June 30, 2018 – Lake Saco Trail – New Hampshire

Today one of our adventures was to the Lake Saco Trail in Carroll, New Hampshire. This was our second time visiting the Lake Saco Trail. The Lake Saco trail is a short trail, bordering Lake Saco, and is located in the White Mountain National Forest.

When we arrived at the Trail we found that flowing water had overtaken the beginning of the Trail, appearing like a shallow stream. Apparently I did not have my water proof hiking boots, but we sure did not let that stop us on our adventure. We continued on, and journeyed to the dry portion of the trail, which included large boulders, fun little bridges, and gorgeous mountain views. I observed the mountains reflecting onto the water, just so picturesque. One of the bridges we encountered had actually collapsed, but I humored myself in still trying to traverse it. After a little wobbling, and a lot of encouragement for Shadow, we made it across. The trail mostly followed the water’s edge before merging into the forest. Simple, short, yet just so beautiful. The only thing that I do not like about this trail is that is sits just off the road, so the sounds of the highway slightly dampen the true nature experience. I will include photos from both of our journey’s below (Rating: 4).

June 2018:

October 2017:

June 30, 2018 – New Hampshire – Lower Ammonoosuc Falls

Today, one of our adventures was to the Lower Ammonoosuc Falls in Carroll, New Hampshire. This Falls is part of the White Mountain National Forest. It is a Cascade Falls with a 15 Foot drop. It is surrounded by rocks, and is a fast, and strong flowing cascade. As you might suspect, it is part of the Ammonoosuc River.

I was glad to have done some research on the Falls as the parking lot was not clearly marked from the road. Once we drove all the way into the lot, it was clear we had arrived at the Lower Ammonoosuc Falls Trail. We started on the trail, which was flat, and not too unappealing. After observing more closely we began to see many colorful, fluttering butterflies, and wild flowers along the trail, added some intrigue, and of course chasing for Wilma. Additionally, it was pleasant to hear the natural sounds of the River as we traversed this simple trail.

On the way to the Falls, we found many little trails to sneak over to the River’s edge. These were fun little spots, that often had beach-like areas. Shadow was able to swim in the River, while Wilma waded. I even decided to wade myself, enjoying quite the cool down in the chilly River water. On and off throughout our walk we stopped at these areas to hang out for a bit and cool down. Sand for digging, rocks for climbing, and water for swimming, I think just the perfect dog day!

On arrival to the Falls we found a heavy cascade of water barreling down into a large pool. The Falls was surrounded by large rocks, that helped create the crashing sound of the water. We were able to climb the rocks along the side and enjoy the view. Between the bright sun, and the moving water it was hard to capture a great shot, but of course attempted some videos as well. We did not observe anyone swimming, but a hand-full of fishermen along the way. This was a great area to hang out on a hot summer day (Rating: 4).

Throwback Adventure – Echo Lake (Fraconia Notch State Park)

I will have sections of my blog that I will title “Throwback Adventure”, and will plan on posting them every Thursday. These are journeys we have taken before I started the blog, but are well worth sharing.

Echo Lake is a beautiful lake in Fraconia Notch State Park in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It is 38.2 acres and sits at 1,931 feet elevation. It is on the northern side of the Fraconia Notch and offers breathtaking views of the Lafayette and Cannon Mountains. The water of the lake flows toward the Connecticut River. There is a swimming beach, and a trail around the Lake.

We have frequented Echo Lake many times over the years. It is an absolutely gorgeous location, especially in Fall. Often we have stopped just to relax and take photos, while on one journey my Mom enjoyed some time painting, while Shadow, Wilma, and I traversed the Lake trail. We mostly have visited the Lake during Fall, but just this past Winter we traveled to view the scenery. A much duller scene in the Winter, but yet I was humored as the Lake appeared no where in site, covered in snow. It is quite magical to view the changes of season, unique to our beautiful New England. I would highly recommend exploring Echo Lake. I will include photos from three of our adventures below (Rating: 5).

October 2016:

I had to include this amazing photo that my Mother took of Shadow, Buster, and I. It is one I will treasure ALWAYS! Little did I know that less then a week later Buster would leave our word, at just seven years old. He was an amazing love in our life, and I miss him so much! A wonderful memory forever graved in our hearts!

Buster card 2

October 2017:

Echo Lake Oct 2017 4

March 2018:

June 10, 2018 – Massachusetts – Ashuelot River Park, Walpole Creamery, and Beaver Brook Falls

Today we had three adventures in Keene, NH. It was a beautiful spring day, the perfect temperature for some shady hikes. Our first stop was at the Ashuelot River Park. The Ashuelot River Park is a 157 acre park, which includes the River, and adjoining wetlands. There are numerous trails throughout the park, many alongside the River. The trails are especially popular for bicyclists.

