Smith Pond – Enfield, NH

Smith Pond – Enfield, New Hampshire

Smith Pond is a nice easy hike in Enfield, New Hampshire, and it was the perfect first hike for our 2-month old baby (no, she did not hike it herself). After hiking to the nearby Cole Pond, Butternut Pond, Anderson Pond, and Lake Solitude countless times, Smith Pond seemed like it would be a good way to mix things up.

Trail Summary

Distance: 2.6 mi out-and-back to the pond (3 mi if you go to the dam or Little Dog Falls)

Difficulty: Easy

Trailhead: Just off Exit 15 on I-89 (there is another trailhead off of NH-4A)

Blazes: Blue

Map

Dog Friendly: Yes (watch out for porcupines!)

Read More: Best Hikes in the Dartmouth-Sunapee Region

Getting There

The trailhead is located just off of exit 15 on I-89 in Enfield, NH. After getting off the exit, head up the hill on Smith Pond Road and you’ll see a sign on your right for a small parking area. The parking area is easy to miss so drive slow and keep your eyes open. There’s room for maybe 5-6 tightly parked vehicles, but the trail is not heavily trafficked so this is typically sufficient.

The Trail

The first 0.2 miles are mostly downhill before reaching a small footbridge and a junction with one of the trails that takes you to NH-4A. At this point, the trail has entered Smith Pond Shaker Forest. The forest has been managed by the Upper Valley Land Trust since 2015 and consists of 995 acres of forested land around Smith Pond. The forest was originally the water system that the Shakers used to bring water to their settlements on the nearby Mascoma Lake back in the 1800’s.

The trail is well marked with blue blazes

The trail gains some moderate elevation for roughly the next half-mile, crossing over another stream and a few old stone walls before reaching Smith Pond Road. The trail follows the dirt road very briefly before branching off to the left into a meadow with a series of boardwalks. This is also the point where you have the option to bear right towards Halfmile Pond (3.2 mile round-trip hike from this point). If you’re up for the extra mileage, the hike to Halfmile Pond is well worth it and offers some scenic views along the way.

One of he stream crossings

Taking in the scenery

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Short walk on Smith Pond Road

Boardwalk after Smith Pond Road

After beginning on the boardwalks, there is roughly another 0.4 miles before reaching the pond for the first time. There is a small bench with a nice view of the pond where Baxter spent some time swimming and looking for fish which has become his new favorite passtime (still hasn’t caught any and probably never will). We also spotted a young porcupine up in a tree right next to the pond. Fortunately Baxter did not get acquainted with the little fella.

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From here there is the option to continue along the lake for 0.2 miles to Smith Pond Dam, bear left and hike another 0.2 miles to Little Dog Falls, or another 1.4 miles to Big Dog Falls. On this particular day, the falls (or at least Little Dog Falls) were completely dry, but it was easy to tell that they would have been beautiful had they been actually flowing. The short walk along the pond to the dam is definitely worth the marginal effort since the view of the pond from this vantage point is significantly better. There are several small rocky islands dotting this section of  the pond. It is a bit reminiscent of coastal Maine.