Agile Trekker: Great Brook Farm, Heartbreak Ridge/Tophet Loop trails

April 14, 2012
Distance: 4.3 miles
Time: 1 hour 43 minutes
Map: Great Brook Farm
Parking: Large parking lot. $2 metered daily fee until 6pm. You can also get an annual MA park pass ($25 MA residents/$45 non-residents).
Restrooms: Ski center lot has pit toilets. Main lot has restroom with sinks as well
Post hike dinner: Chipotle, Nashua, NH

Directions:
From main parking lot, head towards the park road.
Turn right on the park road.
Turn left onto Maple Ridge trail to post 22.
Turn right onto Pine Point loop to post 18.
Turn right onto Heartbreak Ridge to post 44.
Continue and reach road. Put dogs on leash.
Turn right on road (Woodbine Road). Follow to the end.
Turn left on East Street. This road has more cars on it.
At gate on left leave road, and continue on trail.
Trail hits the road again, but this time it is a quite road where we saw no cars.
Turn right when you see the trail restart. Dogs off leash again.
Follow Tophet Loop East to post 15.
Turn right on Pine Point Loop.
Turn left on trail that parallels park road (don't cross road).
Cross over bridge.
Turn left on Pine Point Loop to post 26.
Turn right on Pine Point Loop.
When trail reaches road, turn left, until you just pass the farm.
Cross road and head towards farm animals.
This is where the ice cream is.
Return to parking lot.

Note: Well behaved dogs are allowed off leash. Dogs are supposed to be put on leash when passing others. Some trails allow horses & bikes. Trails that are noted as "Heart Healthy" are very wide and tend to have more people on them.

This set of trails includes some road walking, by some nicely landscaped houses. Some of the trails back up to backyards of houses. The trails pass by many stagnant water areas. They are more swamps than ponds. The water in them is very black/green.
The hikes here are very easy.

The farm sells their own home made ice cream. This year, the ice cream shop opened on April 14th. For dog walkers, they have a window in the building where you can order your ice cream from, since dogs aren't allowed in the shop.