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Pawtuckaway Fire Tower and Round Pond

Date:	10-19-2025
Location:	Deerfield, NH
Distance:	3.32 mi
Elevation Gain:	558′
Total Time:	2 hr 41 min
Parking:	5+ cars

A quick trip up to Pawtuckaway Fire Tower. This was a really nice drive into the park through Deerfield side on Reservation Road. Then going further into the park. We got to the Fire Tower trail head parking lot about mid-morning.

Weather was perfect. Six of us and Liberty headed up the Fire Tower Trial. This trail is steep in some areas, but it is not too long. When we got to the summit the fire tower was open. Recent drought has had the fire towers operating more frequently. The ranger gave a brief demonstration of how they locate where a potential fire is and who they need to notify.

After I climbed down, we continued hiking toward Round Pond. This is the lowest point in the park. Our intention was to go into the Boulder Fields trail, but time was not going to allow it. So we took the bypass back up to the parking lot.

Some fall colors from the top of south mountain.

This was a steeper and less interesting trail, but it did cut off a bunch of time. The boulder fields will have to wait for another day.

Our route to the fire tower and Round Pond

Nubble Lighthouse – York, ME

Lighthouses, Roadside Attractions and Oddities

Date:	11-16-2025
Location:	York, ME
Cost:	$0
Parking:	10+ cars

Port Head Lighthouse – Portland, ME

Lighthouses, Roadside Attractions and Oddities

Date:	10-16-2025
Location:	Portland, ME
Parking:	20+ cars

Maine is known for many light houses, but the Port Head Lighthouse is undoubtably the most visited and most photographed. I know many people will argue this point, but I said what I said.

Distance view of the Port Head Lighthouse

When we pulled up there is a massive parking lot and room for bus parking for people coming to visit this iconic light house. We were with some family from Colorado this seemed like a good sight-seeing spot to start with.

We were lucky enough to be there on the last day the museum and gift shop was open. Ther is a lot of cool interesting history in the museum. Worth going inside.

Stoddard to Harrisville on the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway

Graves, Graveyards and Memorials, Hiking

Date:	10-11-2025
Location:	Stoddard/Harrisville, NH
Distance:	6.88 mi
Elevation Gain:	659′
Total Time:	4 hr 20 min
Parking:	20+ cars

After some coordination my buddy Jack Straw from Wichita and I set out to hike a section of the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway. We would start on Route 9 in Stoddard and hike south to Route 138 in Harrisville where our buddy Eric would pick us up and bring us back to the car.

The sky was cloudy, and we had a good chance of rain at any moment. Much of this route is road walking but the first part was a wooded trail. It was wide enough for an ATV to travel. The trail followed stonewalls all the way up.

Coffee, some old relics and an old foundation

Just about the height of land we came to the first of many old foundations. This one was a cabin footprint of a Revolutionary war veteran. This seemed like a good spot for a cup of coffee.

Beaver Dam just above a wooden walking bridge

We continued past a pond, beaver dam and crossed a wood foot bridge. We came upon another old foundation and saw a few artifacts. Shortly after we entered the town of Nelson, NH. We met a few residents near the church, and they welcomed us in for some snacks and water. We chatted for moment before continuing on.

Another foundation with some old relics and an old shoe

The Nelson town center is cute. A couple of public buildings, library, church and a group of mailboxes. The trail took us up the hill on the other side of the common and up to the Nelson Cemetery.

Good people must live here. Kindness is everything

After the cemetery we continued down the road and turned onto a class 6 road. Not to far in we came upon another foundation. I love that these old foundations are still intact. A ways in we saw a sign with a big peace sign on it. That was pretty cool. We came out at the end of Silver Lake and went down another dirt road that took us by Seavers Reservoir.

Here we took a side excursion to get some foliage pictures before continuing down the road. Shortly after we reached Chesham Road where we were going to meet our friend. We were a bit early but he already in route and just a few minutes away.

Our route from Stoddard to Harrisville, NH

West Ridge Trail Up Cardigan

52 With A View, Fire Tower, Hiking

Cardigan fire tower with the moon to the left

Date:	10-11-2025
Location:	Orange, NH
Distance:	3.10 mi
Elevation Gain:	1150′
Total Time:	3 hr 35 min
Parking:	20+ cars

The decision was made to hike up Mt. Cardigan on the Saturday of Columbus Day Weekend. So we knew we had to get to the West Ridge trail head early.

Sitting on some of the slabs near the summit.

I arrived just before 8am and the lot was about three quarters full. Some friends arrived shortly after me and some other shortly after that.

We were a group of 6 with 4 adults and 2 kids. When we started up it was chilly. Everyone had hats and gloves on. We took the direct route up the direct route up to the top. As we climbed a few people passed us but it was mostly a relaxing hike and a good slow and steady pace.

When we got to the slabs we separated a little but the skys were clear and blue and there were pictures to be taken.

Once we were at the summit we had a snack. More pictures and a little walking around the fire tower. The kids seemed to be having a blast. We also talked with some people who just came up the Holt trail. That is one of New Hampshires most challenging trail due to steep slabs on the way up. I’ve done it once but not doing that again. They seemed to have the same opinion.

View of Mt. Firescrew in the foreground and the White Mountains behind it

On the way down we chose to do return the same way we went up. As we went down there were lines of people making their way up. I can only imagine how crowed the summit would be after we left.

Once we arrived at the parking lot there were cars everywhere. The lot was literally busting at the seams. Wile driving out cars lined both sides of the narrow dirt road for more than a half mile. But that’s what you get on a holiday weekend. That’s why we got there early.

Quick Autumn Morning Hike Up Mt. Willard

52 With A View, Hiking

Looking through Crawford Notch from Mt. Willard

Date:	10-6-2025
Location:	Crawford notch, NH
Distance:	3.22 mi
Elevation Gain:	878′
Total Time:	1 hr 57 min
Parking:	20+ cars

It was going to be a beautiful Monday morning, and I had the day off, so I set out for a quick hike up Mt. Willard in Crawford Notch hoping to catch a little foliage up there.

On the drive up the colors were hit and miss, and it seemed a lot of leaves had already dropped. When I arrived at the trail head there were already a number of cars there. It was busy for a Monday Morning. It was chilly too. Temps were in the low 50’s.

The leaves all mulched up from all the hikers the weekend before

The walk up was slow and steady. Many leaves had fallen and the ones that fell on the trail were noticeably chewed up and mulched from the past weekend’s hikers. When I arrived at Centennial Falls, I was surprised to see water in it with the drought we have been having in the northeast.

I continued up the trail and only ran into a few people here and there. Once at the top the sun was shining and there were only about 8 other people. As I took some pictures more people were arriving.

The old Wily Station House foundation. Hattie Evens used to live in this house.

So I wandered up along the edge of the cliff for a different angle. I never get tired of the view of Crawford Notch from Mt. Willard. I was also able to get a picture of the Willard Station House foundation down below. There is also a beautiful trestle over the Wily Brook next to the station house.

The trestle that goes over the Wily Bridge

I could hear more people arriving at the summit, so I did not stay too long. On the way back down there was a steady stream of people heading up the mountain. I am glad I got to the trail head when I did. Lots of leaf peepers, with selfie sticks and tourist with al kinds of media equipment. All this on a Monday morning.

After I got back to the car headed home and took a trip up Zealand Road. The leaves seemed more colorful there then in Crawford Notch.

The trail route leading up to Mt. Willard

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