Meadow Lake and Demon Pond
Northwood Meadows State Park

• Go past the gate at the parking area, walking for 0.25 mile on the wide gravel road, then take your first right onto the white-blazed Huckins Orchard Trail which is both a hiking and mountain bike trail.
• Follow the relatively narrow Huckins Orchard Trail for 0.5 mile until it ends at West Road which is a wide trail.
• Turn right uphill onto West Road and walk for about 0.4 mile. At this point Foot Trail proceeds straight ahead while the wider West Road makes a U-turn to the left. Turn left to stay on West Road.
• Just 0.1 mile later West Road will bring you down to the shore of Meadow Lake.
• West Road / Lake Drive proceeds straight along the northwestern shoreline but we will turn right here onto Lake Trail which immediately brings you down to the southernmost tip of Meadow Lake where the dam is.
• After enjoying the views of the lake, continue on Lake Trail.

• Nearly 0.5 mile from the dam, a short connector trail leads less than 0.1 mile to Dashing Down Road. For now, we will continue straight on Lake Trail.
• About 0.2 mile later as Lake Trail heads downhill perpendicular to the shoreline of Meadow Lake, a small trail leads uphill to the right. Turn right on this connector path to reach Dashing Down Road after about 30 yards.
• Turn right on the wide Dashing Down Road and head uphill.
• After 0.3 mile, you will see the wider connector road leading from Lake Trail coming in from the right.
• Keep following Dashing Down Road for another 0.4 mile then look for a tall, narrow rock–which resembles the shape of the state of New Hampshire–on the left which marks a spur trail leading down to Demon Pond.
• Turn left in front of this marker and head downhill for about 100 yards which will allow you to view Demon Pond. You may continue descending more steeply a few more yards to get to the shoreline.
• After enjoying the pond, retrace your steps up the spur path, and then turn right onto Dashing Down Road to retrace your steps there too.
• After 0.4 mile on Dashing Down Road, you will again pass the wider connector to Lake Trail on the left. Keep going straight for another 0.3 mile and then turn left onto the narrow connector path that heads off between two stones.
• After descending 30 yards on the connector path, turn right to continue the circuit on Lake Trail.
• Walk on Lake Trail for 0.2 mile until it ends at West Road. Turn left and then immediately right, basically crossing West Road.
• Follow this trail for 0.3 mile until it ends at the main gravel road leading from Rt. 202.
• Turn left onto the main trail.
• After 0.1 mile you will see the white-blazed Huckins Orchard Trail leaving to the left (the trail we followed earlier). Keep going straight on the wide main trail.
• After 0.25 mile, you will arrive back at the parking lot on Rt. 202.

Click for the full trail map (it will open in a new window).   

• Take Exit 15 off of I-93 to get on I-393 and Routes 4 and 202 East.
• I-393 will end and become Routes 4, 202, and 9 East.
• After going through the Epsom traffic circle (where Rt. 28 intersects), continue traveling on Route 4 (and 202 and 9) East for 8.3 miles.
• Northwood Meadows State Park will be on the right and is signed.
• There is small parking area where the sign is that is plowed in winter; and a larger parking area just before the sign that either isn't plowed or isn't plowed as well as the smaller lot.
• The main trail into the park starts from the smaller lot just past the gate.

• From I-95 take Exit 4 to Spaulding Turnpike and Rt. 16 north.
• Take Exit 6 and stay on Rt. 4 West.
• At the junction of Routes 4 and 202 in Northwood, keep following Rt. 4 West for another 2.8 miles.
• Northwood Meadows State Park will be on the left and is signed.
• There is small parking area where the sign is that is plowed in winter; and a larger parking area just beyond the sign that either isn't plowed or isn't plowed as well as the smaller lot.
• The main trail into the park starts from the smaller lot just past the gate.

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