Wagon Hill Farm

Route 4 | 139 acres

DIRECTIONS: From the lights in Durham, take Route 108/Dover Road east approximately 1 mile. Take Route 4 east 1.8 miles. The entrance to Wagon Hill Farm is on the right.

Wagon Hill Farm Trail Map and Property Summary

ABOUT THIS PROPERTY:

The iconic wooden wagon at the top of the hill, overlooking the highway, is a local landmark recognized far and wide among Seacoast residents, UNH students, and tourists alike. The property was acquired by the town in 1989 "to preserve its scenic vistas, provide for future municipal purposes and preserve open space in order to provide for a healthful and attractive outdoor environment for work and recreation, and to conserve land, water, forest and wildlife resources."

The Durham DPW maintains Wagon Hill Farm, which includes mowing the fields once a year in the fall.

LIVING SHORELINE
In 2019, the Town of Durham, in partnership with the NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES), University of New Hampshire (UNH), and the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, finalized a design and installed a living shoreline along the tidal portion of the Oyster River at Wagon Hill Farm; the first of its kind in the state of New Hampshire. This innovative restoration project was designed specifically to reduce erosion, replace salt marsh habitat that had been lost or damaged, improve shoreline appearance, and accommodate salt marsh migration resulting from sea-level rise. Slated for spring 2020, a tour-style event to publicize the project was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in its place a virtual walk-through is currently being prepared. This outreach is intended to engage neighboring coastal municipalities interested in implementing a similar design in their community. To learn more generally about the project, members of the public are encouraged to visit Wagon Hill Farm’s shoreline and view the educational kiosk design HERE, which was created by partners at Strafford Regional Planning Commission (SRPC).

TRAILS AND BRIDGES ASSESSMENT

In 2020, the Land Stewardship Coordinator completed an assessment of the trails and bridges at Wagon Hill Farm. That assessment can be viewed HERE and PHOTOS. In Fall 2020, Scout Ryan Belanger implemented trail improvements at Wagon Hill Farm for his Eagle Scout project. In coordination with Land Stewardship Coordinator Ellen Snyder and DPW, Ryan and his Scout mates brushed out a section of trail, cleared overgrown brush around two benches, spread 8 yards of gravel to improve the trail tread, and built a boardwalk. His project helps improve one of eight sites identified in a Wagon Hill Farm Trails and Bridges Assessment; Ryan’s project is site 7.

WAGON HILL FARM - NORTH

Wagon Hill Farm includes about 40 acres north of Route 4, which are accessible from Watson Road, off back River Road. The Town of Durham in partnership with NH Fish and Game is managing this area for the endangered New England Cottontail.

RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:

Hiking and running
Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing
Dog-walking
Picnicking
Photography

ATTENTION DOG WALKERS:

Dog-walking is a popular activity at Wagon Hill Farm, but owners are required to follow rules to ensure the enjoyment of this property by all visitors and the cleanliness of waters in Great Bay:

Dogs must be on leash at all times except from Dawn to 10:00 a.m. daily
Fines of up to $150 may be charged for violating ordinance 2001-10, Durham's "leash law."
Owners are responsible for proper removal of dog droppings, a pollutant to the Bay as well as a nuisance to other visitors. A pet waste station and trash cans are provided to assist with this (Durham ordinance 2018-5).

AMENITIES: