Our Conservation Areas

Balch Hill, Hanover, NH

One of the most popular recreation areas in Hanover, Balch Hill is located close to town and offers stunning views out over the Connecticut River Valley. UVLT conserved a 10-acre parcel belonging to Ralph and Betty Hunter which provides part of the access to the hilltop. The area is maintained by the Hanover Conservancy, which offers a website with a trail map and interpretive information.

The Dismal at Pressey Brook, Hanover, NH

The Dismal at Pressy Brook is a 213 acre forest and wetland complex in Hanover, NH generously donated to UVLT by Ann and Harte Crowe. The trails at The Dismal run on both sides of Goose Pond Road. Begin from the parking lot on the west side of Goose Pond Road and head west into a 2 mile network of looping forested trails suitable for hiking, biking, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing. On the east side of the road is a short, quarter mile loop trail with views of the expansive wetland from which the property gets its name “The Dismal” after the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia and North Carolina.

View Trail Map

Mink Brook Nature Preserve & Trails, Hanover, NH

The Mink Brook trails traverse the area between the two biggest roads connecting Lebanon and Hanover: Route 10 and Route 120. Despite its location between busy thoroughfares, Mink Brook affords a special sense of quiet, whether you are padding through the forest or following the babbling brook. It’s a favorite place for lunchtime strolls, or for many of the area’s runners.

View Trail Map or the Hanover Conservancy’s Mink Brook webpage

Slade Brook & Jim and Evalyn Hornig Natural Area, Hanover, NH

A quiet piece of property in the Hanover Forest, Slade Brook offers access to myriad different natural habitats along the beautiful Waterfall Trail. It is maintained by the Hanover Conservancy in honor of its longtime leader “and a dedicated UVLT partner” Jim Hornig, and his wife Evalyn. Find out more about the area, including a trail map, at the Hanover Conservancy’s Slade Brook page.

Tunis District Conservation Area, Hanover, NH

Tunis District Conservation Area is 550 acres of wetland and forest complex along Wolfeboro Road in Hanover, NH. Access to the property is from a log landing on the south side of Wolfeboro Road. A 1/3 mile trail to an outlook can be reached from the road. There are currently no other marked trails on the property but there is a network of woods roads to be explored by the confident hiker.

Farnum Hill, Lebanon, NH

Seven miles of trails dot Farnum Hill, home of Poverty Lane Orchards and some of the most delicious apples and cider in the valley. Click for Trail Description and Map from the Lebanon Conservation Commission.

Mill Road Floodplain Preserve, Lebanon, NH

The Mill Road preserve features wetlands, forest, and riparian habitats along the Mascoma River. Access comes from the discontinued Mill Road, which continues into the site; because of flooding, no formal trails have been built. However, there are plenty of small footpaths to explore along the river, and it’s also adjacent to the Northern Rail Trail. To access this property, take Exit 17 off of I-89 and onto Route 4 East for a bit over a mile. Just before the road crosses over the Mascoma River, turn left onto Mill Road. Park at the gate and walk in. Click for a location map.

Rix Ledges East, Lebanon, NH

This tract of wetlands and wildlife habitat spans a granite ridge between Etna Road and Mount Support in Lebanon. It’s a great resource close to the Upper Valley’s main population centers. There is a small footpath over a portion of this 101-acre property, and recreation is encouraged throughout the parcel.

Signal Hill, Lebanon, NH

Beautiful overlooks from old logging roads and views of Croydon Mountain, Mount Ascutney and Blueberry Hill. UVLT helped the City of Lebanon acquire and conserve this land which got its name because it was once part of the old chain of signal hills and mountains that date back to the Revolutionary War days when signal fires were lit atop the hills to indicate that the Redcoats were coming. The City posts a map, directions and more information.

