Loverens Trail at Loverens Mill Cedar Swamp Nature Preserve in Antrim, New Hampshire is an easy 3.2-mile out-and-back/loop combination trail (lollipop) that features a rare Atlantic
White Cedar Swamp.
Trail Name: Loverens Trail.
Location: Loverens Mill Road, Loverens Mill Cedar Swamp Nature Preserve, Antrim NH.
Allowed activities: foot travel only, hiking, birding, geocaching, picnicking, nature study, hunting in designated areas only, snowmobiling in designated areas only
Forbidden activities: no dogs, no fires, no camping, no removal or destruction of plants or minerals, no vehicles, no biking, no horses, no littering.
Hours: Trails are available during daylight hours year round.
Parking and fees: There is limited parking at trailhead. There are no fees to park or use trails.
Pets: Dogs are NOT permitted in this preserve.
Accessibility: This sanctuary area is not accessible for wheelchairs or strollers.
Sanitation: There are no rest rooms or trash bins at the trailhead or along the trail. Please carry out all waste.
Trail information: There is a trailhead kiosk at the parking area with information about the trail system and there is a posted trail map. The trail blaze markers for the Loverens Trail is a Yellow and Green Diamond with a Green Oak leaf in the center of a yellow arrow, the word “ TRAIL” is on two edges of the blaze marker.
There were no maps to take along at the time of our visit so hikers may want to print a map before heading out. A map can be downloaded by following the link below and printing page 2 of the pdf:
https://www.nature.org/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/documents/loverens-mill-map-guide-for-web.pdf
Length and features: This trip was an easy 3.2 mile hike, done as a loop. The path to Loverens Trail begins up the road from the parking area, roughly 300 feet on the left hand side of the road, just before the road changes from paved to dirt. There is a large sign marking the entrance and a gate that is closed to keep vehicles from entering. The path starts out narrow and rocky, flanked by brush and small trees and opens out to a gravel road once used to access the Mill.
The North Branch of the Contoocook River runs parallel to the path on the left side and hikers are close enough to the river to hear the sound of the rushing water and take in the beautiful views of the water cascading over the river rocks. About a quarter mile in from the gate and off to the left side of the trail hikers will be able to see the place where the saw and grist mill originally built by Samuel Dinsmore in 1798 once stood. Mr. Dinsmore was a Revolutionary War veteran who was from Antrim Ireland. Over the years, the mill had several owners including the preserves namesake, Josiah Loveren who bought the mill in 1864 and rebuilt it and expanded the mill to manufacture timbers, shingles and siding, much of which had been used in building in the town of Antrim.
The Loverens Trail begins 0.37 miles from the start of the track, just a short distance from the old Mill site and is off to the right of the road. There is a sign marking the entrance and the trail narrows back to a single foot path. Just after entering this section of the trail, hikers will find a small closeable wooden kiosk which when opened up will provide information about the Preserve as well as a log to sign if you wish to record your visit.
There are two places along the Loverens Trail where hikers can see huge glacial erratic boulders. They are not too far off of the main trail and are fun to explore. Another highlight of the hike is to hunt for the geocaches that are hidden here.
The trail winds its way through the forest toward the Cedar swamp where hikers will find a marker directing them to the “Cedar View” off to the right of the trail. This is a very special place: an Atlantic White Cedar Swamp; rare in the State of New Hampshire. The Cedar swamp here is about 50 acres in size and according to the Nature Conservancy website “comprise only 1% of the States wetland”… “The Loverens Mills Cedar Swamp is the second largest and considered the highest quality boreal cedar swamp in New Hampshire. Pollen studies have revealed that Atlantic white cedar has been present for more than 4,000 years in this remarkable place.”
Here a boardwalk has been installed allowing hikers to enter 200 feet into the midst of the Cedar swamp and get a close up look at the trees and other flora growing in this eco system. Use caution on the boardwalk as some boards are damaged. Please do not venture off of the boardwalk as this is a fragile ecosystem and walking off of the boardwalk can damage this special place.
About a third of a mile from the Cedar Swamp, the Loverens Trail will split and hikers can begin the loop part of the hike by going either to the right or left. We chose to keep to the right and head for the next highlight off of Loverens trail called "Lookout Point". Once reaching the marker for “Lookout point" hikers just need to follow the trail markers. This is a short easy hike on a narrow foot path that brings hikers into a marsh area with panoramic views of the hills in the distance and creek area, very pretty if hiking during the height of leaf peeping season.
After taking in the tranquility and views at “Lookout Point”, hikers will want to retrace their steps and head back to the Loverens Trail and continuing the trail along the river. There are many photo opportunities along this hike, especially in the areas that bring hikers close to the water. The trail veers away from the river and back into the forest where the loop hike will close and hikers will exit the trail back along to the small wooden kiosk and then to the old saw mill road along the river.
Loverens Cedar Swamp Preserve is truly a special place with interesting and differing habitats to be enjoyed. The Preserve offers hikers a chance to hike through a mixed forest to the Special Atlantic Cedar swamp, explore glacial erratic’s, hunt for geocaches or just enjoying the rush of the river that was so important to the growth of this area.
