You might not think of a large metropolitan area as a place where you can easily escape into nature on New Hampshire hiking trails, let alone an area that includes the biggest and most populated city in the state. Fortunately, I'm talking about New Hampshire here and we tend to do things a little differently.

While mainly serving as a water source for the greater Manchester area, Massabesic Lake (also known as Lake Massabesic) is mostly located within the neighboring small town of Auburn; only a small slice of the western part of the lake is located within the Queen City limits.

At 2,500 acres in size and with the ability to hold an astounding 15 billion gallons of water, Massabesic Lake is an impressively large and beautiful natural resource in this otherwise heavily developed area of the Granite State. Appropriately enough, the name "Massabesic" is derived from a Native American word meaning “the place of much water.”

Massabesic Lake is also a wonderful spot to get outside, and an extensive trail system follows about 50 miles of fire roads around the lake. These roads also duck into small coves, cross granite ledges, and skirt the edges of cliffs. The lake is big enough and provides enough open sky viewing that sunrise and sunset viewings are popular here. A favorite hike that a friend and I like to do is along the eastern shore of the eastern lobe of the lake. This visits some of the ledges and cliffs mentioned above. But feel free to fashion your own walk here as the possibilities are almost endless.

Some areas around the lake are off-limits to protect the water quality and hikers should abide by any posted restrictions. While recreation is welcome, ensuring a safe and clean drinking water supply is the primary goal of the Manchester Water Works Watershed.

Unlike visiting one of New Hampshire's excellent state parks, there are no day-use fees here. You can just show up and start exploring. However, visitors should definitely read up on the regulations and download the applicable trail maps, which are available on the City of Manchester website. The maps are essential due to the size of the property and the number of intersecting fire roads.

Also, check out a walk around nearby Tower Hill Pond for an extension of Massabesic Lake. This man-made impoundment in Auburn and Candia serves as a supplement to the main water supply at the lake. If you are hungry afterward, the Goldenrod Restaurant is right up the street from the lake.