antrim and Crotched Mountain in Bennington and Francestown are terrific places to watch raptors migrating south in the fall. From the open ledges on both peaks, look for osprey, bald eagles, and kettles (groups) of broad-winged hawks, among others. The Contoocook River, in Antrim and Bennington, is a great place to see a wide range of waterfowl, raptors and wading birds. In the early spring, when the ice is just starting to go out, look for bald eagles near Powdermill Pond. Check for the small openings of water for hooded and common mergansers, ring-necked ducks, and buffle-heads. By summer, you can often find great blue herons and occa-sionally American bitterns. World-famous birders Donald and Lillian Stokes, who live just upriver in Hancock, have seen more than 200 bird species in this area of the Contoocook River! Willard Pond in Antrim is a good bet for Common loons, great blue herons, and belted kingfishers. If you see the loons, admire them from a distance; don’t try to get too close. The mature and pro-tected forest near Willard Pond is also a good place to see interior forest songbirds, like orioles, tanagers, rose-breasted grosbeak, and warblers (Blackburnian, yellow-throated, black-throated blue). By the Mill Pond, you might hear the Louisiana waterthrush. Finally, some of the open meadows along the Contoocook River, like Tenney Farm, are good places to hear or see the American wood-cock in the spring. Listen for these well-camouflaged birds around dusk, as the males make their characteristic peenting and spiral ae-rial dances. Bald Eagles can be spotted even though they are not known to nest in the Antrim Bennington area. One clue is to listen for the crows who get agitated when an eagle, hawk or owl is nearby. Learn More: Get in touch with the Harris Center for Conservation Education in Hancock. They offer a wide variety of birding outings, especially in the spring, and they also offer occasional 4-week classes for birders of all levels. www.harriscenter.org. You can also get in touch with New Hampshire Audubon, which of-fers birding outings. www.nhaudubon.org. Finally, you can pick up a wide range of birding books, the best of which are by local authors and world-class birders, Donald and Lillian Stokes of Hancock. www.stokesbirdsathome.com.

Page 36

down to North Main St then back to Main St. #3 Advanced: For a more technical loop climb up High St, then take a right at the end of North Road. There is a metal gate at the end of the road but it’s OK for mountain bikes. Ride past the right turn which leads up and over Nahor Hill which is also known as Gray-stone for the lodge that used to be located there. Also ride past the left hand turn which brings you down to the junction of Old Hancock Road and High St. About 200 yards past the left turn look for a small single track on the left. Take this trail down to Old Hancock Rd. Then cross Old Hancock Road and take the class 6 road called Old Antrim Road. It is known to the locals as beer can alley because of all of the beer cans that are usually at the end of it. This is a tech-nical logging road that climbs up to Brimstone Corner Rd. Take a right on Brimstone corner Rd. At the bottom of the hill Brimstone Corner Rd changes from class 5 to class 6. At the top of the climb is Brimstone Corner. There is a left turn that goes to Hancock. Check out the stone culvert that goes under the road at this junc-tion. Take a right at the junction to continue on Brimstone Corner Road toward Gregg Lake. Stay on this class 6 road all the way until you come to the Lake. When you see the lake you can stay on Gregg Lake Road and ride back to town or you could take a left on Craig road and follow the directions for Craig road mentioned for ride #2. Rail Trail: This is an eight mile trail that runs from Bennington to Hillsborough and is an easy bike ride running through farmland and along the Contoocook River. Refer to the Rail Trail description on page 26 for a map and parking. Antrim Youth Bike Safety Rodeo: This is a yearly event held in late April, early May. The event is designed for kids ages 4 and older. This is a free event that focuses on being an educated and safe rider, as well as on having some fun and celebrating the biking season.

Edmunds Ace Hardware Two Locations

56 Main Street, Antrim NH (603) 588-6565 Maple Street, Henniker NH (603) 428-3265 www.edmundsstore.com

Page 36

down to North Main St then back to Main St. #3 Advanced: For a more technical loop climb up High St, then take a right at the end of North Road. There is a metal gate at the end of the road but it’s OK for mountain bikes. Ride past the right turn which leads up and over Nahor Hill which is also known as Gray-stone for the lodge that used to be located there. Also ride past the left hand turn which brings you down to the junction of Old Hancock Road and High St. About 200 yards past the left turn look for a small single track on the left. Take this trail down to Old Hancock Rd. Then cross Old Hancock Road and take the class 6 road called Old Antrim Road. It is known to the locals as beer can alley because of all of the beer cans that are usually at the end of it. This is a tech-nical logging road that climbs up to Brimstone Corner Rd. Take a right on Brimstone corner Rd. At the bottom of the hill Brimstone Corner Rd changes from class 5 to class 6. At the top of the climb is Brimstone Corner. There is a left turn that goes to Hancock. Check out the stone culvert that goes under the road at this junc-tion. Take a right at the junction to continue on Brimstone Corner Road toward Gregg Lake. Stay on this class 6 road all the way until you come to the Lake. When you see the lake you can stay on Gregg Lake Road and ride back to town or you could take a left on Craig road and follow the directions for Craig road mentioned for ride #2. Rail Trail: This is an eight mile trail that runs from Bennington to Hillsborough and is an easy bike ride running through farmland and along the Contoocook River. Refer to the Rail Trail description on page 26 for a map and parking. Antrim Youth Bike Safety Rodeo: This is a yearly event held in late April, early May. The event is designed for kids ages 4 and older. This is a free event that focuses on being an educated and safe rider, as well as on having some fun and celebrating the biking season.

Edmunds Ace Hardware Two Locations

56 Main Street, Antrim NH (603) 588-6565 Maple Street, Henniker NH (603) 428-3265 www.edmundsstore.com

Page 36

down to North Main St then back to Main St. #3 Advanced: For a more technical loop climb up High St, then take a right at the end of North Road. There is a metal gate at the end of the road but it’s OK for mountain bikes. Ride past the right turn which leads up and over Nahor Hill which is also known as Gray-stone for the lodge that used to be located there. Also ride past the left hand turn which brings you down to the junction of Old Hancock Road and High St. About 200 yards past the left turn look for a small single track on the left. Take this trail down to Old Hancock Rd. Then cross Old Hancock Road and take the class 6 road called Old Antrim Road. It is known to the locals as beer can alley because of all of the beer cans that are usually at the end of it. This is a tech-nical logging road that climbs up to Brimstone Corner Rd. Take a right on Brimstone corner Rd. At the bottom of the hill Brimstone Corner Rd changes from class 5 to class 6. At the top of the climb is Brimstone Corner. There is a left turn that goes to Hancock. Check out the stone culvert that goes under the road at this junc-tion. Take a right at the junction to continue on Brimstone Corner Road toward Gregg Lake. Stay on this class 6 road all the way until you come to the Lake. When you see the lake you can stay on Gregg Lake Road and ride back to town or you could take a left on Craig road and follow the directions for Craig road mentioned for ride #2. Rail Trail: This is an eight mile trail that runs from Bennington to Hillsborough and is an easy bike ride running through farmland and along the Contoocook River. Refer to the Rail Trail description on page 26 for a map and parking. Antrim Youth Bike Safety Rodeo: This is a yearly event held in late April, early May. The event is designed for kids ages 4 and older. This is a free event that focuses on being an educated and safe rider, as well as on having some fun and celebrating the biking season.

Edmunds Ace Hardware Two Locations

56 Main Street, Antrim NH (603) 588-6565 Maple Street, Henniker NH (603) 428-3265 www.edmundsstore.com

Page 37

Birding While you can find interesting birds throughout Antrim and Ben-nington, there are a few hot spots that are worth checking out. Bald Mountain in Antrim and Crotched Mountain in Bennington and Francestown are terrific places to watch raptors migrating south in the fall. From the open ledges on both peaks, look for osprey, bald eagles, and kettles (groups) of broad-winged hawks, among others. The Contoocook River, in Antrim and Bennington, is a great place to see a wide range of waterfowl, raptors and wading birds. In the early spring, when the ice is just starting to go out, look for bald eagles near Powdermill Pond. Check for the small openings of water for hooded and common mergansers, ring-necked ducks, and buffle-heads. By summer, you can often find great blue herons and occa-sionally American bitterns. World-famous birders Donald and Lillian Stokes, who live just upriver in Hancock, have seen more than 200 bird species in this area of the Contoocook River! Willard Pond in Antrim is a good bet for Common loons, great blue herons, and belted kingfishers. If you see the loons, admire them from a distance; don’t try to get too close. The mature and pro-tected forest near Willard Pond is also a good place to see interior forest songbirds, like orioles, tanagers, rose-breasted grosbeak, and warblers (Blackburnian, yellow-throated, black-throated blue). By the Mill Pond, you might hear the Louisiana waterthrush. Finally, some of the open meadows along the Contoocook River, like Tenney Farm, are good places to hear or see the American wood-cock in the spring. Listen for these well-camouflaged birds around dusk, as the males make their characteristic peenting and spiral ae-rial dances. Bald Eagles can be spotted even though they are not known to nest in the Antrim Bennington area. One clue is to listen for the crows who get agitated when an eagle, hawk or owl is nearby. Learn More: Get in touch with the Harris Center for Conservation Education in Hancock. They offer a wide variety of birding outings, especially in the spring, and they also offer occasional 4-week classes for birders of all levels. www.harriscenter.org. You can also get in touch with New Hampshire Audubon, which of-fers birding outings. www.nhaudubon.org. Finally, you can pick up a wide range of birding books, the best of which are by local authors and world-class birders, Donald and Lillian Stokes of Hancock. www.stokesbirdsathome.com.

