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New Hampshire
12 beautiful hikes this season in Mass. and NH
New England Travel
These hikes are full of history, wildlife, and gorgeous views.
Hiking trails are full of history, beauty, and wildlife, but with so many options, it can be hard to choose your next path.
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Car camping is trending this season, according to Hipcamp
The following are 12 great hikes recommended by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR), Mass Audubon North Shore, Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC), and the Appalachian Mountain Club.
Massachusetts
Skyline Loop Trail in Blue Hills Reservation in Milton
The 2.64-mile Skyline Loop Trail in the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton gives hikers a taste of the longer, nine-mile Skyline Trail. The loop takes hikers over five hills, including Hancock Hill, which was once the farm of John Hancock of Declaration of Independence fame and the first independent governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
There is a tower built by the Civilian Corp of Engineers during the Great Depression, and hikers can look out over Boston and the Harbor Islands
Cedar Swamp Trail in Douglas State Forest in Douglas
As hikers experience the Cedar Swamp Trail, a .5-mile hike, the environment changes from a typical New England mixed hardwood forest into a cedar swamp as Atlantic white cedar and hemlock trees replace oak, maple, birch, beech, and ash.
“The thick growth of these evergreens allows little light to reach the forest floor,” according to DCR. “Keep an eye out for the unique foliage native to the swamp like sphagnum or ‘peat’ moss, skunk cabbage and cinnamon ferns, as well as the wildlife that calls the swamp home.”
Robert Frost Trail in Mount Holyoke Range State Park in Amherst
Fans of Robert Frost can experience nature through the writer’s eyes on this 4-mile hike on the Robert Frost Trail that honors the iconic poet’s Massachusetts connection. Frost spent part of his life in Massachusetts, teaching English at nearby Amherst College.
Hikers can look for a hidden pool and a fork in the road while exploring the interpretive trail, DCR noted, which is an easy to moderate hike.
Read more about these state park hikes: 3 beautiful hikes at Massachusetts State Parks
Rockery Trail at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield
For a unique, family-friendly hike involving rocks, head to the Rockery Trail at Ispwich River Wildlife Sanctuary, according to the Mass Audubon North Shore.
The 1/2-mile trail, the most popular hike at the sanctuary, includes boardwalks and features a rockery built by Thomas Emerson Proctor in 1905. You can climb the large stone structure and also walk through the little tunnel underneath. The wide easy trail is great for all ages.
Professor Chandler’s Long Walk at Rough Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary in Rowley
Hikers enjoy panoramic views at Rough Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary, which includes the scenic Professor Chandler’s Long Walk. The .65-mile easy trail takes hikers out into the Great Marsh, the largest salt marsh in New England, and is great for bird watchers.
The trail is named after Professor Alfred D. Chandler, Jr., who donated much of the land.
Woodland Loop at Cedar Pond Wildlife Sanctuary in Wenham
The Woodland Loop trail is a universally accessible trail at Cedar Pond Wildlife Sanctuary. The .9-mile trail offers a loop through deciduous and pine forest and opens up to a small meadow at the midpoint.
These All Persons Trails are ADA compliant and include universally accessible interpretive features. Visitors can expect handrails, braille and tactile features, wildlife viewing boardwalks and platforms, audio tour stops, seating, and more, according to Mass Audubon.
Read more about these North Shore trails: 3 beautiful hikes on the North Shore
The Meadow Loop Trail in Great Barrington
Animals lovers will love the accessible half-mile Meadow Loop Trail in the 267-acre Thomas & Palmer Brook Reserve, according to the Berkshire Natural Resources Council. The path, conveniently close to downtown Great Barrington, has excellent wetland and meadow views with benches for resting and taking in the scenery. The trail is also great for beaver watching.
For those who want to keep hiking, the trail connects to the 0.6-mile Woodland Trail and 0.3-mile Whale Rock Trail, both moderate.
