Why is the northern end of the Loop Trail underwater?

The flooding in northern end of the Loop Trail at Kimball Pond is due to beaver activity. The beaver dams in that area pre-date the formation of the conservation area and the actual idea for developing a trail that circled the pond was initially conceived after an adventure which included carefully balancing across that same beaver dam more than 15 years ago.

The Conservation Commission built a bridge there 5 years ago when the Loop Trail was put in, but the beavers cleverly have used it as the foundation for a higher dam.

There is a sign installed at the beginning of the Loop Trail off the boat launch warning people of this situation and it is noted it on the Kimball Pond page of this website..

We have discussed and explored a number of options to address this (not including killing or trapping the beavers) like the installation of beaver deceiver or some type of cable trolley over the dam, but have decided not to take any action at present. Conserving wildlife habitat is as important a priority as providing human powered recreation opportunities at Kimball Pond — if not of higher importance. That’s why it’s called a “conservation area” and not a “recreation area.”

When the water level drops after spring or periods of heavy rain, it is relatively easy to walk across the top of the beaver dam to complete the loop without even getting your feet wet (see photo above) and within the last few months we’ve done a little clipping in that area to make it easier to navigate the land sections between dam sections.

A fully functioning beaver dam is actually a blessing in drought conditions like this. The water level behind the dam in the Great Meadows is relatively brimming now, and its leakage into Kimball Pond is keeping the water level up enough so that Black Brook, which flows out of the pond, has not dried up.

If you have not read NH Fish and Game’s new publication “Trails for People and Wildlife” it is worth reading. You can download a copy here. It has changed our thinking about the future installation and location of trails in our conservation areas. “Loop” trails around natural features like ponds are not particularly good for wildlife habitat.

If we knew then what we know now we might not have sited the trails as we did, but the beaver situation, in part, addresses those issues and serves as a compromise solution.