Cherry Pond and Little Cherry Pond

• Start at the Pondicherry Rail Trail parking area along Airport Road in Whitefield.
• Follow the trail straight ahead for 1.4 miles to Waumbek Junction where the Presidential Range Rail Trail goes off to the right.
• Continue straight ahead through the junction and cross Johns River on a railroad bridge. Optionally, you can first turn right onto the Presidential Range Rail Trail which will bring you to the Tudor Richards viewing platform on the left, after only about 0.1 mile, where there are great views of the pond and mountains (and then retrace your steps back to this point).
• After crossing Johns River you will be on the active New Hampshire Central Railroad tracks. Stay to the right edge of the tracks.
• Turn right onto Shore Path, about 0.05 mile after Waumbek Junction.
• Follow Shore Path for 0.15 mile along the edge of Cherry Pond. When you reach the shore at a T-junction, first take a short detour to the right for more shoreline views. Then retrace your steps and continue straight through the junction in order to explore the rest of Shore Path.
• At the end of Shore Path you will be back at the New Hampshire Central Railroad tracks, a bit farther along from where you left it. At this point will be wide-open views of Cherry Pond and the mountains beyond it.
• Continue another 0.15 mile along the edge of the tracks, then cross the tracks to pick up Little Cherry Pond Trail which turns left (where another trail turns right). Or, for more shore views, walk past the open area, then immediately take a right onto Rampart Path. Walk for about 0.1 mile, then turn left in order to get back to the railroad tracks opposite from where Little Cherry Pond Trail starts (or keep following the trail until the shore views run out, then retrace your steps back to the turn that leads to the tracks).
• Little Cherry Pond Trail makes sort of a loop (with a spur on each end) leading to Little Cherry Pond.
• Go 0.2 mile to the upper trail split, then bear left at a small arrow.
• After 0.4 mile you will reach the lower loop junction.
• Bear left and follow the path for 0.1 mile where it ends at the shore of Little Cherry Pond at a small viewing platform with a bench.
• After enjoying the pond, retrace your steps for 0.1 mile back to the lower loop split and turn left at an arrow in order to return via the other leg of the loop.
• After 0.3 mile you will be back to the upper loop junction.
• Bear left and walk 0.2 mile to return to the New Hampshire Central Railroad tracks.
• For the return trip, turn right and walk for 0.3 mile along the tracks, back to Waumbeck Junction. Keep going straight on Pondicherry Rail Trail for another 1.4 miles to reach the parking area on Airport Road.

• From Whitefield's village center, follow Rt. 116 East.
• After 1.7 miles, turn right onto Hazen Road (also marked by an airport sign).
• After 1.3 miles, turn left onto Airport Road.
• Travel another 1.4 miles and the trailhead parking area will be located on the north side of the road in Whitefield, across the street from a biomass plant which is on the right.
• To access the parking area, go over a one lane bridge and there's a parking area on the right, right after the bridge.
• The trail is straight ahead from the bridge.

Website by LeapfrogProgramming.com

© 1998-2009

The information on this site may freely be used for personal purposes but may not be replicated on other websites or publications. If you want to reference some content on this site, please link to us.