The Wildlife Pond Loop at Beaver Brooks Association - Hollis in Hollis, New Hampshire is an easy 4-mile loop (out-and-back) combo hike that passes several ponds and features views of the expansive Wildlife Pond.
Trail names: Jeff Smith Trail, Dam Road, Old City Trail, Wildlife Pond Loop Trail
Location: Proctor Hill Road, Hollis, NH
Permitted uses: Hiking, Biking on designated trails, Fishing, Horseback riding on designated trails, Nature study, Snowshoeing, Cross country skiing, geocaching
Prohibited uses: Hunting, firearms, motorized vehicles, camping, trapping, littering, alcohol, fires, cutting of plants, collection of wildlife
Hours: Dawn to Dusk, no use after dark
Fees and Parking: There is no fee to park or use the trails. Parking is limited at the trailhead,enough for three mid size vehicles. There is additional parking across the street. Please use caution when crossing as Route 130 is a heavily traveled route.
Pets: Dogs on a leash are allowed. Please leave no trace, which means do not leave bagged dog waste along the trail.
Accessibility: This hike is not wheelchair accessible
Hiker amenities: There is no information kiosk on the north side trailhead, no trash bins and no restrooms.
Length and Trail information: This hike was done as a loop, is considered an easy hike, and was 4.37 miles in length. There were no drastic inclines or declines and the only real challenge was deciding which beautiful view to take a picture of. The overall substrate of the hike is typical of most wooded trails: roots and rocks on some sections and many sections that were broad and flat and easy to navigate. The trail is well blazed with yellow triangle boundary markers, making it very simple to follow the trail. The hike begins on a wide shaded path that resembles a class 6 road. One of the first things hikers will encounter is a massive old oak tree with an information placard installed beside the trail. Take the time to stop and read the information as it will enhance your appreciation for this special Conservation area. The Beaver Brook Conservation Association has installed several sturdy bridges and boardwalks to assist in crossing over wetlands and flowing streams. I always enjoy stopping midway to snap a picture and take in the views of each waterway. On this hike, we scared a Heron into flight, but it was too quick for a picture.This area is lush with all types of ferns either growing along the banks, beside the trails or on top of rocks. We were able to identify ferns from the polypody genus and a European Royal Fern, which we had never identified before. The trail follows alongside the trickling stream and on this day we were accompanied by a plethora of Ebony Jewelwing Damselflies, Blue Dasher dragonflies and the occasional Swallowtail Butterfly. This mixed forest has lots of tree species including, White Pine,White Oak, Black Oak, Red Oak, Maple, Beech and surprisingly even some American Chestnut sapplings. There were lots of places along the trail where we were surrounded on either side by massive patches of Mountain Laurel, Highbush Blueberry and Black Huckleberry bushes. This ecosystem offers a wonderful habitat for a variety of birds. During this hike we were able to identify the birdsong from several including, Red-eyed Vireo, Song sparrow, Black-and-white warbler, Red-winged Blackbird, Cedar Waxwing, Scarlet Tanager, Ovenbird and Canada Geese to name a few. The hike was also full of several different flora species. We saw Tall Meadow-rue, Swamp Milkweed, Pink Lady slippers, Sarsaparilla, Alder Buckthorn, Pipsissewa, Wild thyme, Crown Vetch, Yellow Hop Clover, Red Clover, Saint John's Wort, wild asters and huge swaths of ox eyed daisies. The pond was absolutely chock full of blooming water lilies and several beaver huts can be seen from the trail along the pond.
The area surrounding The Wildlife Pond is aptly named, as it is very attractive for the wildlife that call this place home. If you are lucky, you may see some of the residents including Beaver, Moose, Otter, Painted turtles, Garter snakes, Mink, Wood ducks, Merganser ducks, Canada geese, and Heron. If you are there to fish, you may get lucky and catch a Pickerel or Wide Mouth Bass. Dogs are welcome here but are supposed to be kept on a leash. I know that many hikers disregard this rule, thinking that they can control their canine companions. However sometimes a dog off leash can come upon wildlife unexpectedly in the tall grasses and instinct can override good training, especially when dogs are in a pack. I would like to ask that as a responsible hiker you PLEASE be mindful of keeping your dogs on a leash, especially in the late spring and early summer when baby animals are hiding from predators. We unexpectedly found a baby skunk sleeping very close to one of the information placards and we had to yell at approaching hikers to leash their dogs before the dogs could harm the baby skunk.
This was a lovely hike, and this conservation area offers many more trails to explore. We look forward to coming back to this lovely area and exploring more of the trails.
