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Trail Description - Tamposi Trail

The Tamposi Trail starts in the dePierrefeu-Willard Pond Wildlife Sanctuary in Antrim and continues across private land to the summit of Bald Mountain. The lower part of the trail is in hardwoods including red oak and the upper part is mostly softwoods including red spruce. The trail forks halfway up with the L branch being easier, and the R branch being more scenic. You may wish to hike the loop is counterclockwise so that the descent is on the easier trail; another option is to descend the Bald Mountain Trail to Willard Pond and return by the Tudor Trail.

Distance: About 1.1 miles to summit one-way

Elevation gain: About 900 feet, nominal on return

Hiking Time Estimator

Maps: USGS Stoddard 1:25,000

Location: Monadnock Region
NH 2003-2004 map O-5
DeLorme NHA&G 26-K4 - Antrim
Antrim is SW of Concord and Hillsborough, the portion where the trail lies is reached from NH Route 123

Trailhead: Near end of Willard Pond Road, elevation about 1170 feet
43.0166°N, 72.0212°W(WGS84)
The trailhead can be reached by following NH Route 9 W from Exit 5 off I-89 about 28 miles to NH Route 123 South. Turn L and go S on NH Route 123 about 3.4 miles to Willard Pond Road, turn L and continue 1.6 miles to parking lot on L (sign "No Parking Beyond This Point").

Highest Point: Summit of Bald Mountain, elevation about 2040 feet

Owner: Audubon Society of New Hampshire and private

Maintainer: Audubon Society of New Hampshire

Special regulations: (Audubon Society of New Hampshire) No camping, fires, dogs, hunting, or vehicles
Open daylight hours only

Description

The yellow-blazed Tamposi Trail starts at the end of the parking lot away from the road and ascends in hardwoods, winding among large boulders with one squeeze point. About half a mile from the road is an unsigned junction where yellow blazes go both ways.

• The R fork circles R to a cliff and then along the base of the cliff before making several small switchbacks to a large ledge overlooking Willard Pond at about .7 miles. The trail then zags L and ascends the spine of the ridge to the red-blazed Bald Mountain Trail at .8 miles; the two trails continue together to the summit with dual blazing.

  The trails stay to the L side of the ridge until they reach a ledge with some old stonework which offers views S. The trail then climbs more directly uphill to the ridge which it follows L to a viewless ledge with a cairn where the red markers for the Bald Mountain Trail end. The Tamposi Trail continues ahead to complete the loop, shortly passing another viewless ledge of about the same elevation.

• The L fork angles L uphill, traversing the S slope of the mountain and passing through some areas which have been selectively logged. It then climbs more steeply in the woods to the flattish summit area. The red blazes of the Bald Mountain Trail begin at a viewless ledge with a cairn at 1.1 miles; continue downhill about .3 miles with joint blazing to a junction where the Bald Mountain Trail goes L and the Tamposi Trail turns R to complete the loop.

Off Season

Access road plowed, along with some of the parking lot

Map Notes: Trail not shown on USGS map

Topozone.com live map

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