Follow the waterside footpath marked with yellow and red blazes along Marlborough Meetinghouse Pond. The trail can be a bit overgrown in places towards the end of this walk, especially in summer, so expect a bit of bushwhacking. The cache is hidden at the base of a large rock with pines growing on top—hence the name Bonsai Rock. You’ll be searching for a medium-sized View Loader cylindrical container tucked here.
For a quicker find, check the photo for a spoiler image. A trail map is also provided.
Coordinates were recorded using a Garmin eTrex device. While care is taken to provide accurate locations, GPS accuracy can vary due to tree cover, weather, or satellite conditions. If your device provides a more accurate reading at the cache site, feel free to include it in your log to help improve the experience for others.
All logs must correspond with a signature in the physical logbook — finds without a valid signature will be deleted without notice.
About the Location
Meetinghouse Pond is located on the western slope of Mt. Monadnock, about 4.4 miles from the summit. Much of the forested, undeveloped shoreline of this 45-acre pond has been protected for over 200 years as town land. Thanks to the generosity of conservation-minded Marlborough residents, the remainder of the shoreline is now safeguarded as part of the 579-acre Kensan Devan Meetinghouse Pond Wildlife Sanctuary.
The Sanctuary contains a rich mosaic of wetland and upland habitats, with woodlands dominated by northern red oak, red maple, white pine, hemlock, and northern hardwoods such as beech, white ash, and sugar maple. Remnants of stone walls, built around 1800, still stand as reminders of the land’s past use as pasture. This large tract of undeveloped habitat provides excellent opportunities to encounter a diversity of wildlife in the scenic Monadnock region.
The original 168-acre Sanctuary, including most of the pond’s eastern shore, was established in 1986 through the vision and generosity of Cia Devan, who also provided an endowment to ensure long-term management. Over the years, additional gifts from the John Miley family, John and Lee Lecraw, Sally Maynard, Steve and Joan Ames, and many other community members expanded the Sanctuary to its present size and helped Audubon establish a trail system. Today, the property stands as a lasting legacy of local conservation.
Source: https://www.nhaudubon.org/
Visitor Information
Meetinghouse Pond Wildlife Sanctuary is open year-round during daylight hours. Although there are trails for your enjoyment, the Sanctuary’s primary purpose is to provide habitat for wildlife. To minimize disturbance to the plants and animals, please follow these rules:
- Only foot travel is permitted. Smoking, swimming, camping, fires, hunting, and trapping are prohibited.
- Please keep to the marked trails and do not collect or disturb plants or animals.
- Pets must be kept on a leash.
- Carry out all trash and litter.
- Be prepared for country walking.
How to Get to the Sanctuary
From Keene, take Rt. 101 east to the junction with Rt. 124 and turn south on Rt. 124. Drive for 2.3 miles, then turn left onto Meetinghouse Pond Rd. (not Meetinghouse Rd.), and continue 0.5 mile to the pond. Park and begin your walk at the boat landing. Note: Summer road maintenance only.
Trails
There are approximately 2.3 miles of trail within the Sanctuary. The gently sloping terrain makes for easy walking.
Winterberry Trail (0.7 mile, yellow blazes):
Begins at the Meetinghouse Pond boat launch and follows the southeastern shore under a dense hemlock canopy. Forest mix includes maple, oak, pine, birch, beech, and witch hazel. Ground cover hosts trillium, winterberry, hobblebush, ferns, and more. Glacial boulders along the trail are topped with polypody fern. The loop can be completed via the red-blazed logging road, joining the historic Underwood Road back to the parking area.
Rocky Ridge Trail (1.4 miles as a loop):
Extends from Winterberry, continuing along the eastern shore before climbing a dry, stony ridge dominated by oak, maple, and pine. Ground cover includes arbutus, clubmoss, lady’s-slipper, and Indian cucumber-root.
Lee’s Loop Trail (1.9 miles as a loop):
Branches from Rocky Ridge Trail and meanders along the pond’s eastern side. Spur trails provide views of a bog mat with spruce, tamarack, rhodora, and water lilies, as well as a beaver-created marsh on Shaker (Underwood) Brook. Lee’s Loop reconnects with Rocky Ridge Trail and leads back via Underwood Road to the parking area.