Cathedral Ledge – North Conway, NH

Cathedral Ledge

I recently attended a quarterly meeting for the New Hampshire Land Surveyors Association, which was held at the Attitash Grand Summit Hotel.

I was not looking forward to the long ride from the Seacoast to Attitash along Route 16.  Luckily the meeting was short and I was able to start the drive home before it got dark. 

It was a gorgeous “fall” day and I was by-passing downtown North Conway and Conway by taking the scenic West Side Road. When I saw the sign for Cathedral Ledge I decided to take a detour and drive to the top. 

Cathedral Ledge is a very short distance, less than 2 miles, from Route 16 in North Conway, and has a summit road that meanders up to the top.  As you start your drive, you may be lucky to see rock climbers gathering their gear. This is a very popular cliff to climb, but no thanks…I will drive around.

Once at the top there is a short (5 minutes at most) hike to the cliff. There is a chain link fence that keeps people and kids from getting too close, but you can still get a good view at the steep cliff.

I remember every visit that I have taken to the top – from when I was a child on a family trip, to weekend getaways with my wife (then fiancée), to taking our oldest son on his first visit. Every time it is absolutely beautiful, and this time was no exception. I just wished my family was with me. 

This is a great side trip and does not take a lot of time. Once you come down from the ledge, drive into North Conway Village and get an ice cream or coffee and stroll through the town.

Exploring the Gonic Trails along the Isinglass River in Rochester, NH

Recently, we learned about the Gonic Trails at Mount Isinglass Recreational Area in Rochester, NH. This facility is located a short distance from Route 125 in Gonic; a village of Rochester. The facility is part of the Waste Management Turnkey Recycling & Environmental Enterprises.

On our first visit, we stopped at the nature trails. The trail head has ample parking. There are three trails from this parking lot, Watson’s Way, a 1.4 mile loop, Locke’s Local Loop, a 1.3 mile loop and Luanne’s Lane, a 3.5 mile one way trail. There was a mailbox for trail maps, but there were no maps when we were there.

We took the trail for Locke Falls on the Isinglass River. The beginning part of the trail was very nice. The trail was fairly wide and easy as it winded along a slight rolling terrain. The trails are well marked with different color paint for each trail.  As we approached the river, we saw old granite abutments for the former Worcester, Nashua and Rochester Railroad. Once we reached the river we could see people fishing and wading in the currents.

We continued on, took a right and followed the trail, which quickly narrowed. There were portions of the trail that had debris, which at times made it difficult to walk. I am not sure if the debris was remnants from this past winter’s ice storm.

Open year-round, the recreational park is used for hiking, biking, fishing, swimming, and picnicking in the summer and ice skating, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing in the winter. Dogs are also allowed.

Directions to the trailhead:
From Rochester, follow Route 125 south to Rochester Neck Road. Take a left onto Rochester Neck Road. The trails are 1/2 mile up on the right. Follow this link to Google Maps for Directions.

This is the trail map displayed at the parking lot. If I am able to get a better image, then I will post it.

Kids can earn a patch by visiting fire lookout towers

Visit 5 NH fire lookout towers and earn this patch

I came across this activity on the NH Division of Forest and Lands (NHDFL)website. NHDFL offers a patch to kids and adults who visit five NH fire lookout towers through an initiative called the Fire Lookout Tower Quest program.

The mission of the program is to increase the public’s recognition of, and appreciation for, the critical roles that the state’s fire towers play in the protection, stewardship and sustainable use of New Hampshire’s forests.

Select five of the 15 fire tower locations found at this link and plan your hike.  Make sure that you are properly equipped and prepared physically before attempting your hike.

Document the date of your visit on the visitor register found at this link.  Once you have visited five different fire towers simply fill out the request form found at this link and mail it to “Tower Quest Program” at the address that is listed. 

In a few weeks you will receive your complimentary Tower Quest patch, certificate, and a letter in recognition of your accomplishment.