a guide to the Seacoast’s top snowshoeing spots

Snowshoeing is the least expensive, most accessible winter activity and burns more calories than running, hiking or biking. It requires just one pair of special equipment: snowshoes. You can buy a pair for about $100, the same as a cheap pair of skis or a snowboard, minus all the extra gear. Or, rent a pair at the University of New Hampshire—the nice folks at Campus Recreation will let you keep them for $11 a day or $41 a week (even less for students).

Snowshoeing saves cash in the transportation department, as well. There are dozens of places to take a quick walk or a decent hike within the Seacoast.

When you head out for a trek, be sure to wear layers—you will warm up quickly. A typical outfit might include thermal underwear, a long-sleeved shirt, sweatpants or tights, and waterproof pants or snow pants. Wear a hat and gloves and carry a small backpack with water and snacks.

Here are a few local treks, in order of difficulty from easy to most challenging, followed by a list of links to maps, trails and rental resources.

College Woods
If you’re renting from UNH, stop by College Woods to try out your shoes. Both cross-country skiers and snowshoers use this network of trails, so try not to walk on the ski tracks. There is a small parking lot near the main entrance behind the Field House; to get there, turn onto College Road from Main Street, take a right on South Drive and another right on Water Works Drive. The entrance will be on your left. Use the map to pick out a trail down to the reservoir. You’ll walk beside spindly young trees beneath tall oaks. The park is small (250 acres) and flat, and all of the trails are connected in a loop, so you can walk from a half-mile to two miles.

Dover Community Trail
The residents of downtown Dover can walk out onto a snowshoe trail from their homes. The Dover Community Trail runs in segments from Route 16 to Fourth Street, and from the Amtrak station to Fisher Street. The full unpaved trail extends from Fisher Street to the intersection of Central and Locust streets.

The Community Trail is short (two miles total) but offers flat trails free of skiers and snowmobiles. Silent after snowfall and shielded from the road by tall trees, it’s hard to believe this trail runs below busy downtown Dover.

To find the Fourth Street entrance, enter behind Downeast Energy, right next to the bridge. There is a steep walk down to the water, but there’s a rope “banister” you can cling to. Or, pursue an alternative method and slide down on your backside. This portion of the trail follows the Cochecho River and crosses several large fields. The trail continues across Whittier Street next to Whittier Falls Way; a small sign for the trail is to the right of a private fence. This trail goes to Route 16, one mile from Fourth Street.

The other end of the Community Trail begins at the train station on Chestnut Street. There is a marked entrance near the former train trestle. The path is wide until it reaches Fisher Street at .75 miles, where it narrows and drops off about 10 feet on either side. This branch of the Community Trail stretches 1.1 miles.

Great Bay National Wildlife Center
Just off Route 1 on Merrimac Drive in Newington lies your best chance of seeing wildlife in winter. The Great Bay National Wildlife Center has several trails, including a two-mile trek with gorgeous views of the bay. The planked trail passes through dense forest and opens into a marshy area where you might hear black ducks quacking, or spot a goose flying south.

Lubberland Creek Preserve
Lubberland Creek Preserve offers an interesting hike in Newmarket off Durham Point Road. The Preserve includes land on both sides of Durham Point, and there are views from both ends of Great Bay. Leaving from the small parking lot, trek in on the Sweet Trail, then follow Jeff’s Hill Loop. If you take the gradual incline up, you can slide much of the way down the hill. The total loop is 1.1 miles. The woods are open and airy and sunlight streams through in the winter months. A stone foundation lies near the road, and an old stone wall winds through the park.

Orris Falls and Bauneg Beg Mountain
Both in North Berwick, Maine, these land trusts have excellent hiking trails and interesting terrain. The entrance to Orris Falls is on Thurell Road, and there is a small parking lot. A flat, wide path leads to a fork. Take the left trail to see the foundations of the Littleton homestead and a tiny graveyard on the way to Big Bump. Take the right trail to see the falls. Each trail is about 2.5 miles out and back with a gentle slope. Orris Falls is by far the most beautiful of the local parks; the woods are dense, the trail open and sunny, and there is a pond with a giant beaver dam and bat boxes. You’ll hear the falls before you see them, though they begin as an unassuming trickle.

Bauneg Beg Park offers a more challenging hike. The map at the entrance and parking lot at Fox Farm Hill Road will allow you to choose a short, steep loop up the middle peak of Bauneg Beg Mountain or a more gradual hike to the top. Beginners should avoid the Devil’s Den, a beautiful wall of rock that requires hand-over-hand hiking in warm weather. The trail here is narrower and the trees closer in, making the hike feel like an exploration rather than a stroll through the woods.

Mount Agamenticus
This favorite summer hike is just as accessible in the winter. Park in the parking lot at the foot of the mountain on Mountain Road in Wells, Maine. From there, you can walk around the flat 1.5-mile Ring Trail.

Mount A is one of the most popular places to hike, and you are likely to run into other snowshoers and cross-country skiers on the shady wooded trails. Take a breather at one of the educational signs about the forest that covers Mount A.

The Ring Trail branches off into several trails that reach to the summit, each less than a mile long. The views from the top of Mount A are exceptional; on a clear day, you can make out Mount Washington.

Once you’ve mastered these, you can take the trails less traveled to Second Hill and even Third Hill. These trails are not as well marked in order to retain some of the “wilderness,” so be sure to go with an experienced hiker. It’s well worth the trek to walk on the more open rocky ridge and see huge boulders where Mainers used to live.

Blue Job Mountain
Blue Job is located in Strafford and is a genuine mountain, albeit a small one. The entrance and parking lot are on Second Crowne Point Road, where there is a map. The half-mile hike to the summit is steep and you’ll reach 1,300 feet of elevation. This also means plenty of opportunities to backside-slide on the way down. The peak of Blue Job has a fire tower, and you are welcome to un-strap your snowshoes and walk up for excellent views of the White Mountains.

Snowshoeing this mountain will leave you feeling confident enough to try the Whites. The trail is densely wooded but very sunny in the winter, when the leaves are long gone. Watch for icy patches.

Resources:

UNH winter rentals: http://campusrec.unh.edu

College Woods: www.colsa.unh.edu/woodlands

Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge: www.fws.gov/refuges

Lubberland Creek Preserve: www.nature.org/ourinitiatives

Orris Falls & Bauneg Beg Mountain: www.gwrlt.org

Mount Agamenticus: www.agamenticus.org

Blue Job Mountain: http://knol.google.com/k/blue-job-mountain#