The 59-acre Smith Pond Bog Wildlife Sanctuary, owned and managed by New Hampshire Audubon, is made up of a diverse mosaic of wetland habitats surrounding Smith Pond.

This kettle hole pond, named for James Smith who settled nearby in 1765, covers almost eight acres. A kettle hole pond is created when a block of ice, buried in soil left behind by a retreating glacier, eventually melts and creates a deep, steep-sided pond.

Smith Pond Bog is open throughout the year during daylight hours. Although the trails are not currently maintained because of beaver activity, walkers can view the pond from the adjacent Beyer Property where an old logging road leads to a view the bog. The sanctuary’s primary purpose is to protect vital habitat for wildlife and plant life.

Directions: From Hopkinton Village, proceed 1/4 mile west on Route 9/202, across from Gage Hill Road.

The Rollins property, 48 acres on the north side of Penacook Road, just west of the junction with Gould Hill Road, has partly open fields that provide a view toward Mount Kearsarge. The view was one of the reasons the town voted to purchase the property in 2004 with money from the Open Space bond.

The property also has frontage on Little Tooky Road, where a trailhead and small parking area (.2 miles down Little Tooky Road) provides access to the one-mile Little Tooky Trail, and includes a section on the historic Concord-Clarement Railroad line.

The town has conveyed a conservation easement on the property to Five Rivers Conservation Trust.

Mast Yard State Forest lies in the northwest corner of Concord and northeast corner of Hopkinton, and provides 5 miles of interconnected trails that wind through shady forest and provide scenic views of Dolf Brook and the Contoocook River. The trails are open to hiking, mountain biking and cross-country skiing. Some trail sections follow former railroad grade, making them fairly flat, while others traverse slightly hillier terrain.

Distance: About 5 miles total; hiking travel time: about two hours

Directions: Take Broad Cove Road from Briar Hill Road. After passing under the powerlines, there is an opening on the left and a small area to park your car. Step over the large log to begin your walk.

This lovely lake, approximately 28 acres in size, has adjoining cabins and hiking trails and is located at 185 Main Street in Hopkinton. Residents are encouraged to use this area for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, hiking, mountain biking, fishing and canoeing/kayaking.

A nature walk is also available. The trail begins at the end of the gravel road, which is adjacent to the main cabin. This woodland trail follows the shore of Kimball Lake and offers two options for walkers. The shorter route loops back to the lake while the longer route connects to South Road via New Road, an unmaintained town road. From there it’s an easy walk down Hopkinton’s Main Street back to Kimball Lake. Alternatively, turn left on Main Street and walk to Old Putney Hill Road to join the Hopkinton Village Greenway, a 4.5 mile loop that connects the Kimball Lake trails to the trails at Ransmeier Woods and Hawthorne Forest.

Directions:
Located at 185 Main Street in Hopkinton Village; accessed via the gravel road next to Kimball Lake. Parking is available at the main log cabin.

Walking times:
Short yellow loop: 10 minutes; yellow trail from cabins to New Road: 20 minutes