Page 38

If you want flatwater then visit one of the lakes or ponds; Franklin Pierce Lake, Gregg Lake, Powder Mill Pond, Rye Pond, Willard Pond and Whittemore Lake. If you want a nice long river paddle (about 13 miles) then try the Contoocook or for some variety the North Branch, all listed in Special Places.

There are three lakes in the Antrim Bennington area where power boating is allowed. The lakes are described in the Special Places section of this guide. Gregg Lake (Antrim) - page 9 Note horsepower restricted to 150 or less. Frank l i n P i e rce Lake ( An tr im /Hillsborough) - Page 8 Powder Mill Pond (Bennington) - page 25 To operate a power boat of any size in New Hampshire public waters you must have a Certificate of Registration and validation decals. In addition any operator of a ves-sel over 25 horsepower must have a Safe Boater Education Certificate. Both of these can be obtained by contacting the Department of Motor Vehicles, Depart-ment of Safety ( 603.271.2333). CAUTION: Take care not to bring along nuisance plants and animals. Aquatic inva-sive species like milfoil and zebra mussels can easily be transported by boats, motors, trailers, fishing equipment, bait buckets, diving gear and other aquatic recreational equipment. These organisms can wreak havoc in lakes, ponds and rivers by choking waterways through explosive growth, foul-ing intake and discharge structures, lower-ing lakefront property values, and possibly harming native fish, plants and insects. Once established in a water body, they are nearly impossible to eradicate.

Boating - Canoeing and Kayaking

Boating - Power

Bald eagle seen while canoeing at Franklin Pierce Lake

Page 39

Camping There are no camping facilities in Antrim and Bennington. Greenfield State Park, a 257-site campground with 900-foot beach for campers. Greenfield 547-3497 Pillsbury State Park, a 41-site campground with park amenities nearby. Washington 863.2860 Seven Maples, a family owned campground catering to all camping needs. 24 Longview Rd., Hancock 03449 603-525-3321

www.sevenmaples.com 24 Longview Rd. Hancock, NH 03449

603-525-3321

“Camp With Us In The Heart Of The Monadnock Region”

RV Camping Sites Tent Camping Sites

Group Camping Sites Stocked Fishing Pond

Kayak Rentals Hiking Trails

Rec. Hall Arcade

Heated Swimming Pool

Large Playground Horse Shoe Pits

Shuffleboard Basketball

Dining Hall Out Door Pavilion

Country Camp Store Firewood / Ice

Propane Activities

…A Clean, Quiet, Family Campground Featuring…

Franklin Pierce Lake and Gregg Lake are the two lakes to go sailing in. Since lake sailing is known for its gusty conditions, Franklin Pierce may be a little less gusty than Gregg Lake. being the larger of the two. You should be aware that to operate a sailboat over 12’ in New

Hampshire public waters you must have a Certificate of Registration and validation decals. If you are interested in learning how to sail or sailing with others you should contact the Antrim Yacht Club which is based out of Gregg Lake. This was created to teach new sailors, especially teenagers, how to sail. You can also get help on getting a New Hampshire boaters license.

The Antrim Yacht Club has two Sunfish, a 14’ Hobie and a Interlake 18’ sloop which is especially good to take new sailors out for an in-troduction to sailing. They try to meet on Saturday mornings at Gregg Lake and also take trips to other lakes. To learn more sailing with the Antrim Yacht Club contact John Vance at 603-588-4904 (email is j_vance@conknet.com) or Dave Kirkpatrick at 603-588-3941.

Boating - Sailing

Page 38

If you want flatwater then visit one of the lakes or ponds; Franklin Pierce Lake, Gregg Lake, Powder Mill Pond, Rye Pond, Willard Pond and Whittemore Lake. If you want a nice long river paddle (about 13 miles) then try the Contoocook or for some variety the North Branch, all listed in Special Places.

There are three lakes in the Antrim Bennington area where power boating is allowed. The lakes are described in the Special Places section of this guide. Gregg Lake (Antrim) - page 9 Note horsepower restricted to 150 or less. Frank l i n P i e rce Lake ( An tr im /Hillsborough) - Page 8 Powder Mill Pond (Bennington) - page 25 To operate a power boat of any size in New Hampshire public waters you must have a Certificate of Registration and validation decals. In addition any operator of a ves-sel over 25 horsepower must have a Safe Boater Education Certificate. Both of these can be obtained by contacting the Department of Motor Vehicles, Depart-ment of Safety ( 603.271.2333). CAUTION: Take care not to bring along nuisance plants and animals. Aquatic inva-sive species like milfoil and zebra mussels can easily be transported by boats, motors, trailers, fishing equipment, bait buckets, diving gear and other aquatic recreational equipment. These organisms can wreak havoc in lakes, ponds and rivers by choking waterways through explosive growth, foul-ing intake and discharge structures, lower-ing lakefront property values, and possibly harming native fish, plants and insects. Once established in a water body, they are nearly impossible to eradicate.

Boating - Canoeing and Kayaking

Boating - Power

Bald eagle seen while canoeing at Franklin Pierce Lake

Page 39

Camping There are no camping facilities in Antrim and Bennington. Greenfield State Park, a 257-site campground with 900-foot beach for campers. Greenfield 547-3497 Pillsbury State Park, a 41-site campground with park amenities nearby. Washington 863.2860 Seven Maples, a family owned campground catering to all camping needs. 24 Longview Rd., Hancock 03449 603-525-3321

www.sevenmaples.com 24 Longview Rd. Hancock, NH 03449

603-525-3321

“Camp With Us In The Heart Of The Monadnock Region”

RV Camping Sites Tent Camping Sites

Group Camping Sites Stocked Fishing Pond

Kayak Rentals Hiking Trails

Rec. Hall Arcade

Heated Swimming Pool

Large Playground Horse Shoe Pits

Shuffleboard Basketball

Dining Hall Out Door Pavilion

Country Camp Store Firewood / Ice

Propane Activities

…A Clean, Quiet, Family Campground Featuring…

Franklin Pierce Lake and Gregg Lake are the two lakes to go sailing in. Since lake sailing is known for its gusty conditions, Franklin Pierce may be a little less gusty than Gregg Lake. being the larger of the two. You should be aware that to operate a sailboat over 12’ in New

Hampshire public waters you must have a Certificate of Registration and validation decals. If you are interested in learning how to sail or sailing with others you should contact the Antrim Yacht Club which is based out of Gregg Lake. This was created to teach new sailors, especially teenagers, how to sail. You can also get help on getting a New Hampshire boaters license.

The Antrim Yacht Club has two Sunfish, a 14’ Hobie and a Interlake 18’ sloop which is especially good to take new sailors out for an in-troduction to sailing. They try to meet on Saturday mornings at Gregg Lake and also take trips to other lakes. To learn more sailing with the Antrim Yacht Club contact John Vance at 603-588-4904 (email is j_vance@conknet.com) or Dave Kirkpatrick at 603-588-3941.

Boating - Sailing

Page 40

Fishing licenses are required for all people 16 years of age or older and can be obtained at a local license agent or online (free for peo-ple 68 or older). Please consult the latest Freshwater Fishing Di-gest (published yearly) for the lake, pond, river or stream you may want to fish in for any restrictions, seasons, bag limits or special rules. Go to www.FishNH.com to view the current years digest and for purchasing a fishing license online. Note: Fishing licenses can be purchased locally at Place in the Woods (see ad on inside front cover) and The Corner Store (see ad on page 56). There are numerous lakes and streams in the area to offer every-one the type of fishing they are looking for. Willard Pond (page 6) is a fly fishing only pond and only allows boats that have electric motors. It is stocked by the State with brook trout, rainbow trout, tiger trout and also contains yellow perch and smallmouth bass. Its aver-age depth is 30 feet Gregg Lake (page 9) is a warm water lake that contains largemouth and smallmouth bass, yellow perch, pickerel, horned pout and sun-fish with good boat access. Franklin Pierce Lake (page 8) is a warm water lake and contains largemouth and smallmouth bass, pickerel, yellow and white perch, sunfish, hornpout, crappie and a few northern pike. It is also stocked with a small number of brown and rainbow trout. Its aver-age depth is 18 feet and has good boat access. Whittemore Lake (page 27) does not allow any motors and has an average depth of 22 feet. It is stocked by the State with brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout. There are numerous places to fish from the shoreline. No ice fishing is allowed.

Fishing

Both Antrim and Bennington have Dog Control Ordinances where no owner or keeper of a dog shall permit their dog to run at large at any time. Trails where dogs are allowed on a leash are Willard Pond, Lily Pond/Meeting House Hill, McCabe Forest, Meadow Marsh, Virginia Baker Natural Area at Rye Pond, Bruce Edes Trail, Crotched Mountain and the Rail Trail. Loveren’s Mill does not allow pets.

