Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway Coalition
| Trail Guide 6 |
|
|
|
Great Brook Bridge to NH 4A
Total Distance: 3.3. miles Estimated time: 2 hours
Total Ascents: 860 feet Total Descents: 520 feet
Overview: This section of the SRKG is a mixture of well-developed wooded trails and woods logging roads with two uphill sections. From an elevation of approximately 800 ft. at Pleasant Lake, the trail rises to 1500 ft., and then drops to 1200 ft. at US 4A. This section of the SRKG uses the Wolf Tree Trail, parts of the Webb Forest Interpretive Trail and the White Pine Trail. The SRKG is clearly marked by white trapezoids. Where it uses portions of New London Conservation Commission Trails, which have their own round red blazes, it also has the SRKG white trapezoid blazes to help you stay on the SRKG.
Finding the Trailheads: The western trailhead is on Pleasant Street, which leaves New London's Main Street (NH 114) opposite the Tracey Memorial Library. Go northeast on Pleasant Street and park after crossing Great Brook, 2 mi. from Main Street. The eastern trailhead is just off NH 4A at the intersection of Schoolhouse Road (where you park), 2.4 mi. west of North Wilmot Road.
Trail: The western trailhead for this section is at the barway opposite the parking area at Great Brook Bridge. The trail follows the Wolf Tree Trail to the right, which is marked with SRKG white blazes and the older round red blazes. Coco's Path and the Great Brook Trail enter on the left after 50 yd. while the SRKG continues straight. The Webb Forest Interpretive Trail enters from the right at 0.2 mi
The SRKG climbs steeply on a woods road and at 0.3 mi. crosses under the power lines. At 0.4 mi. it reaches the top of the steep hill and a cleared area where there are several large shade trees and the cellar holes of the old Bunker Farm. In the past this meadow was used for summer grazing and is a favorite picnic spot. The trail crosses the meadow and continues into the woods. At 0.5 mi. the Bunker Loop goes left, while the Wolf Tree Trail and SRKG go straight.
Soon the trail meets and follows a dirt road to the left for 50 yd. before taking a sharp right. As you leave the road, the Webb Forest Interpretive Trail bears left and the SRKG bears right. The trail winds through the woods entering an area planted with white pines. The grade steepens and there is a very large boulder on the right -- a glacial erratic. The trail soon crosses a wall and becomes quite steep for 0.1 mi. until, turning left and again crossing the wall, it proceeds through a stand of mature white pines. After another steep section, the trail passes through a thick stand of junipers, reaching a stone wall which is the boundary between New London and Wilmot (1.2 mi.). The Wolf Tree Trail turns right and follows the stone wall (see* for shortcut to the left). The SRKG descends more steeply and passes a cleared area on the right. The trail then becomes abruptly steeper, reaches a small stream, and reaches the Webb Forest Interpretive Trail at 1.6 mi. (see ** for Langanau spur trail).
The SRKG turns left onto the Webb Forest Interpretive Trail, follows the brook, and soon reaches a small waterfall and glen. At the top of the small cliff, the trail turns left and heads steeply uphill, passing a clearing on the right and then leveling off briefly at 1.8 mi. before resuming the climb. At 1.9 mi., there is a large rock where the SRKG turns right and the Webb Forest Interpretive Trail continues straight. The main SRKG is now called the White Pine Trail.
At 2.1 mi., there is a large cleared area that has been reforested with white pine, but much of it has grown up to birch. The trail turns left and heads downhill on a woods road, reaching a timber landing at 2.3 mi. The trail continues across this landing, follows the spur logging road, and then reaches the main logging road. At 3.3 mi. a barrier is reached just before NH 4A.
*Shortcut: At this point you can elect to follow an accepted shortcut which will save 0.7 mi. and about a 200-foot climb by turning left and going 0.1 mi. until reaching the Webb Forest Interpretive Trail. Turn right onto this trail and follow it for another 0.1 mi. to a large stone where you will join the beginning of the White Pine Trail.
**Spur Trail: Proceeding straight and crossing a brook will bring you to the Langanau Forest Trail, a one-mile SRKG spur trail blazed with yellow trapezoids. It leads to Messer Road and Granite Hill Road in Wilmot.
