The Carlton Covered Bridge is in Swanzey NH. Since I was already heading there for a quick hike up Mt. Caeser, I figured I would take some photos of this bridge while I was here.
The bridge was originally built in 1789 but was reconstructed in 1869 then repaired again in 1976. The bridge spans 67’3” over the Ashuelot River. It is located just of Route 32 on Carlton Road. The bridge was built with a Queenspost Truss for support.
I was glad to visit this bridge in the spring before all the leaves block its views from the side. This bridge is the smallest of the 4 covered bridges in Swanzey. The Carlton Covered bridge is listed at #7 in the NH Covered Bridge Registry.
Carlton Covered Bridge SwanzeyThe inside of the Carlton Covered BridgeCarlton Covered Bridge Queenspost TrussSide view of the Carlton Covered BridgeFoundation of the Carlton Covered Bridge
A train going through the gateway to the notch in Crawford Notch
Date:
5-10-2025
Location:
Crawford Notch, NH
Distance:
8.81 mi
Elevation Gain:
1006′
Total Time:
5 hr 50 min
Parking:
20+ cars
Train chugging through the notch heading for Willard Station.
It was a pretty rainy damp day. I figured I would take a walk to Arethusa Falls to see how the flow was. But I changed my plans after my mother called and said she needed to go get a National Park Pass up in Lincoln.
So, I invited her to to go for a ride with me to check out some waterfalls in Crawford Notch. Our first stop was the White Mountain Visitors Center in Lincoln so she could get her National Park Pass. I need a parking pass for the whites as well. After we finished our business, we continued our ride.
Silver Cascade in Crawford Notch
Silver Cascade in Crawford Notch
It was very cloudy, and the rain was coming down pretty hard when we went through Franconia Notch. So, we didn’t stop and see any of the falls in this area and we kept going north.
When we arrived in Crawford Notch there was still a light rain coming down. As we passed Saco Lake, we could see the train coming slowly through the Gate Way to the Notch. So we pulled over and took a few pics.
Flume Cascade in Crawford Notch
Flume Cascade in Crawford Notch
We then drove thorough the gateway where there are two cascades that were flowing well. We first stopped at Silver Cascade at the bottom of the hill and took a few pics. Then we drove back up to Flume Cascade for a few more pictures.
A buch of slash and cut trees on the way up to the Willard Section house in Crawford Notch
At this point, I wanted to take a quick walk up to the Willard Section House to see if Hattie’s Memorial Garden was in bloom. This is about a 20 minute walk up to the section house. My mom was ok with waiting in the car while I ventured up.
Hattie’s Memorial Garden with Daffodils in bloom.
The path to the section house is steep in some spots and the rocks are slippery when wet. So I took my time and stepped carefully. Toward the top near the tracks there has been a lot of tree cutting and a lot of slash to step around but it is passable.
Some carvings in the stone from the old rail road days.
Once I was up on the tracks I could see the upper section of Silver Cascade out in the distance. I could also see that the daffodils were blooming and the yellow flowers stood out against the gray misty background.
I walked around the site a bit and took some pictures. I also took some pics of the carvings in the stone along the tracks. I didn’t stay to long because my mom was waiting back at the car but it was nice to visit the site and see the garden doing well.
On the way back down I was again careful with my footing. I got back to the car safely and we continued our drive through Crawford Notch.
From here we went across bear notch road toward the Kancamagus Highway. Many of the lookouts on Bear Notch were socked in with clouds so we didn’t stop. Once on the Kanc, we headed east back toward Lincoln.
The stone marker at the Willard Section House Site. Has an image of the section house and the family but the family was scratched out by some Vandal for some reason.
On our way back we stopped at Lincoln Woods and walked across the suspension bridge to stretch our legs. This is always a fun little stop. From here we made one more stop at Mad River Café. This is a favorite stop of mine. They have great coffee and I love their cannoli’s.
View of Silver Cascade from the tracks by the Willard Section House
The sun was starting to come out now that we were heading home but that was fine. I think we both had a good time.
I found myself with the afternoon off from work, so I decided to take a long drive for a short hike up Mt. Ceaser in Swanzy, NH.
When I arrived at the trial head there were already a few cars in the lot. The lot could hold about 6-8 cars if people parked well. It’s tucked away near an old cemetery.
