Hike the Harris Center

Hike the Harris Center's West Side Trails and you might just see frogs, salamanders or even a dragon. A short ascent of the Harriskat Trail from the parking area next to the center leads curious hikers to a series of trailside wooden, in situ carvings. These include a life-sized snake and Great Horned Owl, an oversized Spotted Salamander and Wood Frog and a miniature dragon head carved out of a fallen maple – perfectly situated at eye-level for the smallest hikers. Just half a mile in, this lovely trail through old oak and pine forests is already a destination for all ages. For others, this is just the gateway to a loop trail that showcases stunning mountain views, a pristine pond and features classic White Mountains hiking for just a fraction of the driving time and elevation gain. Perhaps no landmarks define the Harris Center better than the twin summits of Skatutakee Mountain and Thumb Mountain in Hancock. Connected by a mile-long spruce ridgeline and containing old forests not cut or grazed in generations, this large parcel was thoughtfully set aside as conservation land by the Harris Center's founder, Eleanor Briggs. Through her foresight and that of the Harris Center's leadership, this ecologically important, high-elevation forest was permanently protected from development pressures. Moreover, it was kept open to the public for hiking, snowshoeing and wildlife viewing. Today, this trail system is the Harris Center's most popular (and a less-crowded alternative to Mount Monadnock) for leaf peeping, exercise and immersion into nature. Sections of the West Side Trails contain some of the oldest forest types you'll find in the region. A 1.65-mile ascent to the summit of Skatutakee traverses Northern Red Oak and Eastern White Pine forests, and northern hardwoods containing legacy trees – large specimens of American Beech, Yellow Birch, White Ash and others. Ascending clockwise along the Harriskat Trail, bear left at the first trail junction to climb Skatutakee Mountain, at 1,998 feet, the slightly higher summit. Sentinel Red Spruces – the region's highest-elevation dominant tree species – hint of the summit as one climbs steadily, but gradually. These isolated specimens increase in number and eventually give way to a fully spruce-dominated canopy, giving this summit the classic northern forest feel of the White Mountains at just half the elevation. Unlike in the Whites, where the land is higher overall, spruce is typically limited to the mountaintops and higher elevations in southern New Hampshire. There's more to admire than just trees. Glacial boulders, large and small, dot the forest floor, and a boulder train crosses the trail at the one-mile mark. Stone walls tell of a time gone by when sheep pastures dominated even the higher terrain. Old blueberry bushes, thick mats of juniper and an open-growing pasture tree or two are the only other evidence of these bygone days. Trails and viewsheds don't maintain themselves, though, and with nearly five miles of trails, the West Side Trails require periodic maintenance. Earlier this month, the Harris Center worked with a conservation crew from the Student Conservation Association – NH Conservation Corps. This six-member team worked on Harris Center trails and viewshed maintenance, clearing several years of growth from both summits – just in time for hikers to admire the fall foliage and witness hawk migration. While working here with chainsaws and hand tools during mid-September, the crew and I paused long enough to admire a 'kettle' of 50 Broad-winged Hawks catching a thermal directly overhead before continuing south on their migratory journey. From the summit of Skatutakee, the northern part of the Wapack Ridge (Pack Monadnock and North Pack) are prominent in the east, and further north looms Crotched Mountain. A narrow view cut maintained by Harris Center volunteers showcases Hancock's Norway Pond and the tall steeple that defines Main Street. Take a picnic lunch on one of the small ledge outcrops, or perhaps save it for Thumb Mountain. To continue there, bear right onto the Thumbs Up Trail. This mile-long trail is dominated by some of the largest expanses of spruce around, giving the air a sweet smell and diffusing the breeze through its fine needles, imparting a sound and a feel that cannot be replicated by other tree species. Slope, soil types and management history all influence forest composition, and the diversity along this ridge keeps the hike interesting. As the forest canopy changes, carpets of clubmosses give way to patches of ferns, and eventually, a small buttonbush-dominated swamp. Bear left at the 90-degree junction to a short, but steep, ascent of Thumb Mountain and its million-dollar view of Monadnock. The return trip via the Thumbs Down Trail and back to Harriskat is just as interesting and includes Jack's Pond – a story for another time. No two hikes are the same if you stay curious, and there are endless mysteries in the natural world to unfold. One doesn't need to look far to discover them. Phil Brown is Bird Conservation Director and Land Specialist at the Harris Center for Conservation Education. Explore the Harris Center's trails at https://harriscenter.org/trails-grounds-facilities/trails or join one of the several guided hikes in the region this fall. Visit https://harriscenter.org/events for details. The Harris Center encourages you to hike responsibly. Visit https://hikesafe.com/.