Dog Walking

Page 41

Powder Mill Pond (page 25) is an impoundment of the Contoocook River with boat access at the Fish and Game ramp off Forest Road in Greenfield. It contains largemouth and smallmouth bass, pick-erel, yellow perch, sunfish, crappie and hornpout. Contoocook River (page30) in Bennington has a mixture of rainbow trout, brown trout, bass, pickerel, yellow perch, sunfish, horned pout and a few crappie. North Branch (page 20) runs along Route 9 in Antrim and is stocked by the State with brook trout and rainbow trout with numerous places to pull off Route 9 and fish. Salmon Brook in Antrim can be accessed off Route 9 on the Salmon Brook Road , just east of the rest area. This is a small stream that has wild brook trout. Mill Pond in Antrim is next to Memorial park (see Page 19). Each year the pond is stocked with trout from a private company.

Ice Fishing is permitted on most lakes in New Hampshire, but it is important to test the ice, fish with a buddy (but not in large groups) and to bring blankets and a first-aid kit.

Bennington Fishing Derby: The Andy Mackenzie Fishing Derby is held the fourth Saturday of April each year and is open to all chil-dren ages 15 or under living in Bennington. Antrim Fishing Derby: The Antrim Youth Fishing Derby is held at the Memorial Park Pond the first Saturday in May each year and is open to all children ages 15 or under. Bring your own equipment and bait and there are prizes awarded in many categories. Call the Rec-reation Department at 588-3121 for more information. Youth Corner - For a nine year old’s perspective on fishing go to page 52

Did You Know? Nothing grows faster than a fish from the time it bites until the time it gets away.

46 Main Street Antrim, NH 03440 603.588.4242

Cookies, Cakes and Fine Desserts Artisan Breads and Special Orders

Café with gourmet coffee, muffins, scones and pastries

42akeryB42

akeryB

Gift Certificates Open: Tuesday thru Saturday

Page 40

Fishing licenses are required for all people 16 years of age or older and can be obtained at a local license agent or online (free for peo-ple 68 or older). Please consult the latest Freshwater Fishing Di-gest (published yearly) for the lake, pond, river or stream you may want to fish in for any restrictions, seasons, bag limits or special rules. Go to www.FishNH.com to view the current years digest and for purchasing a fishing license online. Note: Fishing licenses can be purchased locally at Place in the Woods (see ad on inside front cover) and The Corner Store (see ad on page 56). There are numerous lakes and streams in the area to offer every-one the type of fishing they are looking for. Willard Pond (page 6) is a fly fishing only pond and only allows boats that have electric motors. It is stocked by the State with brook trout, rainbow trout, tiger trout and also contains yellow perch and smallmouth bass. Its aver-age depth is 30 feet Gregg Lake (page 9) is a warm water lake that contains largemouth and smallmouth bass, yellow perch, pickerel, horned pout and sun-fish with good boat access. Franklin Pierce Lake (page 8) is a warm water lake and contains largemouth and smallmouth bass, pickerel, yellow and white perch, sunfish, hornpout, crappie and a few northern pike. It is also stocked with a small number of brown and rainbow trout. Its aver-age depth is 18 feet and has good boat access. Whittemore Lake (page 27) does not allow any motors and has an average depth of 22 feet. It is stocked by the State with brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout. There are numerous places to fish from the shoreline. No ice fishing is allowed.

Fishing

Both Antrim and Bennington have Dog Control Ordinances where no owner or keeper of a dog shall permit their dog to run at large at any time. Trails where dogs are allowed on a leash are Willard Pond, Lily Pond/Meeting House Hill, McCabe Forest, Meadow Marsh, Virginia Baker Natural Area at Rye Pond, Bruce Edes Trail, Crotched Mountain and the Rail Trail. Loveren’s Mill does not allow pets.

Dog Walking

Page 41

Powder Mill Pond (page 25) is an impoundment of the Contoocook River with boat access at the Fish and Game ramp off Forest Road in Greenfield. It contains largemouth and smallmouth bass, pick-erel, yellow perch, sunfish, crappie and hornpout. Contoocook River (page30) in Bennington has a mixture of rainbow trout, brown trout, bass, pickerel, yellow perch, sunfish, horned pout and a few crappie. North Branch (page 20) runs along Route 9 in Antrim and is stocked by the State with brook trout and rainbow trout with numerous places to pull off Route 9 and fish. Salmon Brook in Antrim can be accessed off Route 9 on the Salmon Brook Road , just east of the rest area. This is a small stream that has wild brook trout. Mill Pond in Antrim is next to Memorial park (see Page 19). Each year the pond is stocked with trout from a private company.

Ice Fishing is permitted on most lakes in New Hampshire, but it is important to test the ice, fish with a buddy (but not in large groups) and to bring blankets and a first-aid kit.

Bennington Fishing Derby: The Andy Mackenzie Fishing Derby is held the fourth Saturday of April each year and is open to all chil-dren ages 15 or under living in Bennington. Antrim Fishing Derby: The Antrim Youth Fishing Derby is held at the Memorial Park Pond the first Saturday in May each year and is open to all children ages 15 or under. Bring your own equipment and bait and there are prizes awarded in many categories. Call the Rec-reation Department at 588-3121 for more information. Youth Corner - For a nine year old’s perspective on fishing go to page 52

Did You Know? Nothing grows faster than a fish from the time it bites until the time it gets away.

46 Main Street Antrim, NH 03440 603.588.4242

Cookies, Cakes and Fine Desserts Artisan Breads and Special Orders

Café with gourmet coffee, muffins, scones and pastries

42akeryB42

akeryB

Gift Certificates Open: Tuesday thru Saturday

Page 42

Angus Lea Golf Course, A 9 hole public course with spacious club house, large screened sun room overlooking the first tee and put-ting green. Daily luncheon specials are served with liquor license. 126 West Main St. Hillsborough 603-464-5404 - www.anguslea.com Crotched Mountain Resort, 18 holes, 740 2nd NH Turnpike North, Francestown, 603-588-2000. See ad on inside of back cover.

Golf

If you want to add treasure seeking to your hike in the woods or ride in the country check out geocaching. This treasure hunt is a great way to find places that you wouldn’t otherwise know to visit. The best way to get started is to go to the www.geocaching.com website. Membership is free, you only need to create your online account with a user name and password. You can then search for geocache sites by address, zip code, state or country. If you enter Antrim’s zip code today with a radius of 10 miles you will find 91 listings. Finding the caches with a GPS is the easiest way to do it but you can also use a compass or a good topo map. Some are hidden close to the road and others are along hiking trails. Each cache listing includes location coordinates, directions, date last found, size , difficulty, terrain, description and additional encoded hints on where the cache is hidden. Caches are typically a waterproof container with a log book and pencil, toys or trinkets and sometimes contain trackable Travel bugs and Geocoins. The trackable items have a number which allows you to log on the website if you retrieve one and also when you place it in a new cache. You can then follow its progress online as it is moved from cache to cache by other players. You can also log sto-ries and photos of your hike relative to the cache online and have a nice reference of all the places you’ve seen while hunting for treas-ure!.

Geocaching

9 hole executive golf course Golf carts available Kid friendly Snack bar - Function hall Full liquor license Indoor lounge/satellite TV Outdoor deck & sun porch

P.O.Box 97 49 High Street Peterborough, NH 03458 tel. 603-924-7769 www.monadnockcc.com

Page 43

Hiking, Walking and Snowshoeing A wide variety of hiking is available from the easy and rewarding (High Five in Deering) to climbing to the top of Bald Mountain and looking back at Willard Pond. The two steepest hikes are Crotched Mountain (about 1000’ ascent) and Bald Mountain (about 850’ ascent). Most of the trails within the Special Places have easy to moderate hikes and distances rang-ing from 1/2 hour up to a couple of hours. There are other interesting hikes e.g. cemeteries as well as a walk of the downtown historic sites. 'A Stroll Through Antrim's Changing Land-scape, South Village' gives you a guided walking tour through Antrim's downtown. It can be checked out of the Antrim Library and includes a book, tape and a tape player. For snowshoeing you can use the trails highlighted as part of Spe-cial Places and if you are careful the snowmobiling trails. If it isn’t too windy snowshoeing on Franklin Pierce Lake or Gregg Lake are other options. Bring along pocket guides to birds, plants and animal tracks to an-swer any questions you might have on your walks. Most of the Spe-cial Places trails have trail maps available at the trailhead. A trail map PDF for most of the trails is available on the Internet at www.ablions.org/og. Before you venture out to explore our quiet rural area from a sim-ple walk along a gravel road to climbing mountains check out Being Wise in the Woods on page 51.

Monadnock Country Club, 9 holes, 49 High Street, Peterborough, NH 03458, 603-924-7769 (see ad on preceding page).

Sunday 11am - 9pm

Tue - Thur 11am - 9pm

Fri & Sat 11am - 10pm

Closed Mondays

62 Main Street Antrim, NH 03440

603-588-3388

GREAT PIZZA Spicy Buffalo Wings

Big Burgers Garden Salads

Calzones Hot Steak & Cheese

Subs Home Made Onion

Rings

Page 42

Angus Lea Golf Course, A 9 hole public course with spacious club house, large screened sun room overlooking the first tee and put-ting green. Daily luncheon specials are served with liquor license. 126 West Main St. Hillsborough 603-464-5404 - www.anguslea.com Crotched Mountain Resort, 18 holes, 740 2nd NH Turnpike North, Francestown, 603-588-2000. See ad on inside of back cover.

