Unity
Ranging in age from elementary schoolers to senior citizens, more than 50 people earlier this month attended a guided unveiling of Unity Mountain Trail, a 4-mile route spanning from the Sullivan County Complex parking lot to another parking area on Mica Mine Road.
The outing was led by officials from the county’s Conservation District and Natural Resources Department, which coordinated the building of the trail in order to promote increased recreational usage along more than 2,100 acres of public land in Unity.
“I’m honestly blown away by the turnout,” said county commissioner Jeff Barrette, who joined Conservation District and Natural Resources director Lionel Chute and education and outreach specialist Dawn Dextraze in leading the outing. “We thought we’d probably get 11 or 12 people to show up. I think this type of turnout tells you how much people were looking forward to this trail and how much something like this is important to people in the area.”
With more than 1,500 contiguous acres in the network, the properties feature numerous stone walls, ancient town roads, an overlook ledge at 2,680 feet above sea level and pristine Marshall Pond near the eastern terminus. The trail gains 600 feet in elevation, much of it during an initial ascent from the complex’ parking lot to a small pond that doubles as a water treatment area.
“This is the steepest part of the trail, I promise,” Chute said as attendees plugged upward through light morning fog. After a switchback section through aged spruce evergreens and exposed rock, including mica and quartz, the blue-blazed trail becomes flanked on either side by stone walls, creating a narrow passage.
Some on the hike theorized the walls may have marked a cattle transportation route, or perhaps they were to help guide residents at a work farm that later became the county complex.
“It’s very historic through here,” said Chute, who helped secure both federal and state funding for the construction of the trail, built largely by members of the Charlestown-based Student Conservation Association, Natural Resources field technician Sam Sprague, and volunteers. “Two-hundred-fifty-one years ago, in 1866, this was a work farm for people who had been living in a local poor house. They lived on wood heat and burned hundreds of cords per year, so they were out here a lot (harvesting it).”
After crossing the Second New Hampshire Turnpike, hikers were treated to cider and doughnuts in a Department of Transportation lot that is now available as a public access point for the trail.
Here, Chute uncovered a new kiosk and map that revealed the trail’s name, introduced elementary schoolers who’d previously been on the route for classwork, and called up Charlene Lovett, Mayor of nearby Claremont, for a few words.
“There are so many people here; I’m so glad you all came out to enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings in our community,” Lovett said to the hikers. “This trail is a great example of people working together, engaging with citizens for the opportunity to enjoy free recreation. This is going to be a great resource for people of all ages for generations to come.”
From the DOT lot, the trail meanders north toward the Claremont line, passing through diverse plant and wildlife habitat. Critters were heard and seen in abundance within the shrubs and mixed hardwood forest.
Jennifer Thompson, a language arts and social studies teacher at Unity Elementary School, plans to bring classes on field trips to the new trail for outdoor-based learning.
“This will be an amazing place to study birds in the spring or wildlife any time of year,” Thompson said. “It’s a great opportunity to get outside, which is something that’s more and more important to introduce to children. When you talk to kids, some of them are basically afraid of the outdoors. Some of them would rather be sitting behind a computer all the time, and too much of that just isn’t healthy. This area will be great as a means of education and help children have a sense of place and get some exercise.”
Chute hopes children who are exposed to the trail will develop an affinity for the area’s natural landscape. He said plans are in the works to make it a destination within the Valley Quest geocaching initiative, treasure hunts organized by regional nonprofit Vital Communities that encourage visits to historic, natural and cultural sites.
“When you experience natural surroundings at a young age, it helps you appreciate it,” Chute said. “You hope that when they’re older they have an understanding of the value of conservation and want to give back.”
After traversing a newly built, wooded bridge over a stream, Unity Mountain Trail turns eastward and gradually ascends its namesake mountain to a vista near the summit with expansive views south and west. Chute named the area Sam’s Overlook in honor of Sam Sprague, the field technician who built much of the new portions of the trail.
The view may only be the second-best visual highlight of the route. After descending the east side of the mountain, it arrives at glimmering Marshall Pond, a serene conclusion to the hike before arriving at the Mica Mine Road parking area.
It would be a good idea to spot one vehicle here to take back to the county complex parking area, or back track to make it a worthwhile 8-mile day hike. Those who attended the trail’s grand opening were shuttled back to the western terminus in school buses.
David Grobe, of Plainfield, will probably be back.
“It’s a great trail, very moderate and enjoyable,” he said. “We need more of these kinds of places.”
Jared Pendak can be reached at jpendak@vnews.com or 603-727-3225.