Thompson Forest

Lamprey River at Thompson Forest

Wednesday Hill Road   |   54 acres

DIRECTIONS:  From downtown Durham, take Mill Road 2.4 miles to the end. Turn left onto Packers Falls Road. Go 0.6 miles then take a sharp right turn onto Wednesday Hill Road. The Thompson Forest parking area is 1/4 mile on the left. 

Read: Thompson Forest Story Map

Thompson Forest Trail Map and Property Summary

ABOUT THIS PROPERTY:

A 1.3 mile round-trip loop trail leads through a 15-acre shrub/wildflower meadow and oak-pine forest to the Lamprey River, where visitors can enjoy a picnic lunch and solitude, while watching for ducks, otters, kingfishers, and other wildlife.

RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:

  • Hiking and running
  • Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing
  • Mountain biking on trail
  • Dog-walking (dogs on-leash/under control; pick up dog waste)
  • Fishing
  • Birdwatching/Nature observation

AMENITIES:

RESTRICTIONS:

  • Open dawn to dusk
  • No hunting or fireworks
  • No motorized wheeled vehicles (ATVs, trucks, dirt bikes)
  • No Horseback Riding
  • No campfires or camping
  • Carry in, Carry out
  • Do not disturb plants, animals, historical or cultural features

Click any thumbnail image to view a slideshow

Large boulder at Thompson Forest
Woodland trail
Garter snake
Big sky at Thompson Forest
Aspen regeneration
Purple milkwort
Monarch
Field trail
Bridge
Large white oak
Leopold bench at scenic overlook
white birches
Eric Donovan sitting at the picnic table he built for Eagle Scout
Twenty-two people gather to hear Dick Lord tell the history of the Thompson Forest and LRAC
Ellen Snyder, Land Stewardship Coordinator, talks about habitat management on the Thompson Forest