Golf

If you want to add treasure seeking to your hike in the woods or ride in the country check out geocaching. This treasure hunt is a great way to find places that you wouldn’t otherwise know to visit. The best way to get started is to go to the www.geocaching.com website. Membership is free, you only need to create your online account with a user name and password. You can then search for geocache sites by address, zip code, state or country. If you enter Antrim’s zip code today with a radius of 10 miles you will find 91 listings. Finding the caches with a GPS is the easiest way to do it but you can also use a compass or a good topo map. Some are hidden close to the road and others are along hiking trails. Each cache listing includes location coordinates, directions, date last found, size , difficulty, terrain, description and additional encoded hints on where the cache is hidden. Caches are typically a waterproof container with a log book and pencil, toys or trinkets and sometimes contain trackable Travel bugs and Geocoins. The trackable items have a number which allows you to log on the website if you retrieve one and also when you place it in a new cache. You can then follow its progress online as it is moved from cache to cache by other players. You can also log sto-ries and photos of your hike relative to the cache online and have a nice reference of all the places you’ve seen while hunting for treas-ure!.

Geocaching

9 hole executive golf course Golf carts available Kid friendly Snack bar - Function hall Full liquor license Indoor lounge/satellite TV Outdoor deck & sun porch

P.O.Box 97 49 High Street Peterborough, NH 03458 tel. 603-924-7769 www.monadnockcc.com

Page 42

Angus Lea Golf Course, A 9 hole public course with spacious club house, large screened sun room overlooking the first tee and put-ting green. Daily luncheon specials are served with liquor license. 126 West Main St. Hillsborough 603-464-5404 - www.anguslea.com Crotched Mountain Resort, 18 holes, 740 2nd NH Turnpike North, Francestown, 603-588-2000. See ad on inside of back cover.

Golf

If you want to add treasure seeking to your hike in the woods or ride in the country check out geocaching. This treasure hunt is a great way to find places that you wouldn’t otherwise know to visit. The best way to get started is to go to the www.geocaching.com website. Membership is free, you only need to create your online account with a user name and password. You can then search for geocache sites by address, zip code, state or country. If you enter Antrim’s zip code today with a radius of 10 miles you will find 91 listings. Finding the caches with a GPS is the easiest way to do it but you can also use a compass or a good topo map. Some are hidden close to the road and others are along hiking trails. Each cache listing includes location coordinates, directions, date last found, size , difficulty, terrain, description and additional encoded hints on where the cache is hidden. Caches are typically a waterproof container with a log book and pencil, toys or trinkets and sometimes contain trackable Travel bugs and Geocoins. The trackable items have a number which allows you to log on the website if you retrieve one and also when you place it in a new cache. You can then follow its progress online as it is moved from cache to cache by other players. You can also log sto-ries and photos of your hike relative to the cache online and have a nice reference of all the places you’ve seen while hunting for treas-ure!.

Geocaching

9 hole executive golf course Golf carts available Kid friendly Snack bar - Function hall Full liquor license Indoor lounge/satellite TV Outdoor deck & sun porch

P.O.Box 97 49 High Street Peterborough, NH 03458 tel. 603-924-7769 www.monadnockcc.com

Page 43

Hiking, Walking and Snowshoeing A wide variety of hiking is available from the easy and rewarding (High Five in Deering) to climbing to the top of Bald Mountain and looking back at Willard Pond. The two steepest hikes are Crotched Mountain (about 1000’ ascent) and Bald Mountain (about 850’ ascent). Most of the trails within the Special Places have easy to moderate hikes and distances rang-ing from 1/2 hour up to a couple of hours. There are other interesting hikes e.g. cemeteries as well as a walk of the downtown historic sites. 'A Stroll Through Antrim's Changing Land-scape, South Village' gives you a guided walking tour through Antrim's downtown. It can be checked out of the Antrim Library and includes a book, tape and a tape player. For snowshoeing you can use the trails highlighted as part of Spe-cial Places and if you are careful the snowmobiling trails. If it isn’t too windy snowshoeing on Franklin Pierce Lake or Gregg Lake are other options. Bring along pocket guides to birds, plants and animal tracks to an-swer any questions you might have on your walks. Most of the Spe-cial Places trails have trail maps available at the trailhead. A trail map PDF for most of the trails is available on the Internet at www.ablions.org/og. Before you venture out to explore our quiet rural area from a sim-ple walk along a gravel road to climbing mountains check out Being Wise in the Woods on page 51.

Monadnock Country Club, 9 holes, 49 High Street, Peterborough, NH 03458, 603-924-7769 (see ad on preceding page).

Sunday 11am - 9pm

Tue - Thur 11am - 9pm

Fri & Sat 11am - 10pm

Closed Mondays

62 Main Street Antrim, NH 03440

603-588-3388

GREAT PIZZA Spicy Buffalo Wings

Big Burgers Garden Salads

Calzones Hot Steak & Cheese

Subs Home Made Onion

Rings

Page 44

Hunting

Hunting Digest: Hunting licenses are required of all people 16 years of age and older with the exception of hunting boar and tur-key. Always refer to the latest Hunting Digest (published yearly) for a summary of hunting and trapping regulations. To view the cur-rent years digest and for purchasing a hunting license go online to www.HuntNH.com. The Hunting Digest is a summary, so “for more detailed information concerning regulations, consult the New Hampshire Fish and Game Law Book or contact your local Conservation Officer.” The Conser-vation Officer for District 4 is at 25 State Highway 9, Keene, NH 03431. Tel: 603.352.9669

If you are an equestrian seeking to trail ride in Antrim or Benning-ton, the Class VI roads are your best bet. You can sometimes find these old abandoned roads on USGS maps, or another very good reference is the Universal Atlas of Southern New Hampshire which costs only about $10.00 and includes 113 maps of cities and towns in Cheshire and Hillsborough County. Class VI roads are indicated as dotted lines on the map, and there are about 6.3 miles of them Exploration on foot might be beneficial before the ride as these roads are not maintained, subject to gates & bars, and sometimes have a random tree fallen down across them. Also, be aware that you may be sharing these old roads with mountain bikes, ATV, and the like. There are also miles of Class V "dirt roads" which are also good for riding, but you can expect more traffic on these thorough-fares, so be prepared. Also, it is advisable to don some blaze orange on the rider and the horse during hunting season.

Horseback Riding Visit our website at www.PatNashRealty.com

Page 45

Hunters Clothing: Any hunter should wear a hat, vest or other suitable article of clothing of material in the color of hunter orange visible from all sides at a minimum distance of 200 feet. What to Hunt: The area around Antrim and Bennington contains both big and small game and water fowl. Deer, moose (permit only), turkey, pheasant, ruffed grouse, grey squirrel, snowshoe hare, rac-coon and geese. Where to Hunt: As long as the land is not posted for no hunting or no trespassing, you can find numerous places to hunt in the area. Our area has many more homes built in the last 5 years. Many new folks are not hunters, nor understand hunting, So, It is a good idea to ask any land owner permission to hunt regardless of posted signs or not. Outdoorsmen are losing land to hunt, and this has caused more folks to hunt the same spots. Permission is a good medium. It is also important to note that when hunting you should be at least 300' from any occupied dwelling. New Hunters: Most hunters new to the area should get a topologi-cal map and also pre scout areas first. Land owners are more likely to feel comfortable talking with someone not dressed in camouflage in the off season before the guns start going off. Leaving your name and contacts relays you are a good sportsmen. Experienced hunters have lost so many places to hunt and trap because of devel-opment and bad sportsmen. The best advice to new folks in the area is to do your research, get permission and be forthright. We all need to be protective of the woods, water and fields that we have left. The USFWS sets the framework for hunting ducks, geese, and other migratory game birds. Waterfowl hunters must obtain a fed-eral duck stamp and a New Hampshire Migratory Waterfowl Li-cense, in addition to a New Hampshire hunting license. Note: Hunting licenses can be purchased locally at Place in the Woods (see ad on inside front cover) and The Corner Store (see ad on page 55).

Page 44

Hunting

Hunting Digest: Hunting licenses are required of all people 16 years of age and older with the exception of hunting boar and tur-key. Always refer to the latest Hunting Digest (published yearly) for a summary of hunting and trapping regulations. To view the cur-rent years digest and for purchasing a hunting license go online to www.HuntNH.com. The Hunting Digest is a summary, so “for more detailed information concerning regulations, consult the New Hampshire Fish and Game Law Book or contact your local Conservation Officer.” The Conser-vation Officer for District 4 is at 25 State Highway 9, Keene, NH 03431. Tel: 603.352.9669

If you are an equestrian seeking to trail ride in Antrim or Benning-ton, the Class VI roads are your best bet. You can sometimes find these old abandoned roads on USGS maps, or another very good reference is the Universal Atlas of Southern New Hampshire which costs only about $10.00 and includes 113 maps of cities and towns in Cheshire and Hillsborough County. Class VI roads are indicated as dotted lines on the map, and there are about 6.3 miles of them Exploration on foot might be beneficial before the ride as these roads are not maintained, subject to gates & bars, and sometimes have a random tree fallen down across them. Also, be aware that you may be sharing these old roads with mountain bikes, ATV, and the like. There are also miles of Class V "dirt roads" which are also good for riding, but you can expect more traffic on these thorough-fares, so be prepared. Also, it is advisable to don some blaze orange on the rider and the horse during hunting season.

