Best Time to Kayak Hoit Road Marsh is Now

Beautiful Reflections and lots of birds

We headed to Hoit Road Marsh in Concord last Sunday for some quiet and relaxing time on the water. Why do I say, "head here NOW" (as in the next seven to ten days)?  Because in just a few weeks time, the vegetation will choke out some of the open water and you won't be able to paddle very far. We first paddled Hoit Road Marsh in 2008, when we spent time watching a great blue heron. It's hard to believe that six years have elapsed since our last visit here -- this place is pretty awesome!

The 101-acre marsh is managed by NH Fish and Game, which has placed quite a few wood duck boxes in the water and along the shore. This seems to encourage a lively bird population. Each one of the boxes was occupied, though we're still trying to figure out the bird species. They were very small with a swallow-like body. The tops of their heads were a shiny green/blue. Could they be tree swallows? I'm not sure.

Doug took out his fishing rod and caught a 12-inch pickerel and we sat for a while and watched a graceful osprey soaring overhead. This is the type of place that invites you to just sit back and relax. It's shallow and marshy in a lot of places so you won't be doing too much strenuous paddling. But if you are content to meditate on all the shades of green and bright yellow water lilies...all while watching the birds...then this is your spot! 

Things to Know Before You Go: Hoit Road Marsh is easy to get to and offers an easy put-in. If you're traveling from the south, take I-93 North to exit 17 in Concord. Head east (left) off the exit onto Hoit Road. Travel about 2.5 miles to the marsh on your left. There are no facilities here, but there's a small parking lot across the street and what looks like some trails through the woods. We may be back to explore those another day. 

Are you as patient as a great blue heron?

We hope to get back out on the water this weekend (weather permitting!) and will be sure to let you know all about it. In the meantime, I've been thinking about the great blue heron, ever since we had a chance to get up close and personal with this bird at Hoit Road Marsh. (Photo by David Baron)

These beautiful birds are quite abundant in New Hampshire (and North America), so if you spend any time at all on our ponds and lakes, you're very likely to see one. And considering its size -- about 4 feet tall with a 6-foot wingspan, you really can't miss it.

Two interesting facts about their behavior: Great blue herons are typically very patient (or lazy, depending on how you look at it) -- they quietly wait for their prey to come by before striking with their bills. You might say they're a little stupid, too. They swallow their prey whole and have been known to choke to death because they've swallowed something just a little too big for their long slender throats.

Apparently, they're not fussy eaters. They will consume anything from large fish to frogs, mice, small birds, and insects. When you're out on our waterways, be on the lookout for the herons' rookeries (high stick nests up in the trees) and give them lots of space.

A side note on our state's bird population: Thanks to the efforts of conservationists, three birds are being moved from the endangered to the threatened list this year. These include bald eagles, peregrine falcons, and the common tern. Ospreys are perhaps the state's biggest success story. They are coming off the threatened list altogether.

Kayaking Hoit Road Marsh

We spent a couple of peaceful hours this morning paddling Hoit Road Marsh in Concord. This is a true marsh--distinguished by its abundant vegetation and shallow depth. We recommend that you plan a trip here before too long. By mid-summer, the outer reaches of the pond will be choked with water lilies, reeds, and grasses and you probably won't be able to paddle far at all.

Hoit Road Marsh was a different type of paddling experience for us-- compared with Gilmore or Willard Pond, for example, which are both crystal clear and easy to navigate. Here, the water is murky, you're hitting tree stumps, and sometimes hitting bottom. Still, we thoroughly enjoyed the marsh.

It's the type of place where you can just sit and drift, watching and listening to all the birds and other critters, including snakes and a snapping turtle. We saw Canada geese, tree swallows, and most captivating of all, a Great Blue Heron from fairly close range.

How large is Hoit Road Marsh? An interesting question. I found four wildly different facts on this (ranging from 71 acres to 217!) , but I'm going to go with the NH Fish and Game Department and say 101 acres. The Fish and Game oversees the marsh as a "Wildlife Management Area" and they've placed abundant bird houses throughout. While we never did see any wood ducks which are supposed to be plentiful here, we were quite content to spend time watching the amazing Great Blue Heron.

Things to Know Before You Go: The Marsh is peaceful and quiet. There are no motor boats and limited road noise. There's a gravel put-in and ten parking spaces across the road. This place is easy to find and has easy access. There are no bathroom or other facilities.

Directions: Take I-93 north to exit 17. Take a left onto Hoit Road and drive for 2.5 miles. The marsh is on your left.