The Mill
Pond Trail and Goodhue Hill Trail at the dePierredeu-Willard Pond Sanctuary in Antrim, New Hampshire is an easy 2.2-mile lollipop hike (loop and out-and-back combination) that leads to the summit of Goodue Hill and features beautiful vistas of the surrounding mountains.
Trail Name: Mill Pond Trail and Goodhue Hill Trail
Location: dePierrefeu-Willard Pond Sanctuary, Willard Pond Road, Antrim NH
Allowed activities: foot travel only, hiking, birding, picnicking, nature study, kayaking, canoeing
Forbidden activities: no fires, no smoking, no camping, no vehicles, no biking, no horses, no hunting, no firearms, no littering, no disturbing or removing plants or animals, no fishing, no trapping, no swimming.
Hours: Trails are available during daylight hours year round.
Parking and fees: There is ample parking at trailhead. There are no fees to park or use trails.
Pets: Dogs are not permitted on these two trails.
Accessibility: Neither the Mill Pond Trail or Goodhue Hill Trail are wheelchair accessible or stroller friendly
Sanitation: There is no longer a port-a-potty at the parking area. This may be temporary due to the Covid-19 pandemic, or it could possibly be that it is only installed in warmer seasons. There are no trash bins at the parking trail head or along the trail. Please carry out all waste.
Trail information: There is a trailhead kiosk at the parking area with information about each trail and a posted trail map. The trail blaze markers for the Tudor trail are yellow. There are no maps to take along so hikers may want to print a map before heading out. A map can be downloaded by following the link below:
http://www.nhaudubon.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/WillardPondsmaller.pdf
Length and features: The Mill Pond Trail has yellow trail blaze markers and is an easy hike done as a “loop”. The Goodhue Hill Trail has red trail blaze markers, is an “out and back” hike, that has some inclines, but for the most part is an easy hike. For our hike we combined the two trails: We hiked in on the Mill Pond trail until it intersected the Goodhue Hill Trail then we hiked the Goodhue Hill Trail out and back, finishing up the rest of the Mill Pond Trail to close the loop, creating a sort of hybrid “lollipop” shaped hike that was roughly 2.2 miles long. Mill Pond Trail begins along a rocky footpath leading through the mixed forest and to Mill Pond. Along the trail we were happy to see many different types of flora blooming: High bush blueberries, Sarsaparilla, Canada Mayflower, Indian Cucumber, several different types of ferns and large groupings of Pink Lady Slippers. The trail skirts along the edges of the Hatch Mill Pond and offering hikers glimpses here and there of this pretty little pond. Hikers will cross over a couple of small streams, one by way of a rock path, and another over a small wooden boardwalk. One section of the trail is over an old stone structure with metal posts and rope handrails. This section of the trail appears to have once been part of the Hatch Sawmill that once stood here. The Goodhue Hill trail is a slow and steady climb that travels through several different woodland habitats each with their own special charm. Hikers are rewarded by the lovely views at the summit. At the summit is a rocky area with a bench placed at the perfect spot for taking in the scenery surrounding this park.