Horseback Riding Visit our website at www.PatNashRealty.com

Page 45

Hunters Clothing: Any hunter should wear a hat, vest or other suitable article of clothing of material in the color of hunter orange visible from all sides at a minimum distance of 200 feet. What to Hunt: The area around Antrim and Bennington contains both big and small game and water fowl. Deer, moose (permit only), turkey, pheasant, ruffed grouse, grey squirrel, snowshoe hare, rac-coon and geese. Where to Hunt: As long as the land is not posted for no hunting or no trespassing, you can find numerous places to hunt in the area. Our area has many more homes built in the last 5 years. Many new folks are not hunters, nor understand hunting, So, It is a good idea to ask any land owner permission to hunt regardless of posted signs or not. Outdoorsmen are losing land to hunt, and this has caused more folks to hunt the same spots. Permission is a good medium. It is also important to note that when hunting you should be at least 300' from any occupied dwelling. New Hunters: Most hunters new to the area should get a topologi-cal map and also pre scout areas first. Land owners are more likely to feel comfortable talking with someone not dressed in camouflage in the off season before the guns start going off. Leaving your name and contacts relays you are a good sportsmen. Experienced hunters have lost so many places to hunt and trap because of devel-opment and bad sportsmen. The best advice to new folks in the area is to do your research, get permission and be forthright. We all need to be protective of the woods, water and fields that we have left. The USFWS sets the framework for hunting ducks, geese, and other migratory game birds. Waterfowl hunters must obtain a fed-eral duck stamp and a New Hampshire Migratory Waterfowl Li-cense, in addition to a New Hampshire hunting license. Note: Hunting licenses can be purchased locally at Place in the Woods (see ad on inside front cover) and The Corner Store (see ad on page 55).

Page 46

Antrim: There was an annual event for many years called "Wayno's Race" which was five miles long and be-gan in front of the Town Hall. It went down Main St., down Depot St., along Water St. onto Rt. 202, up Pros-pect St, across Myrtle Ave. and Highland Ave, down Summer St. to Main St., up Main to West St. to Old Hancock Rd., north to Rt. 31 and then down 31 to Main St. and finish by the Baptist Church. Another option which is a good 5.7 mi loop starts at the junction of Rt. 31 & Gregg Lake Rd., go up 31 to Old Pound Rd, then along Craig Rd. to Gregg Lake and along Gregg Lake Rd. to Rt. 31. If you are looking for an eight mile run you can do a longer version of the previous run. You would start at the same place, up Rt. 31 to Rt. 9, west on Rt. 9 to Reed Carr Rd. up Reed Carr to Craig Rd. then to Gregg Lake and back to junction of Rt. 31. Running Club: The Monadnock Milers can be found running the roads on most weekends. Most runs are 4-8 miles, with long runs often added during marathon training seasons. There is a wide range of paces and interests, from new runners to seasoned com-petitors. Visit www.monadnockmilers.com for more information.

Running

Shea Field in Antrim is available for baseball, softball and soccer. There is also a Recreation Storage Building and Concession Stand. The fields are located on School Street, just before the Antrim Elementary School. Shea Field is available for use by assignment through the recreation office by calling 588-3121 or emailing antrimrecdir@tds.net. Use Policy: No horses are allowed on the field. Dogs must be on a leash or under immediate control of their human partner. You must clean up after your pet.

In Bennington there is Newhall Field, a recreation park on Bible Hill Road with a fenced Little league ball field reserved for Little League use only. There is also a lower ball field and an open soccer field. There is a hardtop surface for skateboarders and a basketball court.

Sawyer Field on Rt. 202 behind the Harris Convenience Store is open to all. It includes a baseball diamond, swing and play area along with picnic tables.

Playing Fields

Page 47

New Hampshire has roads and hills aplenty, and longboarding is a great way to get out and meet people, get some exercise, and take advantage of one of our free, semi-natural recreational resources. Longboarders and freestyle skaters, snowboarders, and surfers will be interested to know there's a longboard club in Antrim. . All long-boarding disciplines are welcome and included at our outings.

You'll meet people Carving, Sliding, Speed boarding, Dancing, and Long-Distance Pumping, with a special fo-cus on Slalom Racing. This club helps people find the activity that's of interest to them, find the specialty equipment needed for that purpose, and get out to some places that are most suitable. Boards and safety equipment are made available to try out, ages 6 to 60 are encouraged to come try it out. Antrim is also home to the Can/Am International Slalom Race, which attracts some of the best skaters in the

world. A world record for tight slalom was set at the 2008 race. The Can/Am is held during Home and Harvest Festival in the Sep-tember, details can be found at antrimcc.com. For info about longboarding contact: Dave Kirkpatrick at 588-3334, teencenter@tds.net.

Skateboarding, Longboarding

Skiing/Downhill and Snowboarding There are two great downhill skiing options within a short ride from Antrim and Bennington. Crotched Mountain Ski Area is in Bennington has five lifts, 100% snowmaking, night skiing with a vertical drop of about 800’ Tel: 603.588.3668 Web Link: www.crotchedmountain.com Pats Peak Ski Area is in Henniker and has 9 lifts, 22 trails and slopes, 6 gladed areas, 100% snowmaking, night skiing with a vertical drop of 710‘. See their ad on the back cover. Tel: 603.428.3245 or 1-888.PATS.PEAK Web Link: www.patspeak.com

Page 46

Antrim: There was an annual event for many years called "Wayno's Race" which was five miles long and be-gan in front of the Town Hall. It went down Main St., down Depot St., along Water St. onto Rt. 202, up Pros-pect St, across Myrtle Ave. and Highland Ave, down Summer St. to Main St., up Main to West St. to Old Hancock Rd., north to Rt. 31 and then down 31 to Main St. and finish by the Baptist Church. Another option which is a good 5.7 mi loop starts at the junction of Rt. 31 & Gregg Lake Rd., go up 31 to Old Pound Rd, then along Craig Rd. to Gregg Lake and along Gregg Lake Rd. to Rt. 31. If you are looking for an eight mile run you can do a longer version of the previous run. You would start at the same place, up Rt. 31 to Rt. 9, west on Rt. 9 to Reed Carr Rd. up Reed Carr to Craig Rd. then to Gregg Lake and back to junction of Rt. 31. Running Club: The Monadnock Milers can be found running the roads on most weekends. Most runs are 4-8 miles, with long runs often added during marathon training seasons. There is a wide range of paces and interests, from new runners to seasoned com-petitors. Visit www.monadnockmilers.com for more information.

Running

Shea Field in Antrim is available for baseball, softball and soccer. There is also a Recreation Storage Building and Concession Stand. The fields are located on School Street, just before the Antrim Elementary School. Shea Field is available for use by assignment through the recreation office by calling 588-3121 or emailing antrimrecdir@tds.net. Use Policy: No horses are allowed on the field. Dogs must be on a leash or under immediate control of their human partner. You must clean up after your pet.

In Bennington there is Newhall Field, a recreation park on Bible Hill Road with a fenced Little league ball field reserved for Little League use only. There is also a lower ball field and an open soccer field. There is a hardtop surface for skateboarders and a basketball court.

Sawyer Field on Rt. 202 behind the Harris Convenience Store is open to all. It includes a baseball diamond, swing and play area along with picnic tables.

Playing Fields

Page 47

New Hampshire has roads and hills aplenty, and longboarding is a great way to get out and meet people, get some exercise, and take advantage of one of our free, semi-natural recreational resources. Longboarders and freestyle skaters, snowboarders, and surfers will be interested to know there's a longboard club in Antrim. . All long-boarding disciplines are welcome and included at our outings.

You'll meet people Carving, Sliding, Speed boarding, Dancing, and Long-Distance Pumping, with a special fo-cus on Slalom Racing. This club helps people find the activity that's of interest to them, find the specialty equipment needed for that purpose, and get out to some places that are most suitable. Boards and safety equipment are made available to try out, ages 6 to 60 are encouraged to come try it out. Antrim is also home to the Can/Am International Slalom Race, which attracts some of the best skaters in the

world. A world record for tight slalom was set at the 2008 race. The Can/Am is held during Home and Harvest Festival in the Sep-tember, details can be found at antrimcc.com. For info about longboarding contact: Dave Kirkpatrick at 588-3334, teencenter@tds.net.

Skateboarding, Longboarding

Skiing/Downhill and Snowboarding There are two great downhill skiing options within a short ride from Antrim and Bennington. Crotched Mountain Ski Area is in Bennington has five lifts, 100% snowmaking, night skiing with a vertical drop of about 800’ Tel: 603.588.3668 Web Link: www.crotchedmountain.com Pats Peak Ski Area is in Henniker and has 9 lifts, 22 trails and slopes, 6 gladed areas, 100% snowmaking, night skiing with a vertical drop of 710‘. See their ad on the back cover. Tel: 603.428.3245 or 1-888.PATS.PEAK Web Link: www.patspeak.com

Page 48

There is a variety of cross country skiing available from groomed to creating your own trail. The best groomed trails nearby are at Crotched Mountain Golf Club. The next best option would be trails that have been groomed or used by snowmobiles e.g. the Rail Trail in Bennington.

You might take advantage of many of the trails in our Special Places and hopefully you will find tracks made by other cross country skiers. You also might try Franklin Pierce Lake or Gregg Lake. Otherwise you are on your own.

