Little Harbor Loop Trail - A Portsmouth Treasure

 In my pursuit to find all the best Seacoast hikes, I realized I had left out what many would consider the "capital" of the Seacoast - the city of Portsmouth.  I've done many trails near Portsmouth - Great Bay, Peverly Pond, and Fort Constitution , but very few nature walks actually within the city limits.  I did some research and decided to try Little Harbor Loop Hike.  I liked it so much, the next day I went back with the kids!

Here's how to recreate this adventure...

Adventure: Little Harbor Loop Trail

Getting there:  Little Harbor Loop trail has three possible parking areas along the trail.  One is at Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion located at the address: 375 Little Harbor Road in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  This historic site and grounds is managed by New Hampshire State Parks and offers free parking and a trailhead to the loop.  The other two parking areas are located on the Creek Farm Reservation Property which is maintained by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.

The Little Harbor Loop Trial is well signed. 
Follow the yellow blazes!

Trail:  The trailhead to Little Harbor Loop is right in the parking lot to the Wentworth-Coolidge parking lot and marked with a small wooden sign and a gap in the woods.  The important thing to note on this trail is to follow the yellow blazes.  The trail is well marked but there are several unmarked offshoots where a hiker could get off course.  Stay on the yellow trail and you’ll be fine.

The hike begins in the woods.  You will hike over uneven terrain of rocks and roots.  The trail winds through woods, crossing a driveway, passing through two rock walls, and eventually to a trail junction sign that shows you can veer off the loop to the right to visit the “view spur”.  This is definitely worth it.  Take the spur and you will be rewarded with views of the tidal bay, rocky shoreline, and a grassy marsh.  Return the way you came and continue on the yellow-blazed loop.

The trail will cross the road and enter the well signed “Creek Farm Reservation” and second parking lot.  The trail is well signed, but travels along the road - yellow blazes marked on trees on the shoulder until entering the third parking lot for this hike near the Shoals Marine Laboratory and Sagamore Creek Boat Car Top Boat Launch.

The trail continues around the grounds of the impressive building and hugs the shore, curving around an inlet marked on the map as a tidal pool. Continue to follow the yellow blazes (now marked on stones), along the shore with views of Goose Island on your right.  

The trail will cut back inland and travel the road back to the parking lot of Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion.

Part of the Little Harbor Loop Trail walks along the road. 
Follow the yellow blazes.

Difficulty: Mostly easy with some root/rocky footing in the first half mile.

Distance: 1.5 miles

Recommendations:

• Little Harbor Loop Trail is managed by the New Hampshire state parks and the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.  It is open dawn to dusk.

• A trail map is available on the Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion website.

• Dogs are not allowed on the trail.

• At low tide visitors can walk out to some of the close islands and tidal pool areas. Be mindful of the tide so you don’t get stuck.

• The first half mile of the trail from Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion has a series of unmarked offshoot trails.  Stick to the yellow loop so not to impact more areas with unofficial trails- with the exception of the marked viewpoint.

I really enjoyed Little Harbor Loop twice this week. When I brought the kids, we didn't do the full loop - we just went down to the viewpoint and back.  This was the perfect length for my 2 year old.  Afterwards we enjoyed the lawn and waterfront views of the Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion who's grounds were open to the public.  I hope you get to enjoy it too!

See more photos and adventure on my INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!

Little Harbor Loop Trial in Portsmouth, New Hampshire

You might enjoy these similar experiences...

- Cutts Island Trail in Kittery

- Stonehouse Pond in Barrington

- Little River Park Loop in Lee

Ledges, Lichens, and a Loop - Southern Maine Nature Trail

    In the late hours when other people are scrolling social media, reading a book, or binging Netflix, I am lying in bed internet-searching for new trails for myself and my kids.  Although I hike all year round - summer is truly my biggest "hiking season".  I have summers "off" and like to fill my days with my young children hitting the trails.  Here on the Seacoast, we have amazing kid-friendly, but I'm always looking for more.  And this week, I found one!  

