Trip/Event Location: Moultonborough, NHUS
Trip Leader(s): Gandalf
Max # People: 15
Trip Guiding / Event Fee: Yes, but I'm not running this; I'm looking for other members to join me
Difficulty Level: Easy
If you are looking for a mellow hike that leads to a viewpoint that provides a broad vista over the Castle in the Clouds to Lake Winnipesaukee and beyond combined with spectacular waterfalls,
From South and West and I-93: Follow I-93 to Exit 23, then take Rt. 104 east towards Meredith. At end of Rt. 104, turn left (North) on Rte 3. In 1/2 mile, at lights, turn right (East) onto Rt. 25 and follow into Moultonborough. Turn right onto Rt. 109 South, go 2 miles, then bear left onto Rt. 171. Look for the Ossipee Park Road which is approx. 1 mile on left. If you've reached the Castle in the Clouds entrance you've gone too far. Read Ossipee Park Road Directions further below. From the South: (Portsmouth, Rochester) and I-95: Take Rt. 16 north. Turn left onto Rt. 171 in Ossipee. Continue on Rt. 171 for approx. 16 miles. Ossipee Park Road will be on your right about 1 miles past the Castle in the Clouds entrance. Read Ossipee Park Road Directions further below. From the North: Take Rte 16 south to Rt. 25 West in West Ossipee. Turn right onto Rt. 25 West and continue for approx. 10 miles. In Moultonboro, turn left (South) onto Rt. 109 south, go 2 miles, then bear left onto Rt. 171. Look for the Ossipee Park Road which is approx. 1 mile on left. If you've reached the Castle in the Clouds entrance you've gone too far. Read Ossipee Park Road Directions further below. Ossipee Park Road Directions: Drive up Ossipee Park Road to the hiker parking area on the right just outside the back gate of the Castle grounds. We will be driving a blue Toyota FJ Cruiser.
It was partly cloudy, hazy and temperatures very warm for this time of year; at around 80. It started to cloud up a bit as we were heading back toward our vehicles near the end of our hike. Thunderstorms were forecasted for later in the day.
The hike itself started at the back gate entrance to Castle in the Clouds at the upper end of Ossipee Park Road. At Shannon Pond we noticed the 'no fishing' sign but you can feed the stocked giant rainbow trout.
From the pond we took the Oak Ridge trail, walking slightly upwards. This trail is a gravel carriage road and was marked with blue blazes. The highlight was the viewpoint that provided a broad vista over the Castle to Lake Winnipesaukee and beyond.
It was a bit confusing understanding the trail network after this in order to get to the Brook Walk. I think we somehow landed on the Shannon Brook Trail and took this spur path that led us to the Brook Walk Trail after crossing a footbridge. This trail was clearly marked with white blazes. We followed the brook on its east side hiking downstream. We took our time as we walked along the brook and saw the waterfalls and cascades, and we enjoyed the sound of the flowing water. We headed back up the way we came following it until we reached Shannon Pond where we started.
The next two GetFit Hikes will also be on this property so we'll get to explore other trails in future outings. Hiking the two trails took us about 1 3/4 hours. It was not a strenuous hike and the views were excellent!
Outdoor Fitness Level: Easy to Moderate
Outdoor Fitness Level: Moderate
Outdoor Fitness Level: Moderate to Strenuous
