New Trail Sections in Pittsburg, New Hampshire

New trails opened up in Pittsburg in the fall of 2009 and the summer of 2010 ~ From the Idlewilde Road all the way to the Camp Otter Road, it's No More Road Walking!  Yeah!!!!  From Deer Mountain Campground there's a trail called the Black Cat Trail that should be approved this spring but for the timebeing you'll either have to follow the flagging through the woods (good luck!) or walk Route 3 south approximately 4.4 miles to the Idlewilde Road on your left.  Walk a few hundred feet on the Idlewilde Road and take a right at the trailhead to Idlewilde Spur.  This short .3 mile section brings you out to the 2nd Connecticut Lake Dam where you can enjoy the bench on the point, do a bit of fishing, or take a quick dip before heading south across the parking area to the trailhead of The Falls in The River Trail. 

The Falls in The River Trail pretty much follows within sight of the Connecticut River for most of the way with several spurs to the river for those carrying their fly rods.  Cross the Dry Brook area on new bog-bridging and the trail takes you to the flume-like falls in approximately 1.5 miles from the dam. 

Continue south after enjoying the lunch rocks for half a mile crossing the new 28' footbridge over Big Brook.  At the next junction, you can either bail out at mile marker 232.0 on Route 3 (right turn on trail) or take a left onto The Moose Alley Trail.

The Moose Alley Trail runs approximately 1.6 miles to the Magalloway Road where you'll cross the road onto the Camp Otter Trail. 

The Camp Otter Trail was the scene of the fabulous Untamed New England Adventure Racing Conservation Project where each of the teams helped to build 400 plus feet of bog-bridging over one of the soggiest, boggiest areas on the trail.  The bog-bridge topped out at over 800 feet when complete.  I wonder if that's any kind of a record?

Shortly after stepping off the last log of that span, the trail takes a sharp left staying in the woods before breaking out onto a grassy abandoned skidder road.  The trail turns into a narrower path and eventually dumps out onto the Camp Otter Road.  Take a right and bear right at all junctions, coming back out onto Route 3. 

Turn left and follow Rt. 3 to the River Road.