Crotched Mountain Golf Club - Crotched Mountain Golf Club in Francestown is owned by Shell Vacation Club who regularly groom their cross country ski trails, provide a trail map and permits their use at no charge. The trails basically follow the 18 hole golf course, half on either side of the road. The half on the northeast side has more up and down to it than the southwest side. The trail map is available at the office on the southwest side of the road. Call 603.588.2000. Rail Trail - From the Ben-nington VFW to the Deer-ing Fish and Game Club is a mainly flat 8 mile trail. There are several interme-diate points where the trail crosses roads enabling peo-ple to do only a portion of the trail (assuming they have someone to drop them off and pick them up). This trail is groomed but not spe-cifically for cross country skiing.

Skiing/Cross Country

Innovative Natural Resource Solutions LLCCorporate Office Charles A. Levesque, President

Offering Consulting Services In: Renewable energy Advocacy Economic Development Land Protection and Management Forest Certification Organizational Management Wildlife Management

37 Old Pound Road Antrim, NH 03440 603-588-3272 levesque@inrsllc.com www.inrsllc.com

Page 49

Snowmobiling All snowmobiles that are used off of the owner’s property must be registered and show proof of membership with a New Hampshire snowmobile club affiliated with the New Hampshire Snowmobile As-sociation, or pay an extra $30.00 per snowmobile. The registration fees are used to help build and maintain New Hampshire's snowmobile trail system. All prices subject to change. Founded in 1969, the New Hampshire Snow-mobile Association (NHSA) is an association of independently incorporated snowmobile clubs, to speak for the sport of snowmobiling and to promote it as a safe family recreation - www.nhsa.com

For registration information, contact New Hamp-shire Fish and Game Departments Law Enforce-ment Division at 603-271-3129 or visit their web-site at www.wildlife.state.nh.us.

There are no Snowmobile Clubs in Antrim or Bennington so snowmo-bilers join a club in one of the surrounding towns. The NightRiders, Inc. snowmobile club is committed to safe riding and maintaining trails for winter use in the Hillsboro, Antrim, Deer-ing, and Windsor area. - www.nightriderssc.org. The Monadnock Sno Snoopers are located in Hancock - www.snosnoopers.com The Washington Snow Riders is located in Washington -www.washingtonsnowriders.com (at the time of this printing this web address address did not work even though it is listed as a snowmobile club on the New Hampshire Snowmobile Clubs website)

Did You Know? In the State of NH there are 4,814 miles of State highways and 6,830 miles of snow-mobile trails.

Livingston’s Artic Cat Snowmobiles, ATV’s Parts and Accessories

123 Henniker Street Hillsborough, NH 03244 (603) 464-5454 www.livingstonsarcticcat.com

Also featuring Kymco Scooters and Dixie Chopper Lawn Mowers

Page 48

There is a variety of cross country skiing available from groomed to creating your own trail. The best groomed trails nearby are at Crotched Mountain Golf Club. The next best option would be trails that have been groomed or used by snowmobiles e.g. the Rail Trail in Bennington.

You might take advantage of many of the trails in our Special Places and hopefully you will find tracks made by other cross country skiers. You also might try Franklin Pierce Lake or Gregg Lake. Otherwise you are on your own.

Crotched Mountain Golf Club - Crotched Mountain Golf Club in Francestown is owned by Shell Vacation Club who regularly groom their cross country ski trails, provide a trail map and permits their use at no charge. The trails basically follow the 18 hole golf course, half on either side of the road. The half on the northeast side has more up and down to it than the southwest side. The trail map is available at the office on the southwest side of the road. Call 603.588.2000. Rail Trail - From the Ben-nington VFW to the Deer-ing Fish and Game Club is a mainly flat 8 mile trail. There are several interme-diate points where the trail crosses roads enabling peo-ple to do only a portion of the trail (assuming they have someone to drop them off and pick them up). This trail is groomed but not spe-cifically for cross country skiing.

Skiing/Cross Country

Innovative Natural Resource Solutions LLCCorporate Office Charles A. Levesque, President

Offering Consulting Services In: Renewable energy Advocacy Economic Development Land Protection and Management Forest Certification Organizational Management Wildlife Management

37 Old Pound Road Antrim, NH 03440 603-588-3272 levesque@inrsllc.com www.inrsllc.com

Page 48

There is a variety of cross country skiing available from groomed to creating your own trail. The best groomed trails nearby are at Crotched Mountain Golf Club. The next best option would be trails that have been groomed or used by snowmobiles e.g. the Rail Trail in Bennington.

You might take advantage of many of the trails in our Special Places and hopefully you will find tracks made by other cross country skiers. You also might try Franklin Pierce Lake or Gregg Lake. Otherwise you are on your own.

Crotched Mountain Golf Club - Crotched Mountain Golf Club in Francestown is owned by Shell Vacation Club who regularly groom their cross country ski trails, provide a trail map and permits their use at no charge. The trails basically follow the 18 hole golf course, half on either side of the road. The half on the northeast side has more up and down to it than the southwest side. The trail map is available at the office on the southwest side of the road. Call 603.588.2000. Rail Trail - From the Ben-nington VFW to the Deer-ing Fish and Game Club is a mainly flat 8 mile trail. There are several interme-diate points where the trail crosses roads enabling peo-ple to do only a portion of the trail (assuming they have someone to drop them off and pick them up). This trail is groomed but not spe-cifically for cross country skiing.

Skiing/Cross Country

Innovative Natural Resource Solutions LLCCorporate Office Charles A. Levesque, President

Offering Consulting Services In: Renewable energy Advocacy Economic Development Land Protection and Management Forest Certification Organizational Management Wildlife Management

37 Old Pound Road Antrim, NH 03440 603-588-3272 levesque@inrsllc.com www.inrsllc.com

Page 49

Snowmobiling All snowmobiles that are used off of the owner’s property must be registered and show proof of membership with a New Hampshire snowmobile club affiliated with the New Hampshire Snowmobile As-sociation, or pay an extra $30.00 per snowmobile. The registration fees are used to help build and maintain New Hampshire's snowmobile trail system. All prices subject to change. Founded in 1969, the New Hampshire Snow-mobile Association (NHSA) is an association of independently incorporated snowmobile clubs, to speak for the sport of snowmobiling and to promote it as a safe family recreation - www.nhsa.com

For registration information, contact New Hamp-shire Fish and Game Departments Law Enforce-ment Division at 603-271-3129 or visit their web-site at www.wildlife.state.nh.us.

There are no Snowmobile Clubs in Antrim or Bennington so snowmo-bilers join a club in one of the surrounding towns. The NightRiders, Inc. snowmobile club is committed to safe riding and maintaining trails for winter use in the Hillsboro, Antrim, Deer-ing, and Windsor area. - www.nightriderssc.org. The Monadnock Sno Snoopers are located in Hancock - www.snosnoopers.com The Washington Snow Riders is located in Washington -www.washingtonsnowriders.com (at the time of this printing this web address address did not work even though it is listed as a snowmobile club on the New Hampshire Snowmobile Clubs website)

Did You Know? In the State of NH there are 4,814 miles of State highways and 6,830 miles of snow-mobile trails.

Livingston’s Artic Cat Snowmobiles, ATV’s Parts and Accessories

123 Henniker Street Hillsborough, NH 03244 (603) 464-5454 www.livingstonsarcticcat.com

Also featuring Kymco Scooters and Dixie Chopper Lawn Mowers

Page 50

Antrim: Tennis is available at Memorial Park with parking on Jameson Ave. This lovely old court is ready for play yearly between Memorial Day and the end of October. Racquets for adults and chil-dren can be borrowed from the Antrim Recreation Department by calling 588-3121 or emailing an-trimrecdir@tds.net. This court is not official size, but is in a charming location nearby to the Mill Pond and the Bandstand. In addition, swings and benches are available for children and friends.

Tennis

Antrim: There is a sand volleyball court on the point at Gregg Lake Beach. This is open and maintained between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The point closes at 9pm. Throughout the year, Adult Volleyball has pick up games at the Antrim Memorial Gymnasium on Thursday eve-

nings. Call 588-3121 for more information, or email antrimrecrea-tion@tds.net

Volleyball

Swimming There are two major swimming beaches open to the public:

Gregg Lake (Antrim) at Town Beach - page 9 Franklin Pierce Lake (Antrim and Hillsborough) at Manahan Park - Page 8 The following beach area is only open to Bennington residents. Whittemore Lake (Bennington) - page 27

In Antrim perhaps the easiest and most accessible place to get a really clear, dark look at the stars is from near the top of Meeting House Hill Road, up past the Grange. Near the top on the left is the oldest cemetery in town, and here alongside the road, or in the cemetery if you dare, you'll find a comfortable and quiet place to view the heavens - which those buried there will attest to. There are of course other out-of-the-way high places where light pollution will not obscure the stars, but this is perhaps the most central, and an easy drive to reach.

