Discover Alexandria

Alexandria lies on the shores of Newfound Lake; around 60 acres of the lake are within the town limits. Wetlands, woodland trails and scenic viewpoints add to this natural landscape. If you’re looking for hotels in Alexandria, the area’s varied landscapes and trail types can help you choose a destination that suits your interests.

Lake and Wetlands

Alexandria Bog is the town’s largest and most diverse wetland complex. It is also an exceptionally rich and productive wildlife habitat and serves as a natural water filter. This area is therefore notable for both its wildlife and its ecological function. For a nature-focused stay, this offers a different emphasis than planning a route: the bog is about habitat and filtration, not a particular trail length.

Trails in Alexandria Town Forest

Alexandria Town Forest covers 55 acres and is managed by the Alexandria Conservation Commission for recreation and wildlife protection. A 2021 report on trail work names the Hutchins Hill, Stonewall, Pitman and Boundary Trails. Information about the named trails may change with future trail management.

Management for recreation and wildlife protection gives Town Forest two explicitly named priorities. The named trails give the network a concrete form, without their names alone indicating anything about trail length or hike duration. Those weighing different nature experiences can therefore consider Town Forest as a destination in its own right, with named trails; Alexandria Bog, by contrast, is especially known for its wetlands and habitat.

Hiking Around Cardigan

The Cardigan trails offer a variety of route types and uses. The Upper and Lower Nature Trails form a one-mile loop through the forests of Cardigan State Forest. Interpretive signs and opportunities for wildlife viewing are also part of the trail description. The Cardigan All Persons Trail is one mile long and is an out-and-back route. It is accessible from the Cardigan Lodge parking lot and can be used by wheelchair users, hikers with mobility aids and families with strollers.

Both trails are described as one mile long, but they follow different routes: the Nature Trails form a loop, while the All Persons Trail is an out-and-back route. This difference is useful for planning, in addition to their shared length. Guests at Cardigan Lodge have direct access to more than 50 miles of hiking trails and historic ski trails built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Views and Wildlife Viewing

From Mount Cardigan, the 360-degree panorama stretches to Mount Monadnock, the White Mountains, Camel’s Hump in Vermont and Pleasant Mountain in Maine. The view takes in named landscapes in several directions and states, while the trails focus on a specific route type or wildlife viewing.

The Sugarloaf and Goose Pond trail network offers opportunities for wildlife viewing. The two-mile Goose Pond Loop lists waterfowl and beavers as possible sightings. Seasonal access and sightings may vary. Compared with the Cardigan trails, this is a longer loop with a specific focus on wildlife viewing; actual sightings depend on seasonal conditions.

Discover more destinations: Hanover, Plymouth, Lincoln, Franconia, Thornton, Woodstock, Lebanon, Bethlehem

For the broader travel overview: Grafton.