Heads Pond Trail Is A Simple Walk In New Hampshire That Leads To A Refreshing Local Pond You Can Swim In
By Michelle|Published July 06, 2021
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Michelle
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Michelle's life is a colorful map of exploration and adventure. From the iconic streets of New York to the sunny shores of Florida, the jagged coast of Maine to the rugged terrain of Montana, she's been fortunate to call some of America's most beautiful states home. Beyond the U.S., Michelle's wanderlust has taken her on a motorcycle journey through India, led her to teach English in Hanoi, and saw her studying Spanish in Guatemala. Michelle graduated with a communications degree from the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and in addition to a career in advertising has worked with OnlyInYourState since 2016, where her love for travel and storytelling converges. Alongside writing and exploring, Michelle finds joy in photography, staying active, and time with her family.
For questions, comments and inquiries please email: mstarin@onlyinyourstate.com.
Hiking or walking in New Hampshire is a great way to get a feel for the landscape while also finding peace and quiet on an otherwise busy day. We’re constantly finding new trails to try and, whenever possible, we love exploring them more than once to get a real feel for the area. We recently came across a trail that won’t be a hard one to return to again and again. It’s simple to follow, relatively short, and offers a refreshing surprise along the way.
Heads Pond Trail in Hooksett is a 2.9-mile out-and-back route that's perfect any time of year.
You'll find it between Manchester and Concord, near Route 3. It's not far from Bear Brook State Park, making it a great alternative if you find the park to be just a bit too busy during the spring or summer.
The trailhead begins just off of Hookset Road and makes its way along towards Heads Pond. There are even some fun features to find, like this under-bridge tunnel.
When you arrive at the pond, consider a swim as long as there are no local advisories. Dogs love this body of water, and it's not uncommon to see quite a few here. This is also a nice place to enjoy a paddle.
You can stick around the water and then head back to the trailhead, or you can continue the route and head back once the trail comes to an end. Either way, you'll have access to some of the best scenery in the state, and the added bonus of the cool-down is fantastic.
Heads Pond Trail can be accessed year-round, but it’s best between April and October. In addition to hiking, visitors enjoy biking, fishing and kayaking here as well. Feel free to bring the pups along; just be sure to keep them on a leash. You can learn more about the route by visiting alltrails.com. You can see a full map here.