Not willing to be overshadowed by famous challenges like the AMC's 4000-footers, the Society for the Protection of NH Forests offered
up its own personal entry into the canon of New Hampshire hiking lists in 2017. Calling it the "Forest Reservation Challenge", they compiled
a list of 33 of their favorite publicly promoted conservation properties in all regions of New Hampshire in an effort to attract visitors to
some of their lesser-known reservations, in which there are found many scenic gems. The society will award a patch to finishers of the list,
who can earn it in one of two ways. The classic method to earn the patch is to simply visit all the properties on the list, while a second
and more family-oriented way is to visit all properties in any one of NH's seven scenic regions and answer trivia-style questions about each
one. In actuality, the entire concept of the list is family friendly; unlike most hiking challenges, where you must reach a summit in order
to log a visit, the "FRC" requires you only to capture a photo of yourself on a specified location on the property. In most cases, this
location is merely the signpost welcoming you to the reservation (or another feature at a trailhead), giving you the option to choose the level
of exploration you will devote to each one. Many of the properties do have multiple points of interest worth visitng, and the amount of time
and effort you spend at each one will depend on your own preferences of what you want to see. You may also notice that several properties are
most notable for a feature that is not associated with the Forest Society; these include Mt. Monadnock, Lost River, The Rocks Estate, and
Black Mountain. Occasionally this means that our recommended hike for a property will include some features that are outside the property
itself. However you choose to explore this list, you are sure to discover some local gems that most haven't. We guarantee you will be
impressed by the northern beauty of the Kauffmann Forest, the pristine solace of Grafton Pond, the expansive lake vista from the Morse Preserve,
and many others.
You can find all of the Forest Society's featured properties here on NH Family Hikes, but you will find them grouped
in a neater arrangement on this page. In addition to our suggestions on how to get started with your quest, you will find a table with
information on each property. Click on a row in the table to visit our guide for our recommended hike on that particular property.
This is by no means a complete reference, but we think it's a suitable reference for beginners. Please note there exist a variety of
options for exploring each property, but we present our one recommended route and destination(s) for each one.
Since the Forest Reservation Challenge is unique in that it has such loose requirements for visiting each property, the amount of time it takes you to finish the list will depend on how much time you want to spend to finish the list. The majority of the properties on the list have much for visitors to discover, and you have your choice of checking off multiple properties in one trip or getting a fuller experience from just one or two in a day. Do some research ahead of time to decide which properties look most interesting and worth exploring completely to you.
Please visit the SPNHF website for information about how to receive your achievement patch when you finish. Don't forget that you are required to submit specific images from each property, so download their spreadsheet and make note of what is required at each one.
The following table lists route statistics for each of our selected hikes within the forest reservations. As previously stated, it is not necessary to follow these exact routes to qualify for visiting it on the FRC. Consult the Forest Society website to find other options for exploring each one. Difficulty listed here is subjective and relative to this set of hikes; it is not a general classification. Click on any row to view our guide for that hike.
