Red Hill River Loop Hike
Trail names: Red Hill River Trail, Connector Trail, Jocelyn’s Trail
Location: NH 109, Great Rock Road, Sandwich, NH
Permitted uses: Low impact activities such as Hiking, Snowshoeing, Nature Study, Photography, Birding
Prohibited uses: No Camping, no fires, no overnight use, no biking and no motor vehicles allowed.
Hours: Daylight hours only.
Fees and Parking: There is no fee to park or use the trails. There is a small, hard to find parking area at the Jocelyn’s Trailhead. There is a very small welcome sign posted on a tree off of the street, back about 15 feet or so. It is difficult to see unless you are aware of its general location and are traveling at a low rate of speed. To the side of the sign is an unpaved drive that goes up a small hill and veers to the right that provides off street parking for two,possibly three cars. If your car has a low undercarriage, you may not want to try going up the entry. Otherwise parking will need to be on the street, pulled over as best as you can. You may have to park a short walk from the actual trailhead if you choose to start your hike on the Red Hill River Trail.
Pets: There are no signs prohibiting dogs on the trails. Please be kind and pick up after your pet and keep them leashed or in your control to avoid causing negative impacts to this fragile ecosystem.
Accessibility: These trails are not wheelchair accessible.
Hiker amenities: There are no restrooms or water, no trash bins and no information kiosk. There are maps posted and welcome signs at the Red Hill River and Jocelyn’s Trailheads. Please carry out all waste and be sure to bring plenty of water and bug spray.
Length and Trail information: This conservation area is maintained by the Lakes Region Conservation Trust. The trails are very well marked and well maintained, but we suspect that there is not a lot of use. We didn't see any other hikers during our visit, and the tall vegetation made us suspect that the trail gets little foot traffic.
This was an easy hike done as a loop,approximately 2.32 miles long. The downside of doing this hike as a loop is that it requires some hiking on the road. If you choose to do the hike as we have, please be aware that the road has no sidewalk and not much of a shoulder. Thankfully there was not a lot of fast traffic passing us during our visit. Please use caution when walking alongside the road.
We almost didn't hike due to forecasted storms in the area, but we have rain gear and decided to at least try to hike. After finding a roadside parking spot,we walked a short distance to the trailhead of the Red Hill River Trail. A welcome sign is posted at the trailhead roughly 20 feet from the road. The trail is well marked with red trail blazes and travels beside the Red Hill River at the base of a very large hill. We were shielded from the rain thanks to the thick tree canopy of this mixed forest. The trail substrate was cushioned by pine needles and had barely any trip hazards such as rocks or roots. There is not a lot of elevation, but it is not flat either. At the start of the hike the vegetation along the river was thick and we were hopeful to spot a moose but that was not our luck. We were treated to a plethora of birdsong including Ovenbird, Veery, Yellow Warbler, Yellow Bellied Sapsucker, Black Throated Blue Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Pine Warbler and Common Yellowthroat. So if you enjoy a little birding along your hike, this is a lovely trail to check out.
If in addition to birds,you enjoy studying flora,this hike will not disappoint. The Red Hill River Trail offers several different plants to observe. We saw Huckleberry, several types of Ferns, Sarsaparilla, Hobble bush, and a variety of mushrooms and likely the largest spread of Partridge Berry I have ever seen during a hike. The Partridge Berry was in full bloom and the tiny white flowers were carpeting either side of the trail almost to the point of it looking like a dusting of snow had fallen.
Eventually the trail led us to a section where the river was more accessible from the trail. If you plan to hike during the hot summer, it could be an excellent place to take a break and cool off. The trail substrate changes from cushioned pine needles to some rocky sections and some wet mud. There were no boardwalks over the wet areas.
The next trail we encountered was the Connector Trail that is marked by a blue blaze. This trail leads hikers away from the river and through a very thick section of ferns. The trail is very narrow, so if the vegetation is thick you will be brushing up against it. Make sure to do a tick check after passing through the ferns. This is the first time during the hike where we had any steady change in elevation.
The Connector Trail led us to Jocelyn’s Trail which is marked by a yellow trail blaze. This is a narrow trail through the forest and is flanked by thick tall ferns. Another reminder to do a tick check whenever you pass through thickly vegetated areas. There are some elevation changes along this trail, but not very steep or any long duration.
The Jocelyn Trail is named after local resident Jocelyn Fleming Gutchess. According to the Sandwich Historical Society, Jocelyn retired to Sandwich and was an environmentalist as well as an avid hiker. “She hiked and climbed with the group (the Over the Hill Gang) bi-weekly from age 70 until early 90s, completing all of the 4000 footers, not once but 4 times.” She was active in the Squam Lakes Conservation Society and the Lakes Region Conservation Trust. She is an inspiration to women of all ages encouraging us all not to give up physical and community exercise as we age. It is a fitting tribute that a trail would be named to honor her, a resident that contributed much to the love of nature and mankind. We thoroughly enjoyed this short hike and feel it’s worth a visit.
