Joining a community hiking group was a no-brainer for Betsy Clark and Bob Cole, a retired Concord couple who like to spend time exploring the White Mountains.
The pair parked their car near the trail head of Contoocook River Park Trail in Penacook, strapped on their backpacks and gathered around hike leadย Beth Fenstermacherย of the cityโs planning department to go over trail maps and the history of the Contoocook River.ย
In the late 1800s at the end of Electric Avenue where the walking trail now begins used to be a set of railroad tracks, Fenstermacher explained.ย Aย car line would bring patrons to a dance hall, restaurant, amusement park,ย steamboat rides and viewing sites.
The walking trails sit on a manmade island dividedย by canals that were used to move lumber across the river. Separating the canals is a dam that produces hydroelectric power. In 1930, the park area was closed and the structures were torn down but the dam remained.ย
Hiking through the trails, wooden bridges cover the many canals that are now filled with rotting sediment and stagnant water. The foundations of the former buildings are tucked away into the woods and overgrown with vegetation where 19thย century Concordians used to dance and mingle.ย Atop a clearing near the former dance hall sits a popular viewing site overlooking one of the canal offshoots.ย
Pockets of calm water welcome dogs and people to swim and cool off during the summer season.ย
As part of the Trails and Ales program, which is sponsored and organized by the Concord Parks and Recreation Department, residents and visitors are taken on educational hikes throughout the city to learn about the history of preservation lands followedย by beer tastings at the many breweries throughout the city, like Lithermans and Concord Craft.ย
โI saw that another recreation department wasย doing it and I thought it was a good idea so I went to Beth [Fenstermacher] and she thought it sounded good,โ explained Laura Bryant, assistant parks and recreation director who also leads hikes. โWe pick different trails throughout Concord to explore and talk about how featured beers are made and do tours of the breweries.โ
The program, which began in the fall of 2021, is offered twice a year during the spring and fall, she continued. Each session is a month long and includes four educational hikes and beer tastings. Over the years, the program has established its regulars who often encourage their friends, family and acquaintances to join in on the fun.ย
โWe try to do easy to moderate hikes and only a couple miles at a time so we can have a wide range of people join,โ Fenstermacher said. โWe have to make it in time to have beer!โ
But the social aspect is what people seem to enjoy the most, Bryant continued. After the hikes, the group is invited to one of the many breweries in Concord to learn about the beer-making process,ย sampleย new recipes, tour local breweries and mingle.ย
โYou can have very fun, spontaneous conversations with people youโd normally never talk to before,โ she said. โWeโre getting to know the staff at local businesses and weโre getting to know our community.โ
The cost of the hikes, which isย $35 per resident or $45 per non-resident, is put toward administration costs and brewery purchases. Those interested in the fall session can register online at www.concordparksandrec.com.