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The Shannon Brook Trail is the designated hiker access to the trail system of the former Plant estate, better known as Castle in the Clouds and now owned by the Lakes Region Conservation Trust. Most of the trails are former carriage roads which offer easy walking on circuitous routes to the remote viewpoints and historic sites of the property. There is presently no fee for use of the trail system, but there is a fee to tour the Castle itself.
Distance: About 1.4 miles one-way
Elevation gain: About 500 feet
Maps:
USGS Melvin Village
LRCT trail map posted at Shannon Brook trailhead kiosk and available from LRCT or Castle in the Clouds gift shop
Location: Lakes Region
NH 2003-2004 map K-8
DeLorme NHA&G 40-I6 - Moultonborough
Tuftonboro is on NH Route 171 between Ossipee and Moultonborough
Trailhead: NH Route 171 about .2 miles E of Castle in the Clouds main entrance, elevation about 730 feet
43.7190°N, 71.3196°W (WGS84)
From I-93 Exit 23, take NH Route 104 E about 8 miles until it ends at Meredith. Turn L on US Route 3 and go .8 miles to a traffic light just beyond the public docks. Turn R on NH Route 25 and go 10.1 miles passing through Moultonborough village. Turn R on NH Route 109 and go 2.2 miles, then turn L on NH Route 171 and go 2.1 miles.
The kiosk and parking lot are on the S side of NH Route 171, and the trail starts on the N side
Far End: Trail junction near Shannon Pond, elevation about 1230 feet
Owner: Lakes Region Conservation Trust
Maintainer: Lakes Region Conservation Trust
Special regulations: Open daylight hours only - no camping, fires, motorized vehicles
The Shannon Brook Trail heads up the gated woods road across NH Route 171 from the parking lot, circling E of a large building and then climbing away from the brook. At about .8 miles, it turns sharp L and descends slightly to cross 100 Acre Brook, then climbs more steeply on the far side to regain the ridge. The trail next ascends more gradually to a clearing at 1.1 miles where there is a view of the Castle L and a cutoff trail R to the Turtleback Mountain Trail. At 1.4 miles the Shannon Brook Trail ends at a kiosk near Shannon Pond. The Castle in the Clouds tourist area is L across the dam. Refer to the LRCT map at the kiosk to see what trails are available from here, the system is still being developed.
This trail has traditionally received heavy use by snowmobiles
Map Notes: The USGS map doesn't show the beginning of this trail, which circles E of the building shown on the map before joining the middle section
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