The kiosk at the start of the trail
Once I grabbed my stuff, I set out across the street to the trail head. There is a kiosk showing the many trails on this small mountain. It also mentioned a few things to try and find while hiking. Some of the things noted; An old quarry, Bear Rock, Norm the Gnome and a face carved in a boulder near the summit.
The trail goes right through cemetery.
I started up the trail and noticed that the trail went right through the cemetery. That was kind of cool. It is an older cemetery with some stones dating back to the early 1800’s.
On the other end the trail splits up. I choose to go up the shorter, steeper “Elijah’s Epic Summit Trail” (yellow trail). The trail was moderate in some spots and a little steep in a few areas..
Some old grave stones leaning up against a stone wall
Overall the trail had pretty good footing and a number of small switchbacks made the climb much easier. I was able to spot Bear Rock without any trouble. Just need to look up. There was a fisherman’s hat on the bear held on by some wire. I took a few photos and moved on.
Bear Rock on the way up the yellow trail
Near the summit there are some benches with views, but those views may be gone soon once the leaves all pop. The whole trail up was well maintained. When I reached the summit I was surprised to see there was antenna tower up there. The summit is a large granite slab. There is also another bench to sit on and some nice views to the south.
Summit view to the south on Mt. Caeser
A few yards to the north, there is a very noticeable herd path that leads to a large boulder. On the boulder there is a face that was chiseled into it. The lighting was a little weird, but you can still make it out in the picture.
On the way down, I decided to make a loop on the Tower Trail. This was a bit longer but also not anywhere near as steep. There are a few areas that split off and meet up again. Next time I’ll follow the stone wall section down.
Face carved into a boulder near the summit of Mt. Caeser
I came to junction of Theresa’s Trail and followed it in bit. About a 100 yards in at the junction of the Quarry trail, carved into a tree was Norm the Gnome. I have to say he is quite a site.
Norm the Gnome
I then followed the Quarry trail back down. About have way in the trail there is an old filled in quarry. There are many drill marks from them splitting the granite. This trail ends back at the cemetery where I started.
Some quarried stones along the quarry trail
This was a very interesting hike. Lots to see and look for and some great views too. This was my first hike up Mt. Ceaser but it sure won’t be my last. I really enjoyed this little mountain.
With another weekend of forecasted rain, I decided to salvage a few sunny hours in the morning with a short hike to The Five Finger Point Natural Area. The weather was bright and sunny on the drive up but cloudy once I got to the trail head.
Gotta love a Bacon Road Sign
I also planned to hike East and West Rattlesnake form this trail head if the weather held out. When I got to the trail head there was one other car there. I love the fact that this lot is on Bacon Road. The lot could hold about 6-7 cars if people park politely.
Mossy Stone Walls
The trail is across the street from the lot. There is a kiosk with a map of this area. I started out on the trail. It is pretty level for a little way. There are not any tough or challenging inclines on this trail.
It first goes by a shed and an old barn or workshop. Shortly after that I got to the junction of East and West Rattlesnake trail. I kept on the Five Finger Trail. The trail gradually inclines for a while and dips a little a few times before the last dip down to the lake.
Trees in the woods
Once I got the Five Finger Point Natural Area, there was a sign to start the loop trail. I decided to go counterclockwise. There are a few small lookouts along this trail and I was wishing I brought my fishing pole.
View of Squam Lake and Rattlesnake Mountain
When I got to the first point there was a sign for boaters for Five Finger Point Natural Area. It was a nice clearing with great views of the lake. There was also another cool sign for the natural area, and it noted this was day use only. What made it cool was all the weathering of the sign. The letters were raised because the wood was weathered.
Squam Lake Views
The sun was trying to break through the clouds. I took a few pics before moving on. As I walked around the island there were a lot of really neat rock formations.
As I approached the east side of the trail, there was a small heard path that lead to another great lookout. I think I liked this lookout best because you could see half of the squam range.
Weathered Sign at the point
A short while later I was back at the beginning of the loop. From here I started back the way I came. There were a few more people on the trail coming up from the lot. Shortly after that I started to feel a few rain drops and the clouds were getting darker and I decided I would not be going up the Rattlesnake Mountains.
