Durrell Mountain Road Question
 

Recent detours on Route 11 from Alton Bay to Gilford got me looking at, and then traveling over, some back roads.

There is a road that connects Guinea Ridge Road in Gilmanton to 107 in Belmont called Durrell Mountain Road.

Is that road open to the public, and is it passable (4WD heavy SUV) all the way? I've read all the old posts here that mention that road, last one in 2017, and posts are conflicting about this question.

Why would you want to take that detour when you can simply take Rand Hill Road (in either direction)?


Or are you just curious?

Dave

I hate driving the same way every day. Like to mix it up.
And, also curious.

Do you know the answer to my question?

I believe that it was a discontinued road - but not really sure.
I also seem to remember gates as conservation land is all around it.

I’ve ridden it on a mountain bike. It’s rough terrain. A good off road vehicle could do it, but I wouldn’t take most daily driver SUVs through there.

I also recall a gate.

Durrell Mtn Road.
 

The road is steep in history. It was built to get iron ore from Belknap Mtn range to Gilmanton Iron Works. It was a passable road up until the 80s.

The road is listed as Class 4 in the NH road gazetteer. Navionics, where most of the GPS maps came from also list the road as Class 4.

Around 2015, I decided to revisit Durrell Mtn Rd with my Pathfinder. On the Belmont side, there were large boulders blocking the entrance. So, I went to the Gilford side and it was open. On the Gilford side part of the road is a major snowmobile corridor. When the snowmobile corridor ended, the road was barely passable. I did manage to travel to the rock barricade. As I was turning around, a man approaches me and says I was trespassing. I told him I'm on my way back. I did not see any trespassing signs. He claims there is a gate at the other end. I did not see one. I also showed him my GPS that shows it is a road. He said the GPS is wrong.

I visited the Belmont road agent. He said it was classified as Class 4 and the man who approach me must give right of way until he gets permission from the DOT to close the road.

I visited the Gilford road agent, he said the same. The road is on Belknap Conservative Trust land. He had no idea why the man in Belmont says I am trespassing.

Today there is a gate that prevents ATVs from using the snowmobile corridor on the Gilford side. You can still walk the road to Belmont. The boulders are still there on Belmont side.

The GPS and the NH road atlas still show the road as class 4.

Sorry, I do not, but the comment in post #6 by Broadhopper has a good explanation.

Have a great day

Dave

Thanks to All
 

Thanks to all for answering my question.

Where I live there are three Class 6 roads which would greatly simplify my travels if they were improved to the point that transit by conventional autos were possible.

We were visited several years ago by a couple from Ireland, who rented a car and a GPS at Logan airport and called us in distress from Tumbledown Dick Road because they had become stuck on a boulder while following "fastest route".

It's always good to ask before you go.

Durrell Mountain Road runs to Sargent Road in Gilmanton.
It barely, if at all touches Gilford at the Peverly Conservation property.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Du...oASAFQAw%3D%3D

On the Belmont side, past Roger's Rd across the little land bridge between the two wet sections, past the parking area on the left, up the hill past the large pond on the left - from there on is all nearly impassible until you reach the Gilmanton side with the town forest section.

The Class 4 is probably only the sections on the Belmont side to the large pond, and on the Gilmanton side to the town forest parking.

On 107 south you can take Middle Route all the way to Rt 140 then into Alton.

Or take Middle Route to left on Sargent Rd to right on Guinea Ridge Rd , left on Places Mill Rd then left on Avery Hill Rd to Alton Mt Road to Rand Hill Road not far from UP.

BTW, where is Alton Mt? Been there many times.

Alan

So coming from Alton it isn't a big deal to use Rand Road to get to Laconia? Do you need extra time?

Nope
 

Nope, a minute or two at most. And the detour should be over in just a few days.

Dave

Great, thanks. Good to know. Last time we went, we went through Moultonborough, but have to go Sat. so think we will go through Alton.

The Rand Hill detour is no big deal. I travel it twice daily. Hardly any difference in time. Unless you are driving a large commercial vehicle that is overweight it should not be a deterrence.

Thank you.

I timed it tonight, five minutes from end to end. Will be curious to find out what the same stretch on route 11 takes when it is open next week.

It's open !!!!!
 

Route 11 is back open. Life for me is back to normal.

Dave

Open for good? So it will be open tomorrow?

For good
 

Open for good

DAve

No traffic noise.
 

Glad to hear it. Had to use the detour heading to Laconia several times. We waved to you as we drove by. Didn't want to blow the horn. Save that for driving in NJ.:laugh:

Perfect. Thank you for letting us know.

It was 2 1/2 minute staying on Route 11.

Took me 3 minutes.. I drive safely...

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