Mahanna Cobble Trail in Pittsfield
Those looking for a challenge can tackle the 2.8-mile roundtrip trek on the Mahanna Cobble Trail.
The trail starts at Bosquet Mountain ski area, where hikers climb a beginner-level ski slope before getting into the forest. Hikers are rewarded with views of Kennedy Park, Mass Audobon’s Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, and Yukon Ridge.
Sunset Rock Trail in North Adams
Hikers who tackle the easy 1.6-mile roundtrip Sunset Rock Trail at Hoosic Range Reserve later in the day can take in the Taconic Ridge and Green Mountains and it’s a great place to view the sunset.
For hikers seeking even more great views in the 944-acre reserve, continue on for 3 miles along the Hoosic Range Trail. This trail is considered difficult because of its length, and the 6-mile roundtrip hike is a gradual climb.
Read more about these Berkshires hikes: 3 beautiful hikes in the Berkshires
New Hampshire
Arethusa Falls Trail in Hart’s Location
Hikers on the Arethusa Falls Trail in Crawford Notch State Park are in a for a real treat, according to the Appalachian Mountain Club: New Hampshire’s highest waterfall. It’s a 1.3-mile moderate hike to the near 200-foot waterfall. Once at the waterfall, folks can hike down to the bottom and sit and dip their feet in the water.
The falls were discovered by Edward Tuckerman in 1875, according to visitwhitemountains.com, who named it after a nymph in Greek mythology that turned into a fountain.
Zealand Trail in Bethlehem
Zealand Trail connects to the Appalachian Trail, and hikers get to experience a short section of it before it goes out to Zealand falls. It’s about 2 1/2 miles to the falls.
The Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Maine to Georgia, is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world, and the New Hampshire portion offers more miles above the treeline than any other state on the trail, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.
There is also an AMC Zealand Falls Hut on the trail, where hikers can stay overnight with a reservation.
Mount Willard Trail in Hart’s Location
Mount Willard’s elevation is 2,865 feet, and the summit is located in Crawford Notch State Park. It is a 1.6-mile moderate hike up to the summit, and hikers follow an old carriage road.
Folks start out at the top of Crawford Notch and hike along forests and along a stream, and there’s a tiny waterfall and an area called the Centennial Pool. Hikers can see the southern end of the Presidential Range, Crawford Notch, Mount Tom, and Mount Willey.
Read more about these hikes in the White Mountains: 3 beautiful hikes in the White Mountains
Two people are facing charges after they allegedly broke into a New Hampshire home on Tuesday wearing black masks and armed with baseball bats, all while a 12-year-old was inside.
Danville police said they received a call around 9 p.m. Tuesday for a report of a home invasion on Beatrice Street. A 12-year-old was home alone on a video chat with his friend when three people wearing black masks and armed with baseball bats broke through his front door. The 12-year-old’s friend quickly called 911.
According to police, the three people were attempting to locate the child’s father and threatened the father with serious bodily injury.
An officer soon arrived at the scene, set a perimeter, and called in two K9 units.
A search of the area didn’t initially turn up anything, but a K9 track led officers to another nearby home. Police interviewed the resident of the mobile home, identified as Nathan Wilder, who denied any involvement in the home invasion.
As the investigation continued, police learned that the original caller had heard from some other friends that one of the suspects in the home invasion had bragged about being involved. They determined that Nathan Wilder, John Wilder and a juvenile were the three people who had broken into the home.
John Wilder admitted to police that he had broken into the home on Beatrice Street and said that Nathan Wilder and a juvenile had assisted him.
Police were able to locate and seized three baseball bats, two ski masks and a few articles of clothing used in the crime.
John and Nathan Wilder were arrested and the juvenile who was involved was released to a parent.
John Wilder is charged with burglary with a weapon, criminal threat with a deadly weapon and criminal mischief. Nathan Wilder is charged with with burglary with a weapon and criminal threat with a deadly weapon. Both men are currently being held at the Rockingham County Jail awaiting arraignment.
