Plaistow Town Forest NH

• 3-star hike
• 1 to 9 mile options
• Easy | Gain 50 to 600 feet
• Plaistow, NH | Seacoast Region
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The image shows a small, rustic wooden covered bridge in a forested area. The bridge spans a dry creek bed filled with rocks and is surrounded by dense greenery and tall trees. The structure of the bridge is simple, with a slanted roof and wooden railings.

Located between the towns of Plaistow and Hampstead, the Plaistow Town Forest provides more trails per square foot than any we've previously come across, which makes it easy to find a loop trail of any length. We chose a perimeter forest hike as a challenge, and to get the best understanding of what the park to offer.

The forest is a great example of New Hampshire hiking; a woodland hike with 80-90 per cent shade, featuring ponds, small hills, a boardwalk section and a covered trail bridge. The trails themselves are pleasant by being not too rocky. Trail markings however are sporadic, so wayfinding can be a challenge; particularly since this park is a rats' nest of trails. Theses paths feel random to us, rather than being not dictated by terrain - so we had to work the map hard to stay on a planned route.

Trail Options Expand KML · Google Earth ·

⬤ 3★ Plaistow Town Forest Perimeter 1-9 mi options, easy, gain 50-600 ft
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions GPX?

We've linked below to the town website which includes a PDF map that unfortunately isn't a comprehensive guide to the trails in the forest. As you might expect from its name, for the best map of all the trails you'll do much better with the AllTrails app. Trailspotting's map at least includes the park perimeter and trailheads, so you'll always be able to find your way back to your starting point.

In retrospect our perimeter hike was longer than we needed to do to get the most out of the area - particularly all the switchbacks in the South end of the park which cover the same terrain multiple times. Much more fun for the occasional mountain bike, with which you'll be sharing some of the trails.

The image shows a wooden boardwalk trail winding through a dense forest. The trail is surrounded by tall trees and lush green foliage, with some fallen leaves scattered on the ground and the boardwalk. A faint rainbow effect is visible in the middle of the image, likely caused by sunlight filtering through the trees.

Surprise lens rainbow on the boardwalk trail, near Noyce Rock.

Tangents:
• Official Plaistow Conservation Commission
• Public Map at AllTrails: Plaistow Town Forest
• Facebook Group: Comment, Follow Us

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