Lake Massabesic

In Mid-September we had a very warm day with nothing to scheduled.  So we ventured into the woods.  Trying again to use the trail app on my phone we set out for Lake Massabesic. Massabesic Lake is a lake in southern New Hampshire, United States, covering about 2,561 acres within the city of Manchester and the town of Auburn.We struggled to find the trail head that was marked on the app in Auburn but parked near an entrance off a main road. 

We pulled out our stroller and followed the path with our picnic lunch from a local sub shop.  The path was easy enough for use to push the baby along in his stroller with some inclines and a few ruts here and there to be cautious of.  I dislike not having a trail map and hiking poorly blazed trails but we could hear people and catch glimpses of the lake through the trees.

 

We hiked along and came across a wooden map near the Massabesic Audubon Center. It gave us some bearings to where we were.  We followed the trail towards the water.  The woods were cool and shady.

We found a nice point to sit and watch the boats.  Later I learned that this spot is named Battery Point.  While eating our subs were heard the sounds of loons in the distance.  We caught a glimpse of the pair swimming and diving.

Loons in the distance

Native American legends claim that the famous New Hampshire chief Passaconaway died on Lake Massabesic. A settler reported that the elder chief was headed towards Loon Island on the east side of the lake, which was "a place of fond memories of the aged chief's young past". When he was in the north part of the lake, a thunderstorm was being formed, which "was a sign of the presence of the Great Spirit". Then, a lightning bolt hit the canoe in which Passaconaway was riding in, and he and the canoe were disintegrated instantly.

After we ate we backtracked through the paths.  It was quite warm and we had only a limited amount of water with us.  There were miles of trails to be explored though and I would definitely go back again for a walk in the woods.  

    

   

Maps of the Lake Massabesic Area can be found on the Manchester waterworks website and on the Massabesic Audubon page.