| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Great Bay (Durham), NH |
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 | Trails: |
Sweet Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, July 6, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parking lot on north end (Longmarsh Rd, Durham) has a rough parking area for not more than a half dozen cars, if that. The main spots were filled so we backed in alongside the trailhead. Some construction vehicles along the road doing work that moved for us. The road is dirt but doable for any vehicle. The parking on the south side is at Lubberland Creek Preserve (Bay Rd, Newmarket) is a little larger and can hold a little more than a half dozen cars. We were probably the fourth or fifth. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
A couple very minor rock hops. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The trail is well marked by nature conservancy diamonds with arrows on them. There is an unsigned loop on the northern side of the trail that is marked with blue diamonds so make sure not to diverge on that unintentionally (due to its placement it would be quite easy to if heading from north to south). The Jeff’s Hill Loop and Channel Loop form a confusing little mess of trails but are well signed. The trail is marked along the road and has signs where it enters/exits the road. There were a few large widowmakers way overhead that we noticed but not much else I’m recalling. Probably some stepovers and others I’m forgetting about. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Dogs are not usually allowed on nature conservancy trails but they make an exception for this one SO LONG AS THEY ARE LEASHED. They are even kind enough to provide leashes at a few spots and allow you to leave them at the opposite end of the trail. It’s a great trail for any dog. I think we just saw one. |
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 | Bugs: |
Mosquitos tend to be nasty of this trail particularly on the Great Bay/Newmarket side. We used bug spray. We could hear lots of buzzing by the dirt area that leads to the boardwalk around the halfway point near the parking lot on Dame Rd (don’t get this confused with where the trail actually crosses Dame Rd or travels with it - two separate points) so there may be a bunch of ground bees or a nest nearby. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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 | Comments: |
A great local hike. Never too busy and while locals do use it, there seem to be a lot of out-of-state plates as well. Little and Great Bay is a real gem. I highly recommend you check out this hike described in the southern New Hampshire trail guide.
The trail was mostly dry with a few muddy spots and just one or two with more severe mud to avoid. We skipped the Jeff’s Hill Loop and stuck to the true trail which passes by dozens of wetlands. Not too many herons today but spotted some turtles, heard lots of frogs, saw many beaver and muskrat lodges, and the highlight of the day was seeing a northern water snack that looked to have recently had a meal! |
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 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
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 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-07-08 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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