Walking, hiking, and skiing
Trails and hikes
Three marked trails lead from the farm into the woods and along Sanborn Pond. Walk them whenever the farm is open to visitors, or join a guided hike.
The trails
Choose a trail
The three trails add up to about two miles. Take the short loop past the dam, walk along Sanborn Pond, or head into the woods to the Farm Overlook.
The Primary Trail
A route through the farm’s woods to the Farm Overlook, good for an easy hike from spring to fall. In winter it becomes a cross-country ski trail.
The Sanborn Pond Trail
Quiet walking along the edge of Sanborn Pond, with several viewpoints across the water.
The Grist Mill Trail Loop
A short loop with viewpoints over the dam and Sanborn Pond.
The Red House Campus Link, a 940-foot path, connects the Grist Mill Trail Loop to the Red House, a late-1700s cape saved in Maine and raised here in 1998.
Trail map
Find your way
With a guide
Guided hikes
A guided hike is a good way to get to know the trails. The farm leads group hikes through the year, including guided trail events in winter, and each one goes on the event calendar with the date and the details.
Upcoming hikes appear below as soon as they are scheduled. To hear about new dates first, sign up for the farm’s newsletter.
No guided hikes are scheduled right now. Sign up for the newsletter to hear about new dates first.
Before you go
Good to know
- The trails are open during the farm’s visiting hours, and there’s no need to check in. Outside the visiting season, watch the calendar for guided winter trail events.
- Park in visitor parking, not at the trailheads. The trails start from several points around the campus, and the map shows where.
- Please keep out of the hayfield during the growing season, from May to October.
- This is a working forest. If you meet a logging crew or a team of oxen, give them plenty of room.
- Hunters use the woods around the farm during New Hampshire’s hunting seasons, mostly from September to mid-December. In those months, wear blaze orange on the trails, and put some orange on your dog as well.
- Stay on the marked trails, and keep off the dams.
- Ticks are common in New Hampshire from spring through fall. Wear long pants, stay on the trails, and check yourself for ticks after your walk. Tick Free NH has more advice.
- Dogs are welcome on a leash. Please clean up after them, and keep them out of the buildings, where only service animals may go.