| Name | Town | Round-trip Distance | Elevation Gain | Difficulty | Special/Unique Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashuelot River Headwaters Forest | Lempster | 1.2 mi | 550 feet | Medium | Scenic grassy ledges. Panoramic views. |
| Bockes Memorial Forest | Hudson/Londonderry | 0.5 mi | 0 feet | Easier | Small forest tract in developed area. |
| Bretzfelder Park | Bethlehem | 0.4 mi | 60 feet | Easier | Great for picnicking. |
| Buxton Forest/Simons Preserve | Weare | 3.2 mi | 500 feet | Medium | Clearing with views of the White Mountains. Extensive wetlands. |
| Champlin Forest | Rochester | 2.5 miles | 120 feet | Easier | Two former dam sites. Old quarry. |
| Creek Farm | Portsmouth | 1.5 mi | 0 feet | Easier | Pretty seaside scenes. Historical sites. Variety of forest scenery. |
| Cockermouth Forest | Groton | 4.1 mi | 1400 feet | Harder | Historic old roads and farm sites. Several excellent ledge viewpoints. |
| Cooper Cedar Woods | New Durham | 0.7 mi | 0 feet | Easier | Boardwalk exploring cedar swamp environment. |
| Dame Forest | Durham | 0.9 mi | 120 feet | Easier | Several marshes. |
| Dana Forest | Dalton | 2.4 mi | 200 feet | Easier | Historic gold mine. Beautiful spruce forest. |
| Gap Mountain Reservation | Jaffrey/Troy | 3.2 mi | 700 feet | Medium | Blueberry-filled fields. Up-close view of Mt. Monadnock. |
| Grafton Pond Reservation | Grafton | 0.6 mi | 40 feet | Easier | Undeveloped lake with mountain views. |
| Hay Reservation | Newbury | 1.8 mi | 550 feet | Easier | Nice forested ledges with lake view. |
| Heald Tract | Wilton/Temple | 1.7 mi | 0 feet | Easier | Tranquil pond. |
| High Five Reservation | Deering | 0.7 mi | 100 feet | Easier | Open grassy hilltop with wide views. |
| High Watch Preserve | Effingham | 3.6 mi | 1370 feet | Harder | Panoramic views from fire tower. |
| Hutchins Forest | Canterbury | 1.5 mi | 0 feet | Easier | Quiet forest walk along a brook. |
| Kauffmann Forest | Stark | 4.8 mi | 1090 feet | Harder | Ledge views in two directions. Beautiful lake. Northern forest scenery. |
| Kingsbury Timber-Chippewa Trail Lot | Benton | 3.6 mi | 1730 feet | Harder | Historic lime kilns. Many excellent ledge viewpoints. |
| Lost River Reservation | Woodstock | 1.7 mi | 880 mi | Harder | Wide view of Kinsman Notch. Interesting forest fire regrowth environment. |
| Madame Sherri Forest | Chesterfield | 4.3 mi | 950 feet | Medium | Interesting forested cliffs. Pastoral views of Connecticut River. Pleasant pond. |
| McCabe Forest | Antrim | 2 mi | 0 feet | Easier | Peaceful scenes on the banks of the Contoocook River. |
| Merrimack River Conservation Area | Concord | 1.5 miles | 0 feet | Easier | Peaceful scenes along the Merrimack River. Pretty silver maple grove |
| Merriman Forest | Sandwich | 1.3 mi | 650 feet | Medium | Steep rocky terrain. Wide lake views from ledge. |
| Monadnock Reservation | Jaffrey/Dublin | 5.6 mi | 1700 feet | Harder | Historic road. Spring. Far-reaching views from many viewpoints. Huge expanse of ledges. 3rd most hiked mountain in the world. |
| Monson Center | Milford/Hollis | 2.3 mi | 220 feet | Easier | Cellar holes and historical sites from 18th-centure colony. |
| Moose Mountains Reservation | Middleton/Brookfield | 3.6 mi | 1100 feet | Medium | Loop hike with two low, rocky viewpoints. Scenic forests and boulders. Historic farm site. |
| Morse Preserve | Alton | 1.3 mi | 300 feet | Easier | Open grassy environment. Exceptional views of Lake Winnipesaukee. |
| Reney Forest | Grantham | 1.3 mi | 350 feet | Medium | Woods roads and snowmobile trail. |
| The Rocks Estate | Bethlehem | 0.8 mi | 50 feet | Easier | Historic Christmas tree farm. Beautiful mountain views. |
| Washburn Forest | Clarksville | 0.7 mi | 0 feet | Easier | Scenic spot on the bank of the Connecticut River. |
| Weeks Woods | Gilford | 1.8 mi | 250 feet | Easier | Logging activity. View from open field. |
| Welch Family Farm and Forest | Hancock | 0.9 mi | 100 feet | Easier | Historic farm site. |