Alexandria lies on the shores of Newfound Lake. Alexandria Bog, the Town Forest, several named trails, and the views from Mount Cardigan bring together a range of natural attractions. Which ones interest you most: Newfound Lake, Alexandria Bog and its wildlife, specific hiking trails, or the views from Mount Cardigan?

Newfound Lake and Alexandria Bog

About 60 acres of Newfound Lake lie within Alexandria’s town limits. This figure describes the portion of the lake within the town, not its total area. Alexandria Bog is the town’s largest and most diverse wetland complex. It is also an exceptionally rich and productive wildlife habitat and acts as a natural water filter.

Woods and Trails on Cardigan

The Alexandria Town Forest covers 55 acres and is managed by the Alexandria Conservation Commission for recreation and wildlife protection. A 2021 trail work report names the Hutchins Hill Trail, the Stonewall Trail, the Pitman Trail, and the Boundary Trail there. These names may change as trail management evolves.

Cardigan Lodge offers its guests direct access to more than 50 miles of hiking trails, as well as historic ski trails built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The more than 50 miles refer to hiking trails; the other routes described here are listed individually by length.

The Upper and Lower Nature Trails form a one-mile loop in the nearby woods of Cardigan State Forest. Interpretive signs line the route, which also offers opportunities for wildlife viewing. The Cardigan All Persons Trail has a different layout: it is a one-mile out-and-back trail accessible from the Cardigan Lodge parking lot. It can be used by people who use wheelchairs, hikers with mobility aids, and families with strollers. Although the trails are the same length, they differ in layout, interpretive signs, and the user groups specifically mentioned.

The Sugarloaf and Goose Pond trail network offers more opportunities to observe wildlife. The network includes the two-mile Goose Pond Loop, where there are opportunities to observe waterfowl and beavers. Trail conditions may vary seasonally. If you plan to hike the loop, also bear in mind that access is seasonal and actual wildlife sightings may vary. At two miles, the loop is twice as long as the two one-mile trails.

Views from Mount Cardigan

From Mount Cardigan, the 360-degree panorama extends to Mount Monadnock, the White Mountains, Camel’s Hump in Vermont, and Pleasant Mountain in Maine.

Discover more destinations: Plymouth, Thornton, Bethlehem, Holderness, Waterville Valley, Campton, Littleton, Canaan

For the main travel overview: Grafton.