When we first arrived at the Park we found a well groomed open area, with beautiful flowers, and benches. We quickly arrived at the pedestrian bridge, and the Old Mill Dam. We spent a couple hours wandering the beautiful trails, mostly choosing the route neighboring the River. There were a couple spots along the trail that were near residential areas, but mostly we felt away from the world, and at peace with nature. The birds were chirping, and the scenery was peaceful. It was a great Park of which to enjoy the day (Rating: 4).

Our second stop today was the Walpole Creamery in downtown Keene. I always love finding an ice cream stop with an outdoor window, and dog ice cream available for the pups. We made our purchase and found a quiet grassy area to enjoy our ice cream, and to sit for a bit. It is good to note that there were some nicely shaded umbrella areas in front of the creamery, but I figured we would be more comfortable in the grassy shade. We each greatly enjoyed our refreshing ice cream. Shadow and Wilma then enjoyed some time playing, and rolling around in the grass. Definitely the perfect, and energizing break in between our stops (Rating: 4)

Our last stop of the day was at the Beaver Brook Waterfall. The trail was less then a mile long, slowly sloping upwards, on an old New Hampshire highway. The trail was not too picturesque, with wires above and the sounds of local traffic nearby. It was therefore especially pleasant to hear the babbling Beaver Brook, reminding us that we were truly on on adventure in nature. We walked along the top of the gorge, and could see the Brook far below. However, I was so disappointed to arrive at the Falls, as I found no viewing opportunities. We could hear the magical sound of the water, but yet it was so overgrown that there was not a glimpse in site. Possibly with some steep, risky climbs, but yet with two dogs in tow, really not an option. So although I feel like I must have missed something, we never did see the Beaver Brook Falls. I attempt to think like a dog in these times, and just enjoy the moment, and the experience. Luckily there were some moments to dip into the Brook, a rock to pose on, and I even saw a beaver like creature along the trail. Glad we attempted to see this waterfall, while in Keene (Rating: 2)

Throwback Adventure – Lonesome Lake – July 2017

In July 2017 me and Shadow journeyed to Lonesome Lake in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. (Wilma had not yet joined our world). Lonesome Lake had been on my “must explore” adventure list, and we found a perfect day to venture on this hike. Lonesome Lake is a body of water that is located in Franconia Notch in the White Mountains, just south of Cannon Mountain. You can only reach this Lake by a hike, which creates a magical journey. There was some reconstruction on the trail, so we were directed toward an alternative route. The trail was a tough trail for me, but it seemed to be quite effortless for Shadow. He was nine at the time (now ten) and did not miss a beat. Upon arrival we hiked around the Lake, and Shadow enjoyed cooling down with numerous dips in the Lake. It was very crowded at the Lake, but yet there was little traffic on the trail around the lake. There was an AMC hut located at the Lake which provided snacks, bathroom breaks, and even lodging. This hut was not dog friendly, but we were able to wander around and check out the area. Heading back from the Lake, was of course a breeze. My only disappointment in this hike was I imagined a more accessible beachfront where you could relax and enjoy sitting by the Lake. However, it was very crowded, no sandy shores, and hard to find little outlets to the Lake. Luckily this was not a barrier for Shadow who was able to sneak in many swims. I absolutely love a hike that leads to a landmark that cannot be reached otherwise. Definitely a memorable day of hiking, and adventures. (Rating: 5)

May 5, 2018 – New Hampshire – Beede Falls and West Rattlesnake Mountain

Today we visited Beede Falls, located less than a mile on Sandwich Notch Road (on the Sandwich side) in Sandwich, NH. The Falls are about 37 feet tall and form into a beautiful sandy pool below. There is a small cave under it called “Cow Cave”. We were able to explore this little area, and see the Falls from the side. We wandered along the trails in the area, finding a charming bridge nearby. Shadow enjoyed wading in the water, while Wilma preferred chewing on some sticks. There were other dogs visiting, which is always a fun time. This was a lovely spot, and we were lucky to have a perfect spring day to explore. (Rating: 4)

After our visit to Beede Falls we journeyed to West Rattlesnake Mountain. The Trailhead began in Holderness, NH. This hike goes to the summit of West Rattlesnake Mountain. It is about 450 foot elevation gain, and I believe it is about a two mile hike. The trail was well maintained, and definitely good exercise. The summit revealed outstanding views of Squam Lake, and its many islands. There were large boulders, and plenty of places to sit and relax. The breeze was refreshing, creating a wonderful atmosphere to relax. We stayed up at the summit for some time, before heading back down the trail. I was definitely not disappointed with the summit views. (Rating: 4)