A former New Hampshire state representative was sentenced to more than 33 years in prison for involvement in a child exploitation case — almost double the mandatory minimum.
Stacie Marie Laughton, 42, pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation of children after soliciting and receiving nude photos of three toddlers from an ex-girlfriend who worked at a daycare.
Lindsay Groves, 41, of Hudson, N.H., was sentenced to almost 22 years in prison earlier this month after pleading guilty to the same charges as well as an additional count of distribution of child pornography.
According to court documents, Groves took the photos of the victims in 2023 at Creative Minds daycare in Tyngsboro, where she was a teacher, during designated bathroom breaks and nap times.
She then sent the photos to Laughton, who requested the images and asked that Grove touch one of the minor’s genitals. In the conversation included in the records, the pair sexualizes the victims.
“Did the girl give you an issue,” Laughton texted after receiving the photos.
“No… the boy didn’t either,” Groves texted back.
In a sentencing memorandum, Laughton’s counsel had argued that she should receive a shorter sentence than Groves and asked for the minimum mandatory sentence, which would have 15 years for each count to be served concurrently.
“Stacie Laughton is a complex 42-year-old woman,” the memo said, noting that she was the first openly transgender woman to be elected to the New Hampshire legislature.
The filing described Laughton’s history of mental health, substance abuse, sexual abuse, and trauma as mitigating factors the judge should consider.
“One of the few consistencies in Ms. Laughton’s life is her challenges with mental health illnesses,” the memo said. “She began receiving mental health treatment at the age of four and has been in and out of extensive treatment programs ever since.”
The death of Laughton’s wife in 2020 and a tumultuous relationship with Groves also added to her mental health struggles, the memo said, stating that the defendant drank every day and had tried heroin for the first time leading up to her arrest.
A doctor quoted in the filing said that Laughton likely had a low IQ, tied in part to her premature birth, as well as “normal sexual interests.”
“This finding shows both how caught up Ms. Laughton was in her relationship with Groves that she participated in activity counter to this and is … an important factor in considering whether Ms. Laughton would be a future threat upon release,” the memo said.
The filing described Laughton’s actions as “horrendous, reprehensible, and shocking,” but said that even though the crimes were “utterly inexcusable,” she should still receive a shorter sentence than her codefendant out of a sense of justice.
However, in their own sentencing memo, federal prosecutors requested Laughton receive 40 years in prison.
“These crimes only came to light when Laughton reported them in an apparent attempt to punish Groves for ending their relationship,” prosecutors wrote. “The defendant, of course, did not disclose her own role in the creation of the imagery.”
“She ultimately admitted that she told Groves to touch one child’s penis, and claimed that she was feeding Groves’s attraction to children,” their memo said.
The prosecutors said that Laughton’s voice was the “more prominent one” in the conversation about exploiting children.
In addition to her prison sentence, Laughton will also serve five years of supervised release.
Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement that she felt the sentence fit the crime.
“The victims in this case were toddlers – children who were not yet old enough to care for themselves and, in some cases, not even fully verbal. Everyone who learns about the conduct in this case should be outraged,” United States Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement. “The sentences imposed reflect the depravity of the conduct and the seriousness of the crimes. My office will seek the most serious charges and the stiffest sentences for anyone who preys on children.”
New Hampshire
Three seriously injured in head-on crash on I-293 in Hooksett, N.H. – The Boston Globe
Three people suffered serious injuries Tuesday in a two-vehicle crash in Hooksett, N.H., police said.
The head-on collision happened around 5:40 a.m. on Interstate 293 northbound, State Police said.
Police said that Timothy Hubbard, 43, of Rome, Maine, was traveling south when he lost control of his car and crossed the median into oncoming traffic, police said.
Hubbard, his passenger, and the other driver were taken to hospitals to be treated for serious injuries, police said. The injures were not believed to be life-threatening.
Police said speed was believed to be a factor in the crash, which is under investigation.
Hannah Goeke can be reached at hannah.goeke@globe.com.
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