Joe English Ledge Loop Hike

Located in Amherst, New Hampshire sits the Joe English Reservation where hikers will find a series of trails that wind in and around the hills that surround the scenic Joe English Brook.

This short and easy 1.5-mile loop hike leads through the conservation area, passing scenic brook views including the pond-like views of Joe English Brook.

Trails

This hike follows several trails: Hammond Brook Trail (blue blazes), Timber Trail (red blazes), Old Brook Road, Ledge Trail (red blazes - no biking), Highland Trail (blue blazes), Pine Trail (yellow blazes).

Hiking the Ledges Loop

This hike begins at the main trailhead located at the end of Brook Road in Amherst, New Hampshire at the parking coordinates: 42.917949, -71.618247. Taking the Hammond Brook Trail leads westward from the trailhead map kiosk for 0.1 miles before reaching a scenic junction with the Hemlock Trail along Hammond Brook. Hikers will find a small footbridge that spans Hammond Brook where it flows past moss-covered rocks under eastern hemlock trees. The hike then leads north (right-hand turn) and runs alongside Hammond Brook, passing a couple of scenic but short cascades before reaching the Timber Trail (red blazes) near mile 0.4.

Take a right-hand turn along the Timber Trail and follow the red blazes to reach the Old Brook Road around mile 0.8. Taking a right-hand turn along Old Brook Road leads to a glacial boulder and info kiosk to learn more about the glacial erratics and boulders. Just behind the glacial boulders info sign sits the Ledge Trail (red blazes) which leads out to scenic views of Joe English Brook.

Brook Views - Mile 0.9 to 1

After following the Ledge Trail for a short distance, hikers will reach the southern shoreline of the constantly changing flood plains of Joe English Brook. Depending on the season you'll find a pond-like view or a marsh-like view of Joe English Brook. During late spring, we even found Painted Trillium wildflowers growing in the brush. Following the Ledge Trail a bit further, you'll cross along a footbridge with another scenic view before reaching the eastern side of the brook. Here, you'll have one last view of the pond-like Joe English Brook before continuing down the trail.

Hiking the Ledge Trail - Mile 1 to 1.28

From the last scenic views of Joe English Brook near mile 1, the Ledge Trail heads further into the forest as it ascends toward, what you feel like, should be ledges... as you follow the red blazes, you might ask "where are the ledges?" until eventually you hike a bit further uphill to reach the top of a bluff that feels like it should present ledges, at the very least near the bottom of your boots. Then at mile 1.25, you'll reach a dead-end along the trail (before the turn) where you'll notice that you are in fact standing along bedrock sloped ledges that sit higher than Joe English Brook. Just before the dead-end, the Ledge Trail ends at the intersection with the Highland Trail (blue blazes).

Highland Trail / Pine Trail / Pond & Parking - Mile 1.28 to 1.5

Taking a right-hand turn along the Highland Trail leads you back downhill toward the Pine Trail where you'll make a left-hand turn following its yellow blazes as it leads through a mixed deciduous and eastern hemlock forest. Just before the end of the Pine Trail, you'll cross another brook via a footbridge that spans its banks. Follow the trail as it leads alongside a small pond with small fish and scenic reflective views before reaching the parking lot at mile 1.5.

Parking

Hikers will find a small parking lot at the end of Brook Road in Amherst, New Hampshire at the parking coordinates: 42.917949, -71.618247. As of May 2026, the lot is large enough to fit less than 12 vehicles.

Pets

Dogs are allowed if leashed and should be cleaned up after.

In Search of Dean Potter's Ledges

We decided to explore the Joe English Reservation a bit on a whim and coincidence as a stop along a long drive. Noteably, the area has been mapped meticulously (with amazing routes and trail guides) on MyHikes by 2Adamswalking, so I'd personally felt like a stop-over nearby would be worth while. Additionally, I'd watched HBO's The Dark Wizard docuseries about the legendary climber, BASE jumper, inventor of FreeBASE, and wingsuit flier Dean Potter just a day earlier.

Without paying too much fine detail to the story about his early years, I remembered that he used to climb around the Joe English Reservation as a teen. So I mistakenly assumed that you could find his ledges along the Ledge Trail. According to the doc, his ledges sat outside the reservation's boundaries in an off-limit zone near an Air Force base. Can't recommend trespassing to find the ledges.

I'd like to think that maybe he saw the brook views from time to time to/from the crags. We found 0 ravens. Regardless, the brook views, the wildflowers, and fun time out in a new place was worth the quick detour and for me, this hike is really celebrating two legends of the area: 2Adamswalking and Dean Potter.