Parks & Recreation


Spanning both the Souhegan Watershed and Monadnock Mountain regions, the Souhegan Valley is full of outdoor adventures, and has its share of natural resources including the river, lakes, ponds and countless miles of trails and hiking.

Amherst: Recreational facilities are plentiful in Amherst. There are athletic fields, four golf courses, tennis courts, a disc golf course and an outdoor skating rink. For boating and swimming, residents enjoy Baboosic Lake. Hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country ski trails are located throughout the town in town forests and at the Peabody Mill Environmental Center, an environmental and science education center which abuts almost 600 acres of Joe English conservation land.

Brookline: Residents enjoy local natural resources such as the Talbot-Taylor Wildlife Sanctuary, Nissitissit River, Beaver Brook, and Lake Potanipo.

Greenville: The town offers many conservation, hiking, swimming, boating and fishing areas. 200 acres of land donated by the Taft brothers to New Hampshire Fish and Game provide significant frontage on the Souhegan. It is an excellent site for fishing and wildlife observation. Greenville also has a town-owned pool.

Hollis: Due to a conservation-minded community spirit, Hollis’ own backyard is a great recreational resource for the region. Silver Lake offers swimming and the town forest and conservation lands offer equestrian, hiking and cross-country skiing trails that are well maintained. Nearly 2,000 acres in Hollis and neighboring Brookline are owned by Beaver Brook Association, an educational corporation that offers more than 500 natural science programs yearly. It also manages the land and makes it available for hiking, skiing, equestrian activities and more.

Lyndeborough: Favorite hiking areas in Lyndeborough are Curtis Dogwood State Forest, a 14-acre area owned by the state, and Purgatory Falls. Cross country skiing and snowshoeing are popular in the Wapack National Wildlife Refuge.

Mason: Mason is part of New Hampshire’s breathtaking Monadnock Region. Visitors explore wonderful walking trails and scenic roads

Milford: Milford also has its share of wonderful natural resources, including the 200-acre Burns Farm and Hitchiner Town Forest with their hiking trails and wildlife habitat. Milford also has numerous town parks and a town pool.

Mont Vernon: The village has a town park, the former Lamson property. Purgatory Falls was once a popular destination for tourists who ‘summered’ at the grand hotels in Mont Vernon and now is a popular hike to view the beautiful falls. Mont Vernon also has three conservation sites that offer fishing, hiking, and picnicking: Herlihy Swamp, Carleton Park, and Horton Pond

New Ipswich: Windblown Ski Touring Center is one of the main attractions in the area.

Temple: A rigorous climb can be had with a hike up Pack Monadnock or Wapack Mountain in Temple. Your reward at the top – stunning views.

Wilton: Outdoors activities are plentiful in Wilton. Russell-Abbot State Forest is a protected recreational area; winter recreation can be had on Carnival Hill; Sheldrick Forest is very close to being a true “old growth” forest. And the Heald Tract is a great site for hiking. The Wilton Forest has many small streams, along with the Souhegan River flowing through. Goss Park in Wilton is the local swimming hole.