3 inch diameter, iron on. But personally if I'm going to wear a patch, I get someone to sew it on.
The CURRENT redline map from the state park site, as of 3/8/24. More details will be added as time permits.
OBSOLETE REDLINE MAP for comparison only
A Special Safety Note, August 30, 2025: The Old South Road and Hemlock trails are both part of the Quest. However, I believe the bridge which connects them is UNSAFE. Please don't use the bridge! Crossing the brook is NOT REQUIRED for the patch. If you want to cross the brook to make a loop hike, it is possible at low water times to make a rock hop crossing a few yards downstream , but it is NOT possible at high water or in the winter to cross safely. See Rule #1.
- Safety first. Nobody gets hurt. This rule supercedes all other rules.
- This is a game, not a contest of any kind. The only intent of this game is to further the experience of people hiking in Bear Brook. It has no connection with the State of NH, or with any of its departments, or with Bear Brook State Park. Participants absolve and hold harmless Rocky Branch Dreams, Adaptive Technology LLC, its members, Tom St.Martin, and any and all heirs and assigns, from any responsibility or liability of any nature whatsoever arising from this game.
- Obey Hikesafe & Leave No Trace (LNT) principles.
- Obey Park rules. Please particularly note the rules on dogs.
- Don’t forget to pay park fees ( I recommend a season pass ). Support our parks, they are not supported by taxes.
- Respect other users; and watch out for them. You will certainly encounter mountain bikers and almost certainly horse riders. In hunting season, wear orange and stay on the trails ( forget brush whacking for Easter eggs ).
- Riding a bike, a horse, snowmobile or driving to trailheads is OK. But the trail itself must be walked. Walking your bike is OK. Walking your horse is OK. Snowshoes are OK. Skis are OK. Running is OK. Carrying your snowmobile is OK.
- Driving an ATV or dirt bike anywhere in the park, even to trailheads is not OK. Even carrying your ATV or dirt bike does not count. I really don't like ATVs and dirt bikes.
- Using a GPS to navigate is not OK except in an emergency. ( But by all means carry one to see where you went ... I love doing that!)
- Using a cell phone within anyone else's hearing ( except in an emergency) is not OK.
- There are three "Easter eggs" for discovery - please save the "mystery" of the nature of the Easter eggs for others to discover. They are optional, not required for a patch. Note, these are not geocaches. Don't bother looking for logs, boxes or whatnot. These are just some things I found intriguing. Reaching them requires brushwhacking. Don't get lost. See rule #1, rule #2 and rule #3.
- This quest is for fun and amusement. If it stops being fun, feel free to stop - you can always resume, or not. Nobody will know. Unless you tell them :)
- This list may change at my whim.
- ***Fitness Trail deleted from list. Trail closed due to safety concerns with the health of the forest in the area where the trail is located.
- In general, if you can drive during the open park season on a road, it is not part of the redline; if it is gated in-season, it is. So, for example, Podunk Rd must be walked from the Southern park boundary to the Bear Hill camp road. But doesn’t need to be walked from the Northern boundary to the Bear Hill Camp road.
- Yes, Black Hall road, within the park boundaries, is part of the Quest.
- No, Chester Turnpike is not required. But you can still walk it if you like. I once followed it all the way to Allenstown. It went thru a bog. No bridge. Deep mud. Not recommended.
- This is an honor system. No one will try to verify your accomplishment. I enjoy anecdotes , trail map records and pictures of your Quest, but nothing like that is required. *
- The current park map - see the URL above - is the canonical set of trails to be completed. A recent redliner (thanks Marc!) mentioned that there is a trails list in the current park management document at page 167. It includes some details that may be helpful.
- To the best of my current knowledge, trails not specifically prohibited in the management document from pedestrian use may be hiked. If signage or conditions say otherwise ( for example logging operations might close a trail), see rules 1-4.
- To get a patch, and get on the liners' list, send $10/patch (check, not cash!) and a SASE ( a #10 is preferable but not required ) to the address below. **
Feel free to use the contact page to ... well, contact me. It night also be possible to reach me via facebook on my rockybranchdreams page.
A kind note saying you did the entire redline and anything you think might be interesting would be welcome.
If you think you found one or more of the Easter eggs , let me know J
Pictures or a link to blogs or FB would be fun :) If you were abducted by aliens ... mmm, I probably don’t need to know any details, thanks.
Let me know if anything you might note is private, otherwise I'll assume I can quote you.
I list your first name, state, date and completion number unless something else ( like a trail name or anonymity ) is preferred - but let me know.
I reserve the right to list 'anonymous' or blank if appropriate in my judgment.
Rocky Branch Dreams attn: Tom St.Martin
33 Christian Ave #199
Concord NH 03301
* There is no need, anyway. If you cheat, karma will get you.
** Despite the outrageous fee of $10, this is not a for-profit game. Any profit will go toward NH trail conservation and maintenance.
*** The Park is an active entity, trails close, new trails open, other changes may occur. Significant changes will be incorporated into the map and/or rules as time and intel allow.
If you run into a trail closure or new trail or whatnot, please let me know via the contact page on this site, or the companion facebook page rockybranchdreams !