One of the great benefits of living in this part of the world is the fantastic scenery.
Particularly at this time of year, New England is one of the loveliest places on the planet.
The problem of course, is that this is no secret. During September and October the
residents of this area can expect to be over-run by urban refugees and arborially-challenged
tourists. Even the friendliest and most charitable of natives can start to feel a bit prickly
and territorial during Folliage Season. This year, the leaves promise to be spectacular and
thus the influx of visiters promises to be equally overwhelming. It would be a shame to
miss out on this year's leaves just to avoid tourist-inspired road rage, so here are four
lesser-known spots in the Keene area where folliage-minded locals can go for some first-
rate leaf-peeping without having to share the view with tour busses.
Pisgah State Park
Chesterfield
Directions - From Keene, drive west on Rt. 9 for 10 miles, just past Spofford Lake to
Rt. 63 South. Go 1.1 miles into Chesterfield, then turn left onto Old Chesterfield Road
After .2 miles, turn right onto Horseshoe Road. Follow the road until it ends, aprox. 1.5
miles.
This is a great spot for panoramic views. Pisgah State Park overlooks the mountains to the
south and the forests for miles around. During the week, it is almost deserted and very,
very peaceful. Even on the weekends, it is not crowded. There are lovely fields and
meadows teeming with bird-life (bring a field guide) and some really nice footpaths, great
for strolling, hiking or mountain biking. One word of caution, however: the meadows are
full of wildflowers, particularly goldenrod, so alergy sufferers should take appropriate
precautions.
Interestingly, there is also a monument here commemorating the birthplace of Harlan Fiske
Stone, Chief Justice of the United States under Franklin Roosevelt. (Not unexpectedly for
a New Hampshire jurist, he was famous for his dissents.) Fittingly - if not very
imaginatively - the monument is..... a stone.
"The Dubliner"
Dublin
Directions - Go east on Rt. 101 to Dublin. Turn left on New Harrisville Road, near the
offices for Yankee Magazine. Follow the signs for Beech Hill Hospital. After .6 miles,
there is a small turnoff / wide shoulder on the right. Almost hidden by the trees is an old
red sign that says, " 'Dubliner' - Dublin School's South Slope Ski Area"
Dublin School used to maintain its own small ski area here, run and maintained by the
students, complete with a rope-tow, until a series of snowless winters and increasing
worries regarding insurance liability made it impractical to keep up. A bit sad really, but
the upside is that there is a gap in the trees here that affords what may be the best view in
this part of the State. There is everything here that you need for superb leaf viewing -
elevation, a sharp drop-off, very little development and lots and LOTS of trees. There is
very little to do here aside from enjoying the view, but you can amuse yourself by looking
over the edge of the drop-off and imagine the sheer terror and insanity of actually skiing
down this hill and admiring the courage of the students of Dublin School, before
continuing along this road to:
Harrisville
If you are already familiar with Harrisville, there is no need to tell you how picturesque it
is. (It is tempting to call it "quaint", but that would risk angry reprisals from disgruntled
Harrisvilleites) If you are not, suffice it to say that it is simply lovely - complete with ivy-
covered brick buildings, cozy looking homes and what must be the most photographed
municipal building in New Hampshire - the Harrisville Public Library which jutts out over
the water of Harrisville Pond and has a splendid backdrop of trees and leaf-covered water
during the fall. The whole "downtown" * is very, very beautiful, as is the short drive along
the pond itself. There is a small public beach for those who just want to sit by the water
and enjoy the view. The trip back to Keene is a gorgeous, regardless of which route is
taken.
* The phrase "downtown" may be a misnomer; Harrisville - population 1,005 - has no
uptown to contrast with.
Watkins Hill Road
Walpole
Directions - From the center of Keene, take Court Street past the Hospital to the
intersection with Rt. 12A. Go straight on Old Walpole Road for 7.6 miles (bear left at the
fork after 3 miles) Take a right onto Watkins Hill Road.
One of the great joys of this time of year is taking a drive in the country-side. The drive
from Keene to Walpole is one of the nicest around. The climb through the hills leads
through some dark and impressive forest, but the most beautiful part of the drive comes at
Watkins Hill Road This short road winds in and out among a series of small hills, through
some of the handsomest farmland anywhere. The rolling pastureland makes a great
foreground setting for postcard-type pictures of the foliage, with the added element of
cows. There are several herds of fat, healthy dairy cows that might have been installed by
the State office of Tourism (Pretty Views Division) and the trees are stunning. The road
winds around and eventually turns back into Old Walpole Road.. It goes past a great
looking golf course and eventually leads into Walpole itself, dropping you off at a roadside
fruit and vegetable stand, which at this time of year is well stocked with pumpkins, apples
and other seasonal child and in-law pacifiers. The drive back to Keene along Rt. 12 goes
past several farms and farmstands that specialize in autumnal produce. It looks like this
will be a great season for apples as well as leaves and a stop will be well worth the effort.
