Most people know that New Hampshire’s newest, and largest state park is slowly becoming a world class destination for great 4 wheeler, dirt bike and ATV riding. But what most people don’t know, is the area around Jericho lake has some great walking trails which range from a short 1/4 mile walk to a 3 mile hike in a pristine setting. Many walking trails do not have ATV access, so its a nice spot to let your dog walk free and enjoy the sights!

Although my wife and I (ok… more my wife than I) enjoy walking in the woods on a few of the various ATV trails, which are quiet during most weekdays, our absolute favorite spot is to walk from the State Park parking area adjacent to the lake over the man made dam towards the Pipeline Trail. A nice flat walk to the end of the dam and back to the parking area  is about a 1.3 mile round trip full of views of distant mountains and the beautiful Jericho Lake Mountain State Park. Almost all of the walk is from an elevated plateau and its views are spectacular, its path full of trimmed green grass, and usually there is a nice breeze to keep a spring in your step.The trail is almost entirely flat, as it follows the earthen dam created in the early 1970’s by the Army Corp of Engineers as a flood control dam to keep the flood waters of the Dead River from wrecking Main Street in Berlin, which is a few miles away. The water that is held back from the dam creates beautiful Jericho Lake, (locally known as man-made lake due to the nature of its evolution).

To access the trail, take route 110 north from the city of Berlin approx 3 miles to the entrance of Jericho Mountain State Park, on the left. Continue up Jericho Road a few miles (approximately two), until you reach the parking area for the ATV trail system. Park in the lower parking lot, which is only about 200-300 feet from the lake. As you exit your vehicle, face the lake. Now turn back up the road to your left about 100 feet and look for a trail which departs on your right. (There are a few small boulders blocking the entrance to the trail from ATV’s, which are not allowed on the dam.)

Follow the trail through some young tree growth for a few hundred feet until it emerges into a low, sometimes wet, open area with a small cove of the lake on your right. Bear right and follow a worn dirt path up the hill slightly onto the dam. The trail now flattens out completely and the remaining trail has absolutely zero gain or loss in elevation. This is where the views start to open up. Continue  walking the dam until you reach an old gate, which you have to scoot under….don’t worry, walking is allowed on the dam…it was put there to keep motorized vehicles off the dam many years ago. Continue on the dam for approximately 1/2 a mile until you reach some large boulders at the southern terminus. You will notice a long, straight, gravel ATV trail which intersects this area just beyond the rocks…this trail is the Pipeline Trail, which gets its name from the fact that the City of Berlin’s municipal water supply runs in a pipeline buried directly under the trail.

If you wish for a longer hike, you have two choices: One option is to bear left on Pipleline Trail to make an approximately 1 mile loop back to the parking area via the trail, a gravel road, and the paved Jericho Road from which you arrived. The other option is to bear right and follow a few ATV trails around the lake…which is approx 1 1/2 mile back to the parking area. Be cautioned that both options require sharing the trail with ATV riders…which is never a problem with us, but sometimes leads to some noise and or dust. (These options will be described in greater detail in upcoming posts…)

If you wish for a shorter return, and a beautiful one, just turn around and follow the dam back where you cam from. This option is approximately 1.3 miles total, and is one of the most relaxing walks my wife and I know of.  It is a great spot free of ATV’s, free of dust, (usually) free of bugs with an almost constant breeze with panoramic views of the beautiful Jericho Mountain State Park.