Star Gazing

Page 51

We want everyone to enjoy the outdoors and that comes with being aware of situations that you might come across. Bear Encounters! - If you are fortunate enough to see a bear, hopefully it is 300’ away and you are using binoculars and a telephoto lens. If you are closer then that, never run from a bear and don’t try to climb a tree to escape! Don't get be-tween a sow and her cubs. It is best to back away, speak in a calm voice while maintaining eye contact. For more information visit: www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Wildlife/faqs_black_bears.htm

Bugs! - Black flies begin to emerge from mid to late April in southern New Hampshire and last through the end of May whereas mosquitoes start emerging by mid-May. Best pro-tection from all insects is wearing long sleeves and long

pants, using insect repellent. Porcupines - If you are walking, keep your dog away from porcupines as the quills release easily. Once embedded, quills work their way deeper and deeper into an animal's skin (up to an inch a day!), so they should be removed as soon as possible. Ticks - The dog tick is most ac-tive from May through July in New Hampshire. Deer ticks (black legged tick) are smaller than the dog tick and are also most active

in May thru July. This spe-cies will readily bite peo-ple, most often during the

nymph stage and can transmit Lyme disease.. Ticks tend to crawl upward, and if they can’t get inside your clothing, they will end up on your head or neck. It is important after walking through woods or tall grass to inspect your body for ticks. Yellow Jackets - Yellow Jackets are known as ’the little danger under your feet’ and are the most common cause of injury for a hiker. Their nests are commonly built in rodent burrows and other

Being Wise in the Woods

Page 50

Antrim: Tennis is available at Memorial Park with parking on Jameson Ave. This lovely old court is ready for play yearly between Memorial Day and the end of October. Racquets for adults and chil-dren can be borrowed from the Antrim Recreation Department by calling 588-3121 or emailing an-trimrecdir@tds.net. This court is not official size, but is in a charming location nearby to the Mill Pond and the Bandstand. In addition, swings and benches are available for children and friends.

Tennis

Antrim: There is a sand volleyball court on the point at Gregg Lake Beach. This is open and maintained between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The point closes at 9pm. Throughout the year, Adult Volleyball has pick up games at the Antrim Memorial Gymnasium on Thursday eve-

nings. Call 588-3121 for more information, or email antrimrecrea-tion@tds.net

Volleyball

Swimming There are two major swimming beaches open to the public:

Gregg Lake (Antrim) at Town Beach - page 9 Franklin Pierce Lake (Antrim and Hillsborough) at Manahan Park - Page 8 The following beach area is only open to Bennington residents. Whittemore Lake (Bennington) - page 27

In Antrim perhaps the easiest and most accessible place to get a really clear, dark look at the stars is from near the top of Meeting House Hill Road, up past the Grange. Near the top on the left is the oldest cemetery in town, and here alongside the road, or in the cemetery if you dare, you'll find a comfortable and quiet place to view the heavens - which those buried there will attest to. There are of course other out-of-the-way high places where light pollution will not obscure the stars, but this is perhaps the most central, and an easy drive to reach.

Star Gazing

Page 51

We want everyone to enjoy the outdoors and that comes with being aware of situations that you might come across. Bear Encounters! - If you are fortunate enough to see a bear, hopefully it is 300’ away and you are using binoculars and a telephoto lens. If you are closer then that, never run from a bear and don’t try to climb a tree to escape! Don't get be-tween a sow and her cubs. It is best to back away, speak in a calm voice while maintaining eye contact. For more information visit: www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Wildlife/faqs_black_bears.htm

Bugs! - Black flies begin to emerge from mid to late April in southern New Hampshire and last through the end of May whereas mosquitoes start emerging by mid-May. Best pro-tection from all insects is wearing long sleeves and long

pants, using insect repellent. Porcupines - If you are walking, keep your dog away from porcupines as the quills release easily. Once embedded, quills work their way deeper and deeper into an animal's skin (up to an inch a day!), so they should be removed as soon as possible. Ticks - The dog tick is most ac-tive from May through July in New Hampshire. Deer ticks (black legged tick) are smaller than the dog tick and are also most active

in May thru July. This spe-cies will readily bite peo-ple, most often during the

nymph stage and can transmit Lyme disease.. Ticks tend to crawl upward, and if they can’t get inside your clothing, they will end up on your head or neck. It is important after walking through woods or tall grass to inspect your body for ticks. Yellow Jackets - Yellow Jackets are known as ’the little danger under your feet’ and are the most common cause of injury for a hiker. Their nests are commonly built in rodent burrows and other

Being Wise in the Woods

Page 52

Youth Corner Antrim Recreation Department offers regular and new programs throughout the year. Beyond youth sports, examples of other pro-grams are hikes, climbing, speedstacking, movies, summer camps, outdoor adventure programs, fishing derby , rollerskating and more. To find out about current programs, call 588-3121 or look at the website antrimnh.org. You can also find Antrim Recreation on Face-book. The Harris Center for Conservation Education provides students in grades K-12 with a continuum of experiences and opportunities to study nature, develop age appropriate science skills, discover na-ture as a source of inspiration and creativity, and appreciate the local landscape outside their schools.( see page 33). Dodge Library in Bennington offers a summer reading program from early July to early August. Story times are Mondays at 9:30 am and Thursday at 1pm. The library is at 2 Main Street and can be reached at 588-6585 It’s all about FISHING Hi, my name is Hunter. My most favorite thing in the world to do is fish. Here are some local places I like to fish and thought I would share them with you. I fish along the Contoocook River. This is a very good place to catch rainbow and brown trout. You can also find shiners, sunfish and perch there. I can catch five to seven shiners in one trip. As many of you might know, the pond in back of the town hall and Rick N Diane’s is stocked with fish every May. Not everyone catches all the fish on the Derby so give it a try. I love fishing at Gregg Lake as well. You don’t always get a bite with a worm there so sometimes salmon eggs or minnows work. I many

protected cavities. Stinging behavior is usually encountered at nesting sites. They are very aggressive in defending their colony. Defensive be-havior increases as the season progresses and colony populations become larger while food becomes scarcer. Be on the lookout for nests. Yellow Jackets that are flying directly in and out of a single location are probably flying to and from their nest. Hiking Essentials - When venturing out for a hike it is advisable to bring a map, compass, pocket knife, flashlight, water, whistle and matches. If there is a possibility for a sudden shift in the weather you should bring warm clothing and a rain/wind jacket. Hunting Season - When hiking in the fall, during hunting season it's important to be visible in the woods. The recommendation is to wear blaze orange — the color typically worn by hunters.

times use my trusty lure there as well. I’ve heard that Pierce Lake has some great fishing holes, though I haven’t tested it out yet. Another good spot is Powder Mill Pond. I catch all sorts of bass, trout and at night horn-pout. I know on Pleasant Street there is a brook great for catching craw-fish. You can capture minnows in Great Brook as well. Minnows make great bait. Bass, Pick-erel, and trout love to eat them, just a helpful hint. Try to cast out un-der a bridge, or by a fallen down log. Under-neath covered bridges are the best. If you ever need bait or tackle, you can go to my friend Hattie’s store, Place In the Woods. After a hard day of fishin’, I like to go to Tenney Farm and get an ice cream. The end to a perfect day. Hunter Tenney Salamy - Age 9

Wildlife and Wildflowers Wildlife Wildlife you might see in the Antrim area in-clude: deer, moose, black bear, muskrat, woodchuck, porcupine, beaver, squirrel, chip-munk, mink, fisher, otter, skunk, weasel, rac-coon, red fox, coyote, and a wide variety of snakes, frogs, birds, and fishes.

78 Smith Road P.O. Box 148

Antrim, NH 03440 603-588-2139

Monday to Friday 7AM - 5PM Saturday 7AM - 1PM

Closed Sundays

Building Materials

Page 53

Page 52

Youth Corner Antrim Recreation Department offers regular and new programs throughout the year. Beyond youth sports, examples of other pro-grams are hikes, climbing, speedstacking, movies, summer camps, outdoor adventure programs, fishing derby , rollerskating and more. To find out about current programs, call 588-3121 or look at the website antrimnh.org. You can also find Antrim Recreation on Face-book. The Harris Center for Conservation Education provides students in grades K-12 with a continuum of experiences and opportunities to study nature, develop age appropriate science skills, discover na-ture as a source of inspiration and creativity, and appreciate the local landscape outside their schools.( see page 33). Dodge Library in Bennington offers a summer reading program from early July to early August. Story times are Mondays at 9:30 am and Thursday at 1pm. The library is at 2 Main Street and can be reached at 588-6585 It’s all about FISHING Hi, my name is Hunter. My most favorite thing in the world to do is fish. Here are some local places I like to fish and thought I would share them with you. I fish along the Contoocook River. This is a very good place to catch rainbow and brown trout. You can also find shiners, sunfish and perch there. I can catch five to seven shiners in one trip. As many of you might know, the pond in back of the town hall and Rick N Diane’s is stocked with fish every May. Not everyone catches all the fish on the Derby so give it a try. I love fishing at Gregg Lake as well. You don’t always get a bite with a worm there so sometimes salmon eggs or minnows work. I many

protected cavities. Stinging behavior is usually encountered at nesting sites. They are very aggressive in defending their colony. Defensive be-havior increases as the season progresses and colony populations become larger while food becomes scarcer. Be on the lookout for nests. Yellow Jackets that are flying directly in and out of a single location are probably flying to and from their nest. Hiking Essentials - When venturing out for a hike it is advisable to bring a map, compass, pocket knife, flashlight, water, whistle and matches. If there is a possibility for a sudden shift in the weather you should bring warm clothing and a rain/wind jacket. Hunting Season - When hiking in the fall, during hunting season it's important to be visible in the woods. The recommendation is to wear blaze orange — the color typically worn by hunters.

times use my trusty lure there as well. I’ve heard that Pierce Lake has some great fishing holes, though I haven’t tested it out yet. Another good spot is Powder Mill Pond. I catch all sorts of bass, trout and at night horn-pout. I know on Pleasant Street there is a brook great for catching craw-fish. You can capture minnows in Great Brook as well. Minnows make great bait. Bass, Pick-erel, and trout love to eat them, just a helpful hint. Try to cast out un-der a bridge, or by a fallen down log. Under-neath covered bridges are the best. If you ever need bait or tackle, you can go to my friend Hattie’s store, Place In the Woods. After a hard day of fishin’, I like to go to Tenney Farm and get an ice cream. The end to a perfect day. Hunter Tenney Salamy - Age 9

Wildlife and Wildflowers Wildlife Wildlife you might see in the Antrim area in-clude: deer, moose, black bear, muskrat, woodchuck, porcupine, beaver, squirrel, chip-munk, mink, fisher, otter, skunk, weasel, rac-coon, red fox, coyote, and a wide variety of snakes, frogs, birds, and fishes.