    Nestled in a small preserve on the South Berwick/Ogunquit town lines is a perfect little-kid loop trail that provides views of ledges and even caves - all covered with beautiful lichens and mosses.  What's more, it's a loop!

Here's how to recreate this adventure...

Adventure: Kenyon Hills Preserve Loop Trail in South Berwick, Maine

Getting there:  For GPS purposes, the official address location is 110 Ogunquit Rd, South Berwick, Maine.  To get there from Dover, NH take Route 4 (Portland Ave) towards South Berwick, Maine.  Continue on Route 4 until it splits in South Berwick.  Curve right to get on Agamenticus Rd and drive for a quarter mile.  Turn Right on Emerys Bridge Rd and continue for 1.6 miles.  Turn right at Bennettlot Rd and continue for 4 miles.  Finally, turn right onto Ogunquit Rd.  The trailhead is on the right about 2 miles up.  The trailhead is well signed saying "Kenyon Hill Preserve: Great Works Regional Land Trust" from the road and their is a small uneven (free) parking lot.  The trail is open dawn to dusk.

Trail sign from the road: Kenyon Hill Preserve / Great Works Regional Land Trust

Trail:  From the parking lot, walk back from the road.  There is a small laminated signed stapled to a post showing the loop (see photo).  I also used AllTrails to record my hike so I wouldn't get lost. The trail is a well blazed one mile loop with blue blazes, however there are small small offshoot trails.  

    From the initial fork, we decided to start right - doing a counter clockwise trek.  This was a great choice because a lot of the "attractions" are early on this portion of the trail.  We saw huge glacial erratic boulders covered in lichen and moss, towering rock faces, and smaller rock piles perfect for toddler/preschoolers to climb. 

    The trail is easy but has some roots and rock tripping hazards (my four year old fell a few times).  There are small changes in elevation gain but nothing too noticeable. About half way through the loop we went up an incline and according to the AllTrails topo map, we were at the tallest point in elevation on the trail.  We scrambled up a large rock and enjoyed our lunch.   

    The last half mile of the trail was easy, flat, and straight.  Even though this trail is only one mile, our scrambling and exploring of small off-shoots clocked our hike at 1.8 miles, and we spent 90 minutes here!  The climbing rocks and cave made it a really fun one for kids, but adults will enjoy the varied views and beautiful lichen/moss covered rocks as well.

Curly lichens grown on large rock faces throughout the trail

Difficulty: The short distance and fairly easy terrain makes me categorize this trail as over all EASY but Great Works Regional Land Trust that manages it, labeled it "moderate".

Distance: 1 mile loop. However, we must have done a lot of off-trail rock exploring because I clocked our trek at 1.8 miles total.  

Recommendations:

- Parking is limited but it was not busy.  We only saw one other hiker on a sunny, summer weekday morning. There are no bathrooms or trash receptacles at the trailhead.

- The trail was clean.  Please keep it this way by carrying out your trash.

- Keep track of the blue blazes.  There are other "non-official" trails that are not blazed.  We accidentally meandered down a couple.  

- Bring bug spray.  The bugs weren't horrible but there were a few wetland type areas along the trail where the mosquitoes were noticeable.  

- Dogs are allowed on the trail.

This trail reminded me of one of our other favorite loops - the Winnie-the-Pooh Trail - that also has rock ledges and caves.  The kids really liked it and so did I.  I'm so glad my late night internet searches paid off!

You might enjoy these similar adventures...

- Pickering Ponds Loop 

- Cutts Trail

- Peverley Pond Loop

Family Friendly Winter Hikes in the White Mountains

I am a monthly contributor to the website Seacoast Moms.  My writing for this site mainly focused on outdoor experiences for families of young children, however, my last two posts are useful for anyone thinking of starting to get into winter hiking!  

Artist Bluff in Winter, Franconia Notch

White Mountain Winter Hikes:

My recent post - Try a New Family Adventure: Winter Hiking in the White Mountains provides three great winter hike for anyone looking to see gorgeous views in a White Mountain winter. Check it out!

