Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (restricted access)

Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (restricted access)

North Woodstock, New Hampshire 03262

Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest Official Website

About this Location

Access to Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest is restricted to those who have permission to enter the property.

About Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest

See all hotspots at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest

The Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest is in the southern part of the White Mountain National Forest in central New Hampshire. It lies in the towns of Ellsworth, Thornton, Warren, and Woodstock, all in Grafton County, and is near the village of West Thornton.

The eastern boundary of most of the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest is about 800 m west of U.S. I-93 and about 210 km north of Boston. However, the highway intersects the Mirror Lake watershed.

The Atlantic Ocean is about 116 km to the southeast. The only vehicle access to the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest is from Rt. 3, which runs parallel to I-93. With the exception of the easternmost boundary of the Hubbard Brook Valley, all surrounding land is in the National Forest. Thus, there is complete administrative control over the entire Experimental Forest and a forest buffer surrounds most of the area.

West Thornton, the nearest village, has a population of about 200 people and is 2 km from the forest. Lincoln and North Woodstock are about 15 km north of the forest and offer complete services for travelers. Plymouth is the largest nearby town and is about 25 km to the south.

The Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest is characteristic of much of the White Mountain National Forest. The National Forest has hilly, occasionally steep topography; coarse, acidic, glacially-derived soils; bedrock dominated by the metamorphic rock of igneous and sedimentary origin; northern hardwood forests on lower slopes and spruce-fir on upper reaches; and continental climate of long, cold winters and mild to cool summers. The Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest is one of the several sites in the White Mountain National Forest which offer opportunities for specialized research on the northern hardwood forest ecosystem. The Bowl Natural Area, about 26 km from Hubbard Brook, is an old-growth forest tract. Other sites include the Bartlett Experimental Forest, about 38 km away, and the Cone Pond watershed, about 20 km from the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest. Other nearby areas with interesting geomorphological features for ecosystem research are Mt. Washington, Mt. Moosilauke, Pemigewasset Wilderness, the Great Gulf and Presidential Dry River Wilderness Areas, and numerous lakes and rivers.

Features

  • Restrooms on site

  • Wheelchair accessible trail

  • Entrance fee

Content from Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest Official Website

Last updated November 10, 2023