Squam Lake and view of the Squam Mountain Range
When I got the kiosk the rain really started to come down hard. I felt bad for some of the other hikers. This was a fun little trail. It is worth exploring if you have some time and are around Squam Lake.
After a few reschedules, I was able to meet up my friends Larua and Corey and their dogs for a sunset hike up Kearsarge South. We met up at Winslow State Park. There is plenty of parking at the trail head. When we arrived, there was no fee to enter but if you go during the day, there might be a charge.
Climbing up the trail.
Once we all got situated, we started up the Winslow trail. This is a short direct trail that goes up to the summit. It is only 1.1 miles long, but you climb over 1000’ feet in elevation. We kept a slow but steady pace going up.
Soon we got to the halfway rock on the trail. We deiced to take a few pics. We also noticed several small trail reroutes going up.
Summit at the half way point
We kept climbing and got to the first viewpoint on the trail. There were some clouds off in the distance that looked a little dark, but the sun was out for now. So we took a few more pictures and continued up the rest of the trail. From here to the summit the elevation levels off a bit and there are a lot more granite slabs to climb.
Almost to the summit
At the summit there were a few other people up there for the sunset. We found a spot to take out packs off and have a snack. We took a few pictures. The temperature started to drop and there was a breeze, so I was glad I had my jacket with me.
The summit of Kearsarge
I also had to fix my headlamp before the walk down. Fortunately, I had a fresh set of batteries in my first aid kit. After the sun went behind the clouds we started to make our way down. This time down the Barlow Trail.
Views of the White Mountains to the north.
This trail is a bit longer but more gradual going down. It also offers some beautiful views on the way down. It is nice to see the glowing lights from the houses below. Once we got back into the trees, I needed to take my jacket off again.
walking down at night
We continued down taking a break here and there when there was an opening with a view. Soon we were down to the lower level of the mountain and trail was fully in the woods. After a bit more hiking we made it to a small foot bridge across a stream. From here I knew we were close to the lot. After another 10 min we were back at the cars.
This hike will always be one of my favorite sunset hikes.
We had some nice weather for a change, so I decided to do a little Sunday morning hike around the Plumb Memorial Forest.
When I arrived at the trail head, located off of Chestnut Hill Road in Amherst the lot was empty. It is not very big but can hold 4 cars if people park politely.
Lots of beautiful stonewalls along the trails
The trail starts off alongside a private residence before entering the woods. This first section is the Plumb Trail. When I arrived at the first junction, I decided I would do my loop counterclockwise and took the P-H-T Trail.
This trail is a nice rolling trail that has a few benches to sit on and some beautiful moss-covered stone walls. When I came to the next junction I continued my loop down the Highland Traill.
Large Boulders
The Highland Trail meanders south and has a number of interesting fallen trees along the trail. There is a bench if you want to take a break and listen to nature. There are also some cool rock formations to hike through along the rolling hills of this trail.
The Highland Trail meets up again with the Plumb trail. I followed it for a short way until I reached the Bobtail Loop that is part of the Joe English Reserve.
Groovy roots
The Bobtail Loop had a lot of stone walls along the trail. There was also a large pile of rocks with a small cairn on the top and some trees that look like they were placed there (not fallen). I’ll have to look into the significance of this land.
I again did this small loop counterclockwise. Toward the beginning of the trail I walked along a small ridge before dropping a bit down in elevation. There are some bridges and cool root and rock formations along this trail.
A rock with a strange inscription on it I can’t make out what it says?
There was one small stone worth noting that I saw. It was a small square stone covered with lichen. It was sitting up straight and seemed to have something carved in it. I couldn’t make out if it was a name or number. I suppose it could be a boundary marker of some sort. I took some photos at different angles so I could try and identify the markings.
A large oak tree along the stone wall
Once I made it back to the Plumb Trail, I continued north toward the lot. This section of trail is a lot more direct than the meandering trails that I started out on. This section of trail also had some interesting cairns along it. I’m not sure if they are borders, or if they were where stone walls once were? Some of them even had some chambers in the cairns.
Unusual cairn along the trail
Toward the end of the Plumb Trail, I found myself back at the first trail junction. From here I walked a short distance to the parking lot. Overall, this was a pretty interesting hike. There was not much elevation, but it was beautiful walk in the woods.
