At 10,330 acres, the Vickie Bunnell Preserve is TNC's largest nature preserve in the state. Located in Columbia and Stratford, it includes 3,723-foot Bunnell Mountain and 12 other peaks above 3,000 feet. It contains 28 miles of stream frontage, and the high elevation areas contain significant alpine and sub-alpine spruce-fir forest habitat. The preserve is a portion of TNC's larger 18,680-acre "Bunnell Tract."
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
10,330 acres
Access from the north: From the intersection of US3 and NH 26 in Colebrook, drive south on US 3 for 1.4 miles and turn left onto Fish Pond Road. In approx.4 miles, turn right on Grey Road. In approx. 2.0 miles, turn right onto Bungy Road and follow for two miles to the gates of Champion Road on the right. Proceed along Champion Road. After approximately 1.0 miles, the Preserve boundary enters from a northeasterly direction and follows the left sideline of the road. After an additional 1.0 mile, an old logging road departs on the left from the Champion Road. While there is no established parking area at this location, there is room for parking along the edges of Champion Road provided the road itself is not obstructed to the free passage of other vehicles including logging trucks. The old logging road (wet in places) is not a formal hiking trail, but provides a point of entry for exploring a particular area of the Preserve’s remote northern side and, after about 1 mile, crosses over into Nash Stream State Forest (In winter, this logging road serves as the Corridor #5 snowmobile trail). A portion of Bungy Road and all of Champion Road are closed to wheeled vehicles each year from December 10 through April 10.
Access from the west: From North Stratford, head north on US Route 3 for 3 miles and turn right onto Meridan Hill Road. Follow Meridan Hill Road for 1.8 miles to its intersection with Brown Road. Turn right onto Brown Road and follow it for roughly 1.5 miles to a fork in the road at the top of a steep hill. At this point, Brown Road bears sharply right and descends the steep hill to a brook crossing while an unnamed and less maintained forest road bears left. Bear left onto the forest road, staying right after roughly a quarter of mile where another road, typically gated, goes uphill to the left. The road continues to wind its way uphill, steeply in places, for approximately 0.5 miles to a gate at the Preserve entrance. The stretch of forest road between Brown Road and the Preserve entrance is not well maintained, often in rough condition and best negotiated by 4wd vehicles only. Please park in front of the gate.
