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

 
Property Postings in the Ossipee Mountains Have Come Down
 
(Concord, NH) The Department of Resources and Economic Development announces that postings on thousands of acres in the Ossipee Mountains have been removed and general pedestrian and trail access has been restored. The affected areas included the popular Mt. Shaw and Bayle Mountain hiking trails as well as general hiking, hunting, and fishing access.  The property closure occurred earlier this summer due to irresponsible property use by some hikers and other users.

The Bureau of Trails and Division of Forests and Lands worked with local landowners and others to reach an agreeable solution. Signs advising that written landowner permission was required for access are being replaced with new signs to better educate the public.  These signs will explain which type of activities may occur on the properties without landowner permission and those activities that require landowner permission.

“This is a major hurdle which has been overcome for New Hampshire landowners and the recreational public in general; however this is only the first step.  Educating the general public as to what types of activities are permitted on private lands is an important task.  The use of private lands for public recreational access is a tradition in New Hampshire and an extremely valuable one that no one wants to see disappear,” says Bureau of Trails Chief Chris Gamache.

The Bureau of Trails and Division of Forests and Lands are 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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