| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Osgood Hill, Blacktop, Hurd Hill, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Brickyard Road, Wheeler Trail, Osgood Hill Link Trail, Kulish Ledge Trail, Ridge Trail, Hurd Hill Trail, Ethan's Way |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, July 28, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
After hiking the Bailey Brook loop, I drover over to Old Homestead Ln. Seeing that it's a private road, I drove over to Brickyard Rd and started there instead. All the roads into these trailheads are dirt but are residential and in excellent shape for any vehicle. The parking area had room for maybe around a dozen cars and I was the only one there at 7:15 and 10pm. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
I don't think there were any that were unbridged. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
I know there were a few blowdowns but I forget where. Nothing cumbersome. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Good trails for dogs. The Partridge Woods Trails brochure says that dogs must be kept under your control at all times but a sign over by Bailey Brook Trail I thought explicitly asked that they be leashed. |
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 | Bugs: |
They seemed a little less aggressive here than they did at Bailey Brook but I was moving pretty quick. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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 | Comments: |
Many of the trails, especially when footpaths and not roads such as Ridge Trail, but the roads too, are overgrown. Signage was intact, and the trails are well blazed (Kulish Ledge, Hurd, Wheeler, and Bailey Brook trails in yellow, Link and Holt trails and Ethan's Way in blue, and Ridge Trail in orange.
After finding Homestead Ln closed (I remembered something about this area changing but this was a spur of the moment hike and I didn't have service to check) I drove over here instead, and, after taking a look at the brochures provided at the trailheads, saw the host of new trails. In the end, I decided to make my hike much longer than originally planned and hiked out in the dark to hike ALL the trails now here. My route: Road Walk/Brickyard Rd --> Wheeler Trail --> Osgood Hill Link Trail --> Kulish Ledge Trail to summit --> Ridge Trail --> OAB on Wheeler Trail to Osgood Hill Link Trail --> OAB on Wheeler Trail to old parking area on Homestead Ln (**SEE NOTES BELOW**) --> Ridge Trail --> Hurd Hill Trail --> OAB on Ethan's Way to Wheeler Trail --> Ethan's Trail back to car.
While I hiked Wheeler Trail out to Homestead Ln since that's how it's described in the guidebook and I didn't see any posted land, it seems that the landowner intentionally closed not just the parking area but the trail as well so even though this is not posted, I would not hike Wheeler Trail west of Ridge Trail anymore. The trails were dry, pleasant, but often overgrown. There's a brand spanking new register at the summit of Osgood Hill. The other two summits have signs as well. There seemed to be a couple restricted viewpoints but I also may have missed some things being in the dark for a good chunk of this hike. Gaia had me at 7.7mi, 1125ft of gain, 2hr40min. |
|
 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
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 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-07-29 |
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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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