Marsh Woods
Directions:
The trailhead is on the east sid eof Freeman Hall Road between NH Route 152 to the south and Gebig road to the north. The entrance to the Nottingham Recycling Center is just south of the trailhead. Park along the west side of the road.
Description:
This 93 - acre property offers a wide variety of natural and historic features for your hike along its 1.2 miles of trails. The North River flows for 5,400 feet from the Freeman Hall bridge at the north to border marshlands in the south. The northern boulder-strewn channel includes the site of an historic mill, owned from 1833 until 1929 by the Marsh family, for whom the property is named. Although now forested, you will find stone walls that once borders sheep pastures. Look for otter tracks along the river in winter and listen for the song of the hermit thrush during spring and summer. Red-tailed hawks often nest in one of the big pines along the trail.
Downstream from the mill, the river passes through a floodplain forest and eventually spreads out into the meandering channels of a shrubland marsh active with beavers, turtles, and herons. On the west side of the marsh are abandoned sand pits on what was once a pine barrens landscape. Beaver trails cross between the river and ponds left by the gravel extraction, where kingfishers are frequent visitors. After passing along the edge of the old sand pit, the trail ends at a ledge overlooking the marsh to the east. Please stay on the trail to avoid damaging the fragile lichens colonizing the sand pit. The last 700 feet of trail is closed during the month of June to protect ground-nesting wildlife. Please respect this short-term restriction and return to visit this part of the property during other months of the year.
Conservation
Marsh Woods is protected by Wetlands Reserve Program conservation easements held by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, a division of the US Department of Agriculture. The North River, a tributary to the Wild and Scenic Lamprey River, is a state-designated river under the NH Rivers Management and Protection act. The NH Wildlife Action Plan classifies the Marsh Woods wetlands and their adjacent areas as Highest ranked Wildlife habitat in NH. The Town of Nottingham purchased these two abutting parcels to ensure public access to the property, using conservation fund revenue from the land use change tax.
Usage:
The Marsh Woods trails are open to low-impact recreation, including walking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. Hunting and fishing are also allowed. Visitors are advised to wear hunter orange during the fall hunting seasons. Bikes and motorized vehicles are not permitted. Please keep dogs on leash; bag and carry out waste and trash.