Pine River Hike
Trail Names
River Trail, Boundary Trail, Loop Trail
Location
73 Granite Road, Ossipee NH,
Permitted Uses
Hiking, Nature study
Prohibited Uses
Motorized vehicles are prohibited, no snowmobiles
Hours
There are no posted hours
Fees and Parking
There is no fee to park or use the trails. The parking is very limited and shares a driveway with a private residence. Please be respectful and do not block access to private property. At the time of our visit, the information kiosk was damaged and was lying in a parking space.
Pets
Dogs are welcome on a leash and owners are required to clean up after their pets.
Accessibility
The trails are not wheelchair accessible.
Hiker Amenities
There is an information kiosk at the trailhead parking area. Unfortunately at the time of our visit it was badly damaged and lying on the ground. We are not sure if someone accidentally hit the kiosk or if it rotted and fell, but it was in desperate need of repair and reinstallation. We sent an email to the folks at the Moose Mountains Regional Greenways and they responded quickly to let us know that repairs to the kiosk and trail maintenance are scheduled to be done later in the year. Hiker information was still available. One of the features at the kiosk was QR code that could be scanned to receive an audio recording of the kiosk information.
There are no trash bins or restrooms at this trailhead.
Length and Trail Information
This hike was done in two sections. The River Trail is a short .25 mile hike done as an out and back and was easy, but not well maintained. It is marked by a white diamond blaze with a black arrow inside. There is a lot of overgrowth of vegetation and the trail needs to be cut back in order to safely hike it. The vegetation was so high it was up to our chests in some areas. Needless to say, a tick check would be mandatory if you choose to hike this trail. In our opinion, in its current state, it is not worth the effort needed just to get the glimpse of the small section of the Pine River where the trail ends. There are sections on the Loop Trail that offer better views of the Pine River. The Pine River is the main water source in this area and runs 1 ½ miles through the Preserve. We were able to see a family of ducks happily paddling in the river for our efforts on this short hike.
The Boundary and Loop Trails were almost 2 miles in length and were hiked as a loop. We considered this hike to be easy. These trails begin across the road from the Parking area. Two small wooden signs mark the entrance as well as a yellow blaze and a white diamond blaze with a black arrow inside it.This blaze is also seen at the junction of the Boundary Trail and the Loop Trails. This junction is next to an Old Stone Bridge where Granite Road used to travel. There is a small but sturdy wooden boardwalk to assist hikers over the wet area here. We chose to head to the right and hike the Boundary Trail first and then connect to the Loop Trail closer to the Pine River. When you rejoin the Loop trail, make sure to stay to the left of the wooden signs, look for the yellow trail blazes on the trees. You will soon see glimpses of the river. If you are not seeing these, you have made a wrong turn and need to turn around. It's very easy to leave the Preserve and continue hiking on what appears to be another trail.
These trails are better maintained than the River Trail but could also use some maintenance to clear debris and to add more trail markers or blazes in areas such as junctions. In addition to the yellow blazes and white/black arrow blaze, we also saw a small red circle with a white arrow inside it on several trees along the trail.
The Charles Norman Munroe Preserve is 171 acres in size and is currently owned by the Moose Mountains Regional Greenways. The Conservation easement is owned by the Lakes Region Conservation Trust, and the Preserve is listed on their website as a “Completed Project”. Together, these two organizations are responsible for the stewardship of the Charles Norman Munroe Preserve.
It’s easy to dismiss this hike as just a nice walk in the woods. With the exception of the Old Stone Bridge and the views of the Pine River from the Loop Trail, there is not a lot to see. However, this area is essential for plants and wildlife and we were pleased to be able to access this space and enjoy a break immersed in a natural setting.