78 Smith Road P.O. Box 148

Antrim, NH 03440 603-588-2139

Monday to Friday 7AM - 5PM Saturday 7AM - 1PM

Closed Sundays

Building Materials

Page 53

Page 54

Wildflowers

Willard Pond - After the blooming of hobblebush in early spring, wildflowers begin to appear along the six miles of trails that travel throughout DePierrefeu Willard Pond Wildlife Sanctuary. Starflower from the Primrose family and Canada May-flower (otherwise known as Wild Lily of the Valley) cover the floor of the forest. Near the ponds one can find Blue Flag Iris in spring and the brilliant red Cardi-nal Flower later in the summer. Pickerelweed grows in many spots in the pond, as does Yellow Water Lily, Fragrant Water Lily and Wa-tershield.

Scattered about in the woods is New Hampshire's state wildflower from the Orchid family: the Pink Ladyslipper or Moccasin Flower. Other wildflowers to look for include Wild Sarsaparilla, Indian Cu-cumber Root, Trillium, Jack in the Pulpit, Clintonia, Indian Pipe, Rattlesnake Plantain, Pale Cordalis, Goldthread, Solomon's Seal and False Solomon's

Seal. It is a gift to come upon these delicate and at the same time hardy flowers blooming on their own as we walk through the woods. Powder Mill Pond - In Bennington wildflowers can easily be seen by parking on No. Bennington Rd where it crosses the railroad bed and enters Greenfield. Just walk down the tracks to the right to the bridge over Powder Mill Pond. Rye Pond - Wildflowers are best seen along the east side, just proceed down the trail.

Spin & Web Laundromat

76 Main Street, Antrim NH 03440 Tel: 603-588-2800 603-588-8000 Fax: 603-588-3327

Featuring 2, 5 and 8 loaders Drop off wash and fold Dry cleaning service Clean and spacious

Hours: 7AM to 9PM Seven days a week

Page 55

Calendar Following are some events happening each year you might be inter-ested in.

April - Earth Day April (fourth Saturday) - Bennington Fishing Derby page 41 May - Antrim Bike Rodeo see page 36 May - Antrim Fishing Derby see page 41 July and August - Antrim in

the Evening, see page 19 September - Antrim Home

and Harvest Days with a Chicken BBQ at Tenney Farm followed by Fireworks

We Welcome New Patients

18 Elm Street, Antrim, NH 03440 603-588-6362 www.antrimsmiles.com

Page 54

Wildflowers

Willard Pond - After the blooming of hobblebush in early spring, wildflowers begin to appear along the six miles of trails that travel throughout DePierrefeu Willard Pond Wildlife Sanctuary. Starflower from the Primrose family and Canada May-flower (otherwise known as Wild Lily of the Valley) cover the floor of the forest. Near the ponds one can find Blue Flag Iris in spring and the brilliant red Cardi-nal Flower later in the summer. Pickerelweed grows in many spots in the pond, as does Yellow Water Lily, Fragrant Water Lily and Wa-tershield.

Scattered about in the woods is New Hampshire's state wildflower from the Orchid family: the Pink Ladyslipper or Moccasin Flower. Other wildflowers to look for include Wild Sarsaparilla, Indian Cu-cumber Root, Trillium, Jack in the Pulpit, Clintonia, Indian Pipe, Rattlesnake Plantain, Pale Cordalis, Goldthread, Solomon's Seal and False Solomon's

Seal. It is a gift to come upon these delicate and at the same time hardy flowers blooming on their own as we walk through the woods. Powder Mill Pond - In Bennington wildflowers can easily be seen by parking on No. Bennington Rd where it crosses the railroad bed and enters Greenfield. Just walk down the tracks to the right to the bridge over Powder Mill Pond. Rye Pond - Wildflowers are best seen along the east side, just proceed down the trail.

Spin & Web Laundromat

76 Main Street, Antrim NH 03440 Tel: 603-588-2800 603-588-8000 Fax: 603-588-3327

Featuring 2, 5 and 8 loaders Drop off wash and fold Dry cleaning service Clean and spacious

Hours: 7AM to 9PM Seven days a week

Page 55

Calendar Following are some events happening each year you might be inter-ested in.

April - Earth Day April (fourth Saturday) - Bennington Fishing Derby page 41 May - Antrim Bike Rodeo see page 36 May - Antrim Fishing Derby see page 41 July and August - Antrim in

the Evening, see page 19 September - Antrim Home

and Harvest Days with a Chicken BBQ at Tenney Farm followed by Fireworks

We Welcome New Patients

18 Elm Street, Antrim, NH 03440 603-588-6362 www.antrimsmiles.com

Page 56

A significant effort was made to assure the content is correct. However, being a first edition there are likely to be many errors or omissions. Please email comments to info@ablions.org or submit at the website at www.ablions.org/og. We will be creating an interactive version of the Outdoor Guide for the Internet that is planned to be ready by the end of the summer, 2009. This will not only provide any corrections you have submit-ted, but hopefully additional content about Special Places and Ac-tivities you have contributed. We would plan to have a second edition of our printed booklet avail-able in about two years, June 2011. It would be great to have many more residents of Antrim and Bennington be contributors, editors, photographers and illustrators for the website and second edition.

Outdoor Guide Future

Additional Sponsors Gary Watson Builders LLC Quality built homes and additions 770 Bog Rd., Hillsborough, NH 03244 Tel: 603.555.1212 Cell: 603.759.3356

Allen Chiropractic PLLC “We care about you and your health” 14 Pleasant Street, PO Box 158, Antrim, NH 03440 Tel: 603-588-2900 Fax: 603-588-2903

The Corner Store - Rt. 9 & 31, Hillsboro, NH Tel: 603.478.3335 Great breakfasts - best cheeseburgers in town! Open 6am to 5pm. Fish & Game licenses, bait, OHRV reg., groceries, propane, kerosene cold beer, beverages, ice, NH Sweeps tickets. Come see us!

Oddfellows - Serving Antrim and Bennington since 1876 Waverly Lodge # 59 P. O. Box 38, Antrim, NH 03440

Laconia Savings Bank - 77 Main St., Antrim NH 03440 Tel: (603) 588-6333 Website: www.laconiasavings.com

Morse Sporting Goods - www.morsesportinggoods.com 85 Contoocook Falls Rd., Hillsboro, NH 03244 Tel: 603-464-3444

Visit our website at: www.placeinthewoodstradingpost.com

Stay & Play Packages Available Relax, Play and Enjoy a vacation at this working sheep farm on 130 acres. Self keeping private guest suites.

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Open Seven Days a Week Monday - Thursday: 9:00 to 6:00 Friday: 9:00 to 7:00 Saturday: 9:00 to 6:00 Sunday: 9:00 to 5:00

Conveniently located on Route 202 in Antrim Telephone: (603) 588-2446

New & Used Firearms Hunting & Fishing Gear Live Bait NH Fish & Game License Agent and

Check-in Station.

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& Snow Shoe rentals

Camping

Clothing, Footwear Snow Shoes NH Made

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DISCOVER PLACE IN THE WOODS…..

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Play and Stay packages are our spe-cialty. Choose your length of stay and enjoy golfing at Crotched Mountain Re-sort & Golf Club. Head Professional Ken Hamel will set everything up for you. Golf, Carts, Lodging, and Meals can all be part of your play and stay.

Crotched Mountain Resort is one of twenty-four Shell Vacation Re-sorts. Shell Vacations Hospitality was created as the exclusive provider of hospitality services for internationally recognized resorts throughout North America. The accommodations at Crotched Mountain are cozy and convenient, charming sanctuaries set among the serenity of a peaceful retreat. We offer spacious one-bedroom suites that sleep four adults comfortably, and two-bedroom suites provide the privacy that your fam-ily enjoys at home.

Set in the rolling hills of New Hamp-shire, Crotched Mountain Golf Club ex-poses golfers to the true beauty of New England. An 18 hole, par 71 golf course, CMGC offers outstanding playing condi-tions accompanied by spectacular views of the surrounding Monadnock region.

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OUTDOOR GUIDE To

Antrim and Bennington New Hampshire

Compliments of the

Antrim Bennington Lions Club

Willard Pond in Antrim, as viewed from Bald Mountain