Me hiking Artist Bluff Trail in December 2019

Prepare with this Gear:

Also, if you haven't tried winter hiking before, check out my advice here  Although it's titled 

What You Need to Winter Hike with Baby - the footwear is critical for anyone taking that first step onto a snowy path.

Matt and son on a Crawford Notch trail - December 2019

Other Winter Hiking Posts:

Perfect Winter Hike for Toddlers

Winter Camping on Mt Pierce, White Mountains

Carter Notch Hut Trip in Winter

Seacoast Moms Blog: 3 Secrets for Successful Tent Camping with Babies and Toddlers

For summer,  I decided to share some secrets I've cultivated from three years of camping with babies and toddlers.  As a regular contributor to Seacoast Moms, I shared my thoughts on a summer post HERE.  I'd love to know what you think!  Visit Freelance Adventurer on Instagram and The Freelance Adventurer on Facebook to give me feedback and see day to day adventures in the Seacoast of Maine and New Hampshire... and beyond.

More Ideas

Looking for a place to camp?  Check out a past post of Best Tent Campgrounds in New Hampshire.  Or see what it's like to Rent an RV at a KOA! 

Camping last summer with my 2 year old and 3 month old.

Camping with my son when he was 4 months old

Pickering Ponds Loop - Easy Nature Trail in Rochester, NH

Pickering Ponds is an easy 1.7 mile loop trail located in Gonic, NH. 

Just down the street from me (literally) is a little trail called Pickering Ponds.  I haven't blogged about it before because like so many, I fall into the trap of whatever's further and more exotic, is better.  Not true at all!  This 1.7 mile easy loop trail is perfect for nature lovers, families, and dog walkers.   On a warm sunny day, I popped my 15 month old in a pack and met another momma, Jen, for a pack walk around the ponds and Cocheco river.  We were treated to sunshine, water views, and wildlife including - great blue heron, turtles, and waterfowl.

Here's how to recreate this adventure...

Adventure: Pickering Ponds Loop Trail

Unmarked road to trail head can be tricky to spot.

Getting There:  Pickering Ponds is (not surprisingly) located on Pickering Road in the Gonic area of Rochester, NH.  To get there from Dover, take 6th street toward Rochester.  Once you cross the town line into Rochester the street name changes to Pickering Road.  After you pass England Road (on right) keep a lookout for the pullout on the left.  It is not marked - but is a long paved driveway/road with a chain link fence at the end (see image to the left).  For navigation systems, it is opposite the house at 374 Pickering Road in Gonic.  Park along the "driveway" leading up to the fence. There is a prominent "No Hunting" sign.

Complete trail map available at rochesternh.net

Trail: The trail starts by entering through a large chain linked fence at the end of the driveway.  You will immediately get views of the ponds.  Jen and I started by walking north along Beaver Dam Road (see map).  This takes you along two large ponds.  I'm told they were originally planned as waste management ponds but have never been used for that purpose.  As a result, it's a favorite spot for bird lovers and you'll see many wildlife photographers if you frequent the ponds.

At the end of the ponds, we turned left along the fence and headed down into the Cocheco River Loop Trail.  This portion traverses through hardwood forest along the river.  It continues to be a wide and relatively flat trail.  This trail curves along the river and will eventually bring you back out to the ponds where you started.  Total - the wide loop is about 1.7 miles.

Hikers can easily shorted this adventure by just doing the ponds and skipping the river walk.

Jen and son checking out a turtle

Beautiful birch trees along wide flat trail

Difficulty: Easy

Distance:  1.7 mile loop with options for shorter

Recommendations:

- Spring and early summer this area can get very buggy.  We used bug spray for us and the kids.

- This trail is great for kids because it's easy.  It's also great for parents because it's relatively flat and wide which means, even though it's not paved, I'd say it is "stroller friendly".

- There are no bathroom facilities at the trail.

- Dogs are allowed but should be leashed.

- Parking is free.

- City of Rochester and Rochester Rec manage this property.  The government link to this trail is HERE.

