Purgatory Brook Watershed Trails-Mont Vernon
Purgatory Brook Watershed Trails-Mont Vernon
The Wah Lum Loop Trail, marked with orange diamonds is approximately 3 miles round trip and begins at the kiosk on Dow Road. A short spur trail across town conservation land brings you to the loop trail on South Wah Lum Reserve. If you take a right, the trail climbs up, crossing the Nadeau Forest, and onto North Wah Lum Reserve to the view, looking toward Pack Monadnock and North Pack Mountains. The Wah Lum Loop Trail then makes a very rocky, steep descent down toward the Purgatory Brook and takes a left, eventually overlapping with the class VI Dow Road & Purgatory Brook Trail. Follow orange markers along class VI road past Nadeau Forest and South Wah Lum, turn left back toward spur trail, or go straight on Dow Road back to parking area.
The Purgatory Brook Trail, marked with yellow rectangles and white blazes, is approximately 6 miles round trip, beginning in the parking area located on the Milford/Lyndeborough line after Fitch’s Dairy Farm. After a half mile hike into the woods, you come to the Lower Purgatory Falls. The trail continues into the town of Mont Vernon with part of the trail on private property, so please stay on the trail. The trail crosses into town conservation land along the Purgatory Brook and eventually overlaps with the class VI road, Dow Road and the Wah Lum Loop Trail (orange diamonds). Just before a small wooden bridge the trail continues on toward the Middle Falls and then on to the Upper Falls. Hikers should wear proper clothing & shoes and be familiar with the area as cell phones do not always work. Some areas are steep and difficult especially near the Falls, estimated round trip time up and back approximately 3 hours.
Please carry out all trash and leave no trace. Passive recreation and hunting (according to NH State laws) are allowed. Camping is only allowed after making an appointment with the Conservation Commission and obtaining written permission. However, absolutely no camps fires or wheeled motorized vehicles are allowed.
For more information please see our website. To contact the Mont Vernon Conservation Commission email us.