Bartell - Balanced Rock - Sanborn Loop
The Bartell - Balanced Rock - Sanborn Loop at Palmer-Bartell Forest in Brookline, New Hampshire is an easy 2.1-mile loop hike that follows several trails and features a peaceful walk in the woods along with opportunities to find wildflowers during warm months.Trail names: Bartell Trail, Upper Bartell Trail, Balanced Rock Trail, Drop off Trail, Blue Trail, Sanborn Trail
Location: Palmer-Bartell Forest, 326 Route 13, Brookline NH
Permitted uses: Walking, Running, Hiking, Snowshoeing, X-Country Skiing, Horseback riding, Biking, Class 1 & 2 Electric bicycles (defined as having a motor less than 750 watts that ceases to provide assistance above 20mph, Snowmobiling in accordance with state regulations, Hunting, Trapping, and Fishing in accordance with state regulations.
Prohibited uses: Off Highway Recreational vehicles are not allowed. Firearm and archery target shooting are not allowed. Alcohol is not allowed. Hunting and trapping are not allowed on the Talbot-Taylor Wildlife Sanctuary or the Palmer Wildlife Preserve. Tree cutting and vegetation harvesting are prohibited. Trail bikes and all-terrain vehicles are prohibited.
Hours: No hours are posted at the kiosk and there is no official closed season.
Fees and Parking: There is no fee to park or access the trails. There is ample parking in the lot.
Pets: Dogs on a leash are allowed. Please leave no trace, which means do not leave bagged dog waste along the trail.
Accessibility: The trails are not wheelchair accessible.
Sanitation: There are no trash bins. Please carry out whatever you pack in. There are no restrooms.
Length and Trail information: There is an information Kiosk at the beginning of the trail. There is a trail map posted, but none printed to take along. Instead of paper maps, hikers are encouraged to use one of the three QR codes that provide trail information. A downloadable PDF map can also be found by going to the Brooklinenh.gov website. This hike was done as a loop and was 2.1 miles. The difficulty is easy to slightly moderate in limited sections. There is minor changes in elevation. The Bartell Trail is very well marked and maintained. It was a pleasure not to see trash or dog waste bags along the trail. The Bartell Trail has a red blaze, is very wide with a gravel base and no trip hazards. The Upper Bartell Trail starts shortly after crossing over the Brookline Rail trail and has a similar substrate and also has a red blaze. There was some elevation and a bit of washout along the trail, but neither was an issue or lasted very long. There was an abundance of flora to observe in bloom. We were able to see blooming: Lady Slippers, Low bush blueberries, Canada Mayflower, Northern Starflower, Dwarf Cinquefoil, Azure Bluets and Solomon's Plume. If you enjoy birding, this is an awesome trail to visit. We were also thrilled to be able to listen to several different birds singing in the forest. During this hike we were able to hear the following birds: Northern Cardinal, Veery, Ovenbird, Eastern Towhee, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Red-eyed Vireo, Mourning Dove, Pine Warbler, American Goldfinch, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Warbling Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo and an American Robin. From Upper Bartell Trail we hiked along Balanced Rock Trail which is blazed in yellow. This trail has a more narrow trail and has roots that could be a trip hazard. There is supposed to be a balancing rock on this trail, however, we did not see it on the portion of the trail we hiked. From Balanced Rock trail, we hiked on Drop off Trail, which is rated as difficult, but only due to one rocky outcropping that hikers need to get down (or up, depending on direction). This trail is blazed in Red and is narrow and does have a steep rocky drop off. The drop off area is easy to get down if hikers just take their time and go slowly down the rocky drop. From that trail we made our way to the Blue Trail which is blazed by a blue marker. This trail ran beside an awesome old, very long, stone wall that was constructed with flat stones. Rock walls are common in this part of the country, but are usually made with round stones found in the field that was being cleared. The stones in this wall are unusually flat, and the length and skill of this wall is quite impressive. There was a small stream to cross, but there was no rushing water at this time of year, and the rocks used to cross were not slippery. Hikers just need to use caution when crossing. From the Blue trail we traveled a very short while on the Sanborn Trail, blazed in yellow before joining up with the Upper Bartell Trail to close the loop and start our return. This was a lovely short hike with lots of interesting flora and birds. Although the trails are off of a very busy road, very little traffic noise can be heard during the hike. Keep in mind, this is a multi-use area and hunting is allowed, so make sure to wear appropriate clothing throughout the hunting season. All in all a very nice, easy hike with interesting flora and lots of birds.
