Outdoor Recreation: Parks

Knights Pond Conservation Area

Address: Rines Road, Alton, NH 03809
Phone: (603) 569-5566 (LRCT)

The Knights Pond area is a wonderful example of private land protection. The Lakes Region Land Trust owns only a small portion of this 307-acre wildlife refuge. The rest remains in private ownership, protected from development by permanent easements. Snapping turtles and largemouth bass share the pond, and seven native orchids (including the endangered small whorled pogonia) live within the protected land. Loons and eagles frequent the pond, which was created and is maintained by a crew of resident beavers. A 2-mile loop trail around the pond invites visitors to explore the woods and leads to the beaver dam. A trail map, available from LRCT or at local shops and tourist information centers, details restrictions on use of the property, which include no campfires, no motorized vehicles and no use between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.