Pisgah State Park is located in the Cheshire County towns of Winchester, Chesterfield, and Hinsdale, and protects seven ponds, four highland ridges, and numerous wetlands. The park has six access points. Year-round, visitors can hike, mountain bike, ride ATVs, and snowmobile—several ways to experience the landscape actively.
Cliffs, Forest, and Water
Mount Monadnock, also known as Grand Monadnock, is a 3,165-foot mountain in the town of Jaffrey, New Hampshire. Chesterfield Gorge offers a different kind of landscape, with cliffs up to 70 feet high. Hiking is possible there on challenging terrain. The contrasting scales—a high mountain and a gorge with striking cliffs—give you two distinct perspectives on the landscape.
The Greater Goose Pond Forest covers 1,044 acres and is Keene’s largest municipal open space. A conservation easement protects the area permanently; it also supports public access, recreation, and education. Wetlands and wildlife can also be seen along the Appel Way Trail, which crosses the Ashuelot River and offers views of both throughout the route. In Madame Sherri Forest, the Anne Stokes Loop Trail passes scenic Indian Pond.
Trails on Different Scales
The Cheshire Recreational Rail Trail runs 42 miles from Fitzwilliam through Troy, Keene, and Westmoreland to North Walpole. One of its features is an arch bridge over the Ashuelot River. For orientation, it’s helpful to distinguish this long route from the trails in Keene: the city has 8 miles of improved rail trail, as well as more than 40 miles of scenic singletrack trails for hiking and biking.
History and Culture in Keene and Harrisville
Built in 1762 in the Georgian style, the Wyman Tavern Museum operated as an inn for 40 years. In downtown Keene, the Colonial Theatre opened on January 29, 1924. The theater presents more than 120 live performances and film screenings each season and was added to the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places in 2004. If you’d like to plan your visit around a performance, check the current schedule.
Exhibitions offer different ways to explore art and history: the Historical Society of Cheshire County offers tours of its exhibition galleries. On the Keene State College campus, the Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery displays work by students and professional artists. In Harrisville, Harris Mill is now home to the Weaving Center and the Harrisville Designs shop.
A Local Market Day
The Chesterfield Farmers’ Market takes place on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Main Street at Route 63 in Chesterfield. Since market dates can change seasonally, check the current schedule before you go. This lets you plan your trip around the actual market days without assuming a market visit is a fixed part of your stay.
Explore more destinations: Keene, Swanzey, Jaffrey, Harrisville, Rindge, Chesterfield, Fitzwilliam, Merrimack County.
For the broader travel overview: New Hampshire.
