Cheshire Walkers 2026
We are so pleased to announce the Cheshire Walkers schedule for Spring 2026 - join us! Please see below for the schedule. This group is free and open to the public.
To sign up for a walk, please click here and fill out the online form.
NOTES:
Please arrive to the walk location by 9:15am, walks will begin at 9:30am.
Participants are welcome to carpool from the Keene area for each walk. If you would like to carpool to the trailhead meet at the Department of Public Works in Keene (350 Marlboro St.). If you are planning on meeting at DPW, we suggest you arrive there by 8:45am. The group meets here in the parking lot. The carpool will leave promptly at 9 am to drive to the trailhead. If you are coming from downtown, turn left on Bartholomew Court after Butterfly Park. Then take the first right into the first block of parking spaces.
Please note that Monadnock Conservancy staff will not be carpooling and instead will meet the group at the trailhead.
Although we love dogs at the Conservancy, we ask that you keep them at home during Cheshire Walkers outings for everyone's safety and comfort.
For any questions and more information, contact Kate Witte at Witte@monadnockconservancy.org
Background
The Conservancy assumed leadership of the Cheshire Walkers in the fall of 2022. Originally founded and run by Cheshire Medical Center for decades, the Cheshire Walkers is a walking and hiking group for people of most abilities, with an emphasis on seniors and others who might prefer an easier pace. The walks provide an opportunity to exercise the body and the brain, offering participants spirited social interaction and opportunities to learn about the nature they are experiencing.
5/19/26: Hiroshi Loop Trail
Description: The 1.9-mile Hiroshi Loop Trail in Peterborough gently winds its way through field, forest, and along Nubanusit Brook, and offers a gorgeous view of Dinsmore Pond. It’s also home to two musical hiking experiences: The Singing Stream and In Fine Feather.
Distance: 1.9 miles
Breathing: Easy
Footing: Moderate
Directions: Trailhead parking is in the Hiroshi field on the east side of Route 137, 2.1 miles north of the intersection of Routes 101 and 137 in Dublin and just south of the Harrisville town line.
View the Harris Center's Hiroshi Loop Trail Map
5/26/26: Converse Meadow, Rindge
Description: Converse Meadow features a historic pre-Revolutionary mill site and dam where flour, lumber, boxes, and shingles were produced from the 1760s to the 1930s. Though few signs of the mills remain, the property is now host to an easy 1.5-mile loop trail that follows the shore of Converse Meadow Pond and related wetlands. The Town of Rindge purchased the property in 2004 to prevent the land from being developed, and a conservation easement held by the Monadnock Conservancy further ensures Converse Meadow will remain open space in perpetuity.
Distance: 1.5 miles
Breathing: Easy
Footing: Easy
Directions: From Keene, take Route 12 south to Fitzwilliam and turn east on Route 119 to Rindge. Cross Route 202 and continue east for approximately 3.3 miles. Turn left on Converseville Road, then left again at the T intersection. The trailhead parking area, marked by a kiosk, is the second driveway on the right. (Note: Parking is limited, maybe 5-6 cars)
View the Converse Meadow Trail Map
6/2/26: Porcupine Falls, Gilsum
Description: This meandering one-way trail on the John and Rosemarie Calhoun Family Forest travels through a mixed hardwood-conifer forest rich with mosses and ferns. The trail follows White Brook, a quintessential babbling brook that makes a peaceful backdrop for a picnic and culminates at a bridge over the brook—a wonderful spot to enjoy “Porky Falls” as the Calhoun family called this waterfall. Please join us for light refreshments after the walk to commemorate this spring Cheshire Walkers series.
Distance: 0.4 miles
Breathing: Easy
Footing: Easy
Directions: From Routes 10/12/9E: Head north on Route 10 toward Gilsum. Go 5.1 miles. Turn right onto White Brook Road. Follow road to the end where there is a gate and parking area. From the north: Follow Route 10 south through Gilsum center. It’s 7.3 miles from the intersection of routes 10 and 123 to White Brook Road. Turn left. Follow road to the end where there is a gate and parking area.