List of Hopkinton’s Conserved Lands

The Bermuda Harris property is 40 acres in Hopkinton and 70 acres in Warner. Road access is on the north side of Bound Tree Road, west of Pleasant Lake Road. An old woods road leads into the property, but parking is extremely limited.

The 14-acre Beyer property was purchased by the town in 2004 with funds from the Open Space Bond. The property abuts Smith Pond Bog and provides parking for its trails (currently unusable due to beaver activity).

This large, privately owned, working dairy farm has a conservation easement protecting its agricultural fields and working forests. The farmers welcome public use of their network of trails, farm roads and river frontage.

The trail on the marshy John Brockway Nature Preserve is short but compensates with handsome views across the old mill pond and lots of birdlife. The property is jointly managed by NH Audubon and our Conservation Commission.

The Carson property abuts the town-owned Brockway Preserve and is managed as part of that parcel. The parcel’s many streams and wet areas are not conducive to development of a trail system, but do help to protect downstream water quality.

At approximately 660 acres, the Samuel Myron Chase Wildlife Sanctuary is currently the third-largest Audubon sanctuary in New Hampshire. Its relatively large size compasses an excellent diversity of wildlife habitats.

The Contoocook Overlook trail (an extension of the Blackwater River Loop) provides access to Horne Town Forest, a 14-acre parcel surrounded by Bohanan Farm at the confluence of the Blackwater and Contoocook Rivers.

Hopkinton-Everett Lakes/Elm Brook Park is a multiple use facility that provides recreational opportunities for visitors to the 10,000-acre project. Hunting, fishing and hiking are just some of the activities enjoyed here.

This 111-acre forest is located close to the center of Hopkinton Village, yet the well-used hiking trail has a wild and remote feeling as it passes through thick hemlock groves and a steep gorge. The trails connect to the Hopkinton Village Greenway.

The Greenway is 4.5 miles of walking trails, connecting town forests and conservation lands and offers a unique opportunity for walkers of all ages to experience the natural lands that lie within a short distance of the Village center.

Houston Fields, located off of Pine St. behind Hopkinton’s Town Library and Senior Center, is the gemstone of the town’s recreation facilities. It is the home for most town-sponsored team recreation activities.

The Hopkinton Conservation Commission collaborated with Five Rivers Conservation Trust in 2019 to permanently protect this 55-acre farm field in the center of Contoocook Village, located behind Dimitri’s restaurant and Colonial Plaza.

This lovely lake, approximately 28 acres in size at 185 Main Street, is used for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, hiking, mountain biking, fishing and canoeing/kayaking. A nature walk is also available, part of the Village Greenway.

Mast Yard State Forest lies in the northwest corner of Concord and northeast corner of Hopkinton, and provides five miles of interconnected trails that wind through shady forest and provide scenic views of Dolf Brook and the Contoocook River.

From Putney Hill Road, near the intersection with Old Putney Hill Road, there are several trails that provide links to other trails and/or low-traffic roads with good walking terrain. Putney Hill is located at the geographic center of Hopkinton.

The 68-acre Ransmeier Woods property has two trails, offering both a field and woodland hiking experience within just a short drive of Hopkinton Village. The trails connect to the Hopkinton Village Greenway from the longer loop trail.

The Rice property, with 200 acres and 1475 feet of frontage on the Contoocook River, was purchased by the town with money from the Open Space Bond. This large parcel, with its extensive river frontage, provides good habitat for a variety of wildlife.

Riverway Park, located in the center of Contoocook Village, provides river access for kayaks, canoes and rowboats. During warmer months the park is the site of a Saturday morning Farmer’s Market and musical events in the Lewellen Bandstand.

The Rollins property is 48 acres on the north side of Penacook Road, just west of the junction with Gould Hill Road, of partly open fields that provide a view toward Mount Kearsarge.

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.

The Stevens Rail Trail is a former railroad bed now used as a two mile multi-purpose trail. The rail trail is accessed from the parking area behind the Hopkinton Library.

The Sweatt Preserve Nature Trail, a great one for kids, is located alongside Old Stagecoach Road near Hopkinton Village, a dirt road that rises from Briar Hill Road up to Gould Hill.