As I mentioned recently, I had come upon some ruins of the old settlement of Monson while exploring around the Granite Town Rail Trail. Last night, I revisited some other trails in the area, around Federal Hill in Hollis and Milford, and off the Monson Center site…

Some of the old trails west of Federal Hill Road have been devastated by logging, others have been graded — it’s not clear whether by developers or snowmobilers - but the trails around the Monson Center park ( where Russ Dickerman is still holding down the restored homestead) are in great shape… if anything, they could use a few more tires to clear away loose sticks. There’s nothing too technical, but plenty of climbs and descents, and definitely worth a visit when you tire of your usual tracks.