Last weekend we ventured back to the trails in Shelburne, NH to hike up to the Crow’s Nest.  This little mountain at an elevation of 1287 feet, is just 1.3 miles along a trail that begins behind the Philbrook Farm Inn on North Road.  Hikers are welcome to park at the Inn if you just check in with them, which is what we did.  The man at the Inn told us where to park and instructed us on where to pick up the White Trail.

The Philbrook Farm Inn in Shelburne, NH.

To get to the white blazed trail, walk behind the Inn and then behind the white cottage, up the path to the brown cottage where the white blazes start.  The trail is in an open hardwood forest and since the trees were still void of their leaves, the sun shone down to the forest floor where spring ephemeral flowers were beginning to bloom.

Andrew hiking up the White Trail.

Along the way is a good size vernal pool that had some wood frog eggs.  After about 1 mile, the trail veers uphill toward a knoll covered in red pine trees to the Crow’s Nest.

A vernal pool along the trail.

The last part of the hike up to the Crow’s Nest.

We didn’t see any crows, but we did find evidence that the moose hang out on the top.  We took a long break and enjoyed the view to the east-northeast.

A marked rock lets you know you are there. No sign of crows, but the moose were here.

Lindsay and Alden resting at the summit.

The view from Crow’s Nest.

We followed the trail back down to the brown cottage and decided to walk the woods road down to North Road.  Instead of parking at the Inn, you could also park on the side of the road and walk up this way to the trail.

Andrew and Alden hiking back down the trail.

Andrew takes Alden off trail.

This was a very pleasant walk and would be a great one to do in the summer with the shade of the trees, and happens to be Alden’s first ‘mountain’ hike outside of the womb. I’m sure that we will be back to do this one again soon.