Dame Forest

Length: 1.4 miles out-and-back with loop

Difficulty (click for info): Beginner

Elevation Gain: 160 feet (loop total)

Rating (click for info): 3/10

Driving Directions:
Trailhead and parking area are on Dame Road in Durham, NH. If approaching from the south, from the junction of Rts. 108 and 152 in Newmarket, drive north on Rt. 108 and turn right onto Bay Road. Continue 4.3 miles and take a left onto Dame Road. If approaching from the north, take Rt. 108 0.4 miles south from Main Street in Durham and turn left onto Durham Point Road. After 3.4 miles, turn right onto Dame Road. One mile down this road, park at the point where the Sweet Trail crosses the road, and there is a Forest Society property sign. There is very limited parking on the roadside here, so if you cannot find enough space, continue half a mile to a parking area on the left, where you can walk 0.6 miles on the Sweet Trail or back along the road to the Dame Forest. Click here for a Google map.

Trail map

About the Hike:
The Forest Society's Dame Forest is one of many conservation parcels around the popular Cy and Bobby Sweet Trail, which stretches four miles through the seacoast forest near Great Bay. Located around the northern end of the trail, the property provides nice walking trails with views of several marshes. From the Sweet Trail crossing and property sign, hike north into the Dame Forest. The path dips to cross a small brook, then leads uphill a bit and swings right at 0.15 miles. The trail continues 0.2 miles to a trail junction, where a loop diverges to the right. Straight through the junction on the Sweet Trail, a path on the left leads 350 feet down to the edge of the most extensive marsh on the property. If you continue on the Sweet Trail, the path leads a quarter mile up and over a small hill to cross Crommet Creek at the outlet of the marsh. The trail leads along the brook and reaches a four-way junction. The Sweet Trail turns left and leads up to class 6 Longmarsh Road, as does another path straight ahead, but you can turn right, back across the creek, and follow the loop path along the shore of another marsh for 0.3 miles back to the junction.

Printable directions page