Starr Hill, Lebanon, NH

Starr Hill provides a comfortable spot of nature close to several of Lebanon’s most populated areas. It was conserved and donated to the City of Lebanon through the generosity of Sid and Laurel Letter, who took out a second mortgage on their home in order to purchase the property and ensure that it has public access forever. You can read more about this remarkable act here, and find a map of the area thanks to the Lebanon Conservation.

True’s Ledges Trails, Lebanon, NH

True’s Ledges are a popular swimming hole along along a rocky gorge where True’s Brook loses some serious elevation. Protected in 1998, UVLT maintains a third of a mile of easy, but somewhat hazardous trail to reach the gorge. Click for Trail Description and Map.

Two Rivers Conservation Area, Lebanon, NH

Once the site of sand and gravel mining, this land at the confluence of the Mascoma and Connecticut Rivers is a rebounding natural area with floodplain forest and wetland. UVLT acquired the land and transferred it to the City of Lebanon in 1990. Click for More information and Map.

Clay Brook Trail, Lyme, NH

A 3-mile trail north of the village of Lyme, Clay Brook offers a trip through multiple ecosystem types as well as a view of history, from the bottom of the postglacial Lake Hitchcock, along an old Abenaki road, and through the region’s agrarian past. The wetlands host a variety of bird life, including herons and kingbirds. Click for Trail Description or Map.

Grant Brook Trail & Big Rock Trail, Lyme, NH

Several trails follow Grant Brook along its path through Lyme. The lower trail traces the stream as it winds between farmland towards the river. The middle trail passes through the Big Rock nature area just of the back of the town common. The upper trail is situated in upland forest above the waterfalls which historically hosted a tannery. Click for Lower Trail Map, middle (Big Rock Trail) Map, or Upper Trail Map.

Lyme Hill Conservation Area, Lyme, NH

The Lyme Hill Conservation Area includes land owned by UVLT and abuts a number of parcels conserved by private landowners. Trails give recreationalists the chance to traverse from route 10 near the middle of town down to the Connecticut River itself, and affords views of the river valley and into Vermont. It has quickly become one of our most popular trail areas. Click for a Map.

Pinnacle, Lyme, NH

A popular hiking and running spot, parts of the access to the Pinnacle in Lyme was conserved thanks to the generosity of two different landholders: Helen Darion and the Treadwell family. Years later, the 240 acres surrounding the already protected top of Pinnacle were conserved by Manning Rountree and Kendall Hoyt. The hilltop features an iconic abandoned chimney as well as views both across the Connecticut River into Vermont and to the Dartmouth Skiway, Smarts Mountain, and the rest of the White Mountains in New Hampshire. Directions: drive north on route 10 out of Lyme towards Orford, then turn right up Pinnacle Road once you have reached the end of Post Pond. After 2 miles, turn right on Highbridge Road. Continue over a bridge and up a steep hill. There will be a parking lot on your right. You can read more about the conservation project here and find a trail map here.

Please only use the parking lot on Highbridge Road for access to Pinnacle from this side. Please do not park on Cutting Hill Lane or along Pinnacle Road. 

Trout Pond Trail, Lyme, NH

Trout Pond was one of the UVLT’s earliest big projects, and after it was conserved it was donated to the town of Lyme. You can now visit a mild three-quarter mile trail that takes walkers and snowshoers from a class IV road to the picturesque and perfectly quiet pond below Smarts Mountain. The south side of the pond is home to a rich wetland complex, while the forest is equally fun to explore. Click for Trail Description or Map.

Mountain View Farm, Orford, NH

This 146 acres property is a mix of forest, field and water that was once part of a group of successful farms in the 1800’s in a section of Orford known as Quinttown. The reclusive Billy Brown owned the property into with 1950’s with no electricity or running water and a road that wasn’t maintained through the winter. Visiting the property is like stepping back in time with no power lines or structures visible from the land’s 360 degree panoramic view. The property boasts a small cabin and historic barn, with a trail that goes through the farm fields to the shores of Mason Pond. Trail map here. Information about the conservation project here.