State of New Hampshire
Department of Resources & Economic Development
Division of Parks & Recreation – Bureau of Trails
172 Pembroke Road/PO Box 1856, Concord, NH 03302
Contact:  Chris Gamache, Chief, Bureau of Trails, 271-3254

For Immediate Release

 
12,000 Acres Closed to Public Access
 
(Concord, NH) The New Hampshire Bureau of Trails announces that 12,000 acres in the Ossipee Mountains region have been closed to public use due to irresponsible trail users.  The owners of the Chocorua Forestlands have closed the acres under their control to hiking, bicycling, walking, hunting, and fishing until further notice.

The properties are located north of the Lakes Region Conservation Trust’s Castle in the Clouds property and south and west of Routes 25 and 16.  The closure includes popular hiking trails to the summits of Mt. Shaw and Bayle Mountain.

The property posting was sparked by irresponsible trail development, use, and advertisement, and has been fueled by other landowners noting disrespectful treatment of their properties by summer recreational trail users.  The Bureau of Trails, representatives of other State agencies, and advocacy organizations, are meeting with landowners in efforts to get the properties reopened for public use.  The meeting will focus on developing ways to better educate the public on the rights of private landowners who allow public recreational use of their lands.

“We certainly cannot blame the landowners for their decision in this matter,” says Bureau Chief Chris Gamache. “A small percentage of careless users typically causes the majority of problems.  In this instance, when the landowner confronted the irresponsible user(s), they chose not to respect the landowner’s rights.  We support the landowner’s decision in this matter and will work with them to get public access granted back on these properties.”

The Bureau of Trails is a part of the NH Division of Parks & Recreation.  The division manages over 73 state parks, campgrounds, thousands of miles of trails, historic sites, waysides, and natural areas.  The division is part of the Department of Resources and Economic Development.  For more information about the Bureau of Trails, please call 603-271-3254 or visit www.nhtrails.org.

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