Litchfield State Forest Trail
Trail name(s): Litchfield State Forest Trail
Location: Albuquerque Avenue, Litchfield State Forest, Litchfield NH
Permitted uses: Hiking, Nature Study,Birding,Trail Running,Snowshoeing, Horseback Riding in accordance with restrictions, Mountain Biking, Cross Country Skiing, Hunting in accordance with all Local and State laws. Metal detecting and digging in accordance with restrictions and obtained permission.
Prohibited uses: No camping, No Fires, No ATV or trail bikes, no snowmobiles, no target shooting
Hours: There are no posted hours at the trailhead. The forest is open year round.
Fees and Parking: There is no fee to park or use the trails. There is ample parking but visitors are asked NOT to park in front of the gate at the trailhead.
Pets: Pets are allowed on a leash or under voice control of their handlers. Owners must clean up after their pets and remove waste from the premises.
Accessibility: This trail is not wheelchair accessible.
Hiker amenities: There is an information kiosk at the trailhead with a posted trail map and rules pertaining to the use of the trail system. There is a QR code at the kiosk so that visitors can scan it to obtain an online interactive map. There are no restrooms and there are no trash bins. Please carry out any trash.
Length and Trail information: We hiked this trail with about 15 friends on Thanksgiving Day. Our goal for this hike was to get some fresh air and some physical activity before we all enjoyed our Friendsgiving Feast. Our group was made up of folks with varying ages and different levels of physical fitness, so this easy hike was suitable for all participants. We hiked this trail as an “out and back” hike and the length of our hike was approximately 2 miles round trip.
There were no trail markers or trail blazes along this trail, but the trail is well traveled and is fairly obvious.The only blazes that were seen were red markers that showed the boundary of the trail.
This popular trail is part of some 3,200 acres of Conservation Land. The Litchfield State Forest affords visitors access to the Litchfield Town Lands and the Musquash Conservation Area where there are many more trails for hikers to explore. This forest is described as a mix of dense forest with wetland corridors and an open understory that is able to support a variety of plants and animals. This area was also part of Native peoples hunting grounds and it is reported that Black Bear, Moose and White Tailed Deer all inhabit this ecosystem. Because of its size and the variety of habitats within this Forest, this area is reported to be a hotspot for birding. If you happen to enjoy Birding, this might be a forest to put on your list to visit. During our hike we shared the trail with Equestrians, Mountain Bikers, Dog walkers and a few other hikers. This trail has very little elevation gain, in fact it is almost non-existent. The trail substrate for the most part is sandy, flat and narrow but it is wide enough to allow for two hikers to walk side by side. There is very little in the way of trip hazards with any stones in the trail being relatively small and flat. Sadly at this time of year (late fall), there is not much blooming. We only saw a couple of mushrooms here and there.
I'm not sure if I would go out of my way to hike this particular trail again, but it did help us accomplish our modest goal of being in nature and getting some physical activity in. If you happen to be in the area and are looking for an easy, short hike, then this would be ideal, especially if you happen to be with a large group of friends with varying hiking skills. This would however, be a great starting point to access some of the other trails that are longer and appear to have more variety to the hike.