Selfie with the kids at Pickering Ponds

We enjoyed our nature walk with our little ones.  I'll continue to try to focus on some local Seacoast gems in addition to "far away" destinations.

You might also enjoy these similar adventures:

- Hanson Pines Nature Walk in Rochester, NH

- Great Bay Discovery Center in Greenland, NH

- Wiland Pond Nature Walk in Dover, NH

Hanson Pines - A River Walk in Rochester, NH

I first visited Dominicus Hanson Pines Park last summer when my son was taking swimming lessons through the Rochester Rec Department.  I noticed a trailhead in the parking lot, but without knowing anything about the trail, I was tentative to try it with two young children alone.  I reached out to social media to my peers at Hike It Baby Seacoast, but no one responded that they had the tried the trail. I forgot about it...until this spring when I saw a post on social media of a beautiful pedestrian bridge over the Cocheco river and a lovely trail.  Next, I reached out through Facebook to Rochester Rec and they were super accommodating - answering questions about the trail and even offering to hike it with us! I took the kids and discovered it’s a hidden gem of a city park - water views, gentle trail, huge trees, and a loop!  It is now part of our regular rotation of nature walks.

Pedestrian Bride along Hanson Pines Nature Walk

Here’s how to recreate this adventure…

Adventure: Dominicus Hanson Pines Park and Nature Trail

Getting there:  The park and parking lot is located right next to Spaulding High School in Rochester at 4 Yeagley Way.

Trailhead at Hanson Pines

Trail:  The trail is a loop that’s divided by a paved path.  It’s a little misleading since it looks like the trail IS the paved path, but it actually goes around the path.  The unpaved walking trail is a relatively flat, wide trail with a floor of pine needles and leaves. There are some roots and rocks, but it is an easy trail and could be accessible for someone with a jogging stroller.  The trail loop is 0.77 miles round trip. We made it a little longer by incorporating the paved path and making a sort of figure eight shape.

If you start by turning left at the trailhead, you will parallel the Hanson Pines pool and playground.

Trail map.  I highlighted the loop in yellow.
Red marks the paved path/bridge.

Next, it wil curve right down to the river.  There are multiple resting benches along the way. At the river, the trail curves right again and travels parallel to it. You will pass the intersection of the paved path and see the impressive footbridge.  Continue straight. Here, interpretive signs are available using a QR code on your phone. We saw muskrat, turtle, and waterfowl. The large pines were also impressive.

From the river, the trail curves right again and heads into a mixed forest of hardwoods and pines. Soon, you will get glimpses of Spaulding High School through the trees and once more the trail curves, taking you back to the well marked trailhead.

We have now visited this trail multiple times - we saw other families, couples, and dog walkers (leashed) enjoying the trail.  We have also tried it with my son on his balance bike. As a parent, I appreciate the playground as well!

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: 0.77 miles for loop

Recommendations:

• Unless, the Hanson Pines Pool is open, there are no bathrooms at the park
• Dogs are allowed on the trail but should be leashed
• Parking is free
• There are other small trails that weave in and out of the land. I haven't explored these (see map photo).

This is a great little strip of peaceful nature in the heart of an urban center.  It’s perfect for families with small children and/or anyone who’s looking for a short nature walk.

View from the footbridge

Happy hikers

Playground fun during hike

You might also enjoy these similar experiences:

- The Perfect Winter "Hike" with Toddlers 

- Winnie - the - Pooh Trail

- Willand Pond Nature Walk

Seacoast Moms Blog: For my Family-Focused Readers

I've taken on a new writing assignment!  I'm now a monthly contributor to Seacoast Moms Blog.  Although I will write about some things that tie into my lense of outdoor exploration on Freelance Adventurer, I will sometimes share posts here if I think my readers will appreciate it.  

Here is my April Post:  5 Toddler-Friendly Seacoast Nature Walks

And never fear, I'm going to continue to post and write on this blog.  I have a lot of exciting outdoor adventures planned for the spring and summer.  Some involving kids/families and some not!

Please also continue to follow me on Facebook and Instagram.  I appreciate all the support!