I explored Pillsbury State Park in Washington, NH yesterday for the first time on a mountain bike. I had kayaked and canoed there previously, but never tried the trails on a bike. Pillsbury is a little-know park, great for camping, kayaking small ponds, hiking, and mountain biking. It is one of the few state parks in NH that permits mountain biking. Day-use fee was $4.
I chose the Bear Pond Trail first and rode it as far as the Monadnock Sunapee Greenway Trail before returning. I found the Bear Pond Trail quite challenging. It had numerous fairly steep uphills on uneven surfaces with loose rocks. I did a piece of the Five Summers Trail and found it easy and pleasant—at least as far as I went. I did not ride its whole length because I wanted to save time to do the Mad Road Trail loop. This loop was very ridable and consisted of an old road, a piece of Rt. 31, and the unpaved road through the park.
It was a good morning and I will definitely return. When I do I may start at dawn with a kayak on May Pond, but then will explore the length of Five Summers Trail, Balance Rock Trail, and maybe some wood roads in the area on my mountain bike.
