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Route Summary This is a loop hike at Wagon Hill Farm. It walks along meadows and the Oyster River and visits the popular wagon landmark. Actually, it's two loop hikes each starting and ending at the same place. If you are pressed for time or wish for a shorter walk, you can choose to do just one of the loops. Loop 1: Shoreline and Woods
Loop 2: Mostly Meadows
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Click for the full trail map (it will open in a new window). Trail Guide Note: For more photos of this hike, see the Wagon Hill Farm trail report for 10/04/2009. A walk at the lightly wooded, park-like Wagon Hill Farm was surprisingly rewarding. Although there were many others enjoying the park, there was also plenty of room for peaceful rambling. The views of, and from, the meadows were tranquil, and exploring the shoreline of the Little Bay / Oyster River tidal estuary was interesting. In spite of being able to see a good deal of the property from the rise next to the upper parking lot, there were many paths and sights to keep me engaged for quite a while. I actually would have stayed longer but had an appointment I needed to get to. I ended up doing two wide loops which allowed me to explore most of the property on the southern side of Route 4 (Wagon Hill Farm continues on the north side of the highway). Although Route 4 borders the property, I never even noticed it, either by sight or sound, during my outing here. The walking here is easy – a mixture of flat terrain and gentle hills. But there were several places that were wet or muddy. My sneakers were soaked by the time I was through. If you prefer dry feet, then wearing boots would be a better choice. Since this is a long trip report, I've divided it into sections: Loop 1: Shoreline and Woods | Loop 2: Mostly Meadows Loop 1: Shoreline and Woods I parked in the upper lot and stepped through the hedges enclosing the area and was immediately treated to a pleasant vista. Lush green meadows, dotted by trees and bordered by woods, rolled downhill to meet Oyster River, which was just barely visible. I started walking downhill on the wide gravel road and passed a small apple orchard on my right. Soon woods appeared to the right while there were still open meadows to the left. Looking uphill across the fields, I could see the namesake wagon perched at the top. Walking just a little farther brought the waters of Little Bay and Oyster River into sight. Before actually reaching the shoreline, I spotted a small cemetery to the left. The headstones jutted out of the ground at crooked angles and the writing on them was hard to read. I continued to the shoreline where there was a lot to see. There's a wide grassy area in front of the water, ideal for laying out and enjoying the atmosphere. A wide, sandy track led down to the water to allow for swimming and paddling (you'd have to carry your boat the 0.3 mile down from the parking lot). To the left of that was a small pavilion and several picnic tables. To the right was a granite bench ("In loving memory of Herbert S. Lourie, 1923–1981"). I turned right and walked above the shoreline next to a railing, and then entered some woods on a trail. The woods path paralleled the shore giving partial views through a light screen a trees. There were also several viewpoints where you could see unobstructed views of Oyster River, with woods and some grand-looking homes on the opposite shore. I hiked up a small rise and then noticed a side path on the right to an interesting-looking tree. I took a short detour to check out this big hollow tree sitting next to a boulder. The photos really don't do it justice – it seemed much cooler in person. Returning to the shore path, I continued walking and quickly arrived at a path to the left leading over a peninsula. Although this was a narrow area, it supported some lovely pitch pines and even had a picnic table. There were outstanding views from the open end of the promontory. I could see up and down the river and also had good views of a little cove to the right. I retraced my steps on the peninsula, then turned left to continue the woods walk. The trail soon crossed a boardwalk and veered away from the water, then reached a junction. I turned left here, but if you wish to turn right, it will quickly bring you back to the gravel road, after passing by two benches. I passed through some muddy (both options at the junction required traversing mud) woods, then quickly emerged at a meadow and the shoreline of the cove that I had spotted from the peninsula. I followed a mowed path that started contouring the shoreline and then it turned right, uphill, where the white farmhouse by the parking lot was readily visible. I reached the top of a rise where an ornate black bench provided a nice viewpoint over the water. There was lots of birdsong here and it was a pleasant place to sit. Leaving the bench, I continued across the field which shortly connected me back to the wide gravel road. I turned left and walked uphill to soon arrive back at the parking lot. Loop 2: Mostly Meadows From the parking lot, I walked on the mowed path, past a farm implement, and soon reached the wagon for which this property is known. The wagon had a high bench on it, making it easy to picture a team of horses pulling it along with a driver perched on the bench and the wagon loaded with goods. The views from this area were of rolling meadows and woodlands and even a bit of water could be glimpsed. There was a granite bench here for sitting and relaxing. I continued across the field on the mowed path, sticking to the outer perimeter. At the bottom of the open fields, I entered the woods and followed a trail that made a small loop and touched upon the shoreline. At a corner, I walked down the embankment to get an open view of the water and found myself close to the picnic pavilion area that I had visited earlier. I returned to the mowed path to continue the walk and soon encountered a somewhat wide channel of water meandering through the meadow. When I reached a trail junction in an area with cattails, I turned left to cross this channel on a bridge, and then turned left again upon reaching the other side. I soon came back out at the wide-open area near the pavilion. I checked out the waterfront one last time, then headed back on the main trail. I first passed the cemetery on my right and then the footway changed to gravel. The road quickly led me back up to the parking area that I started from. |
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Driving Directions
Wagon Hill Farm is located in Durham, New Hampshire directly off of Route 4.
From Dover:
Facilities Toilets at the upper parking lot. About Wagon Hill Farm Anyone driving along Route 4 in Durham (near the Dover end), New Hampshire is familiar with the hilltop wagon for which this property is named. There is a crumpled stone wall near the road with a grassy hill rising above it, upon which is perched an old-fashioned wagon. In winter, it's this hill that is very popular for sledding. The southern 100-acre piece includes an old farmhouse and more meadows than woods. The open fields provide nice vistas across the park. A network of about 2 miles of trails leads through the open areas, a small apple orchard, woods, and down to and along the shoreline where Little Bay and Oyster River meet. Horseshoe crabs and other interesting sights can often be found along the shoreline of this tidal estuary. Although the trails aren't marked, they are easy to follow. Since the wooded areas aren't large, it is hard to get lost. The traverse of meadows is done by way of nicely mowed, wide paths. There is a wide gravel road that leads directly from the upper parking lot to the shoreline that sort of divides the property in half and it can be used to make two wide loops. If you walk down the gravel path to the river, then turn right into the woods, following the widest perimeter when offered an option, you will eventually loop back to the parking lot in about 1.0 mile. Starting from the parking area, but heading out across the meadows to the wagon, and again following the widest perimeter available, and returning via the gravel road once you reach the The property was farmed until 1960. In addition to the wagon, which is only a 2-minute walk from the upper parking lot, there is another piece of old farm equipment right next to the parking area. Down near the water, along the main path, is an old cemetery. The Town of Durham bought this farm in order to save it from development and it has proved to be a very worthy and popular acquisition. There are a few picnic tables and a small pavilion at a large open area along the river. This is a great place to picnic and enjoy the water views with nearby woods that offer some shade and scenic interest. There is also a carry-in boat launch area here (0.3 mile from the upper parking lot). Swimming is allowed although there is no lifeguard. Benches are scattered throughout the property and there is a picnic table on a small peninsula. This little piece of land is lightly wooded with lovely trees and provides excellent water views. Wagon Hill Farm offers activities for all seasons: walking, swimming, picnicking, paddling, sledding, and cross-country skiing. It is accessed directly off of Route 4 in Durham and has both a lower and upper parking lot along its access road. The lots aren't very large and on busy days, you may find yourself waiting for a spot. Wagon Hill Farm Property Use Guidelines
More Wagon Hill Trail Reports |
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