Diane and John R. Schott Brennan Falls Reserve

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Scroll down for directions, trail information and property information.  

 The Schott Brennan Falls Reserve is a showcase for the Francestown Land Trusts (FLT) conservation goals which commit to:

“…maintain the existing scenic, historic, wildlife, and agricultural uses of lands” while protecting “water quality and quantity, existing important forested lands, and important wildlife habitat.”

The Schott Brennan Falls Reserve comprises 150 acres located between the intersection of Campbell Hill Road and Bennington Road and Crotched Mountain. For millennia before European settlement, Native Americans lived in this region and were displaced by European settlers in the 18th century. The property includes remnants of Francestown’s 18th century “Lost Village”, a regionally historic and culturally significant part of Francestown's early settlement history. The Bullard family patriarch, Ebenezer, was a veteran of the American Revolution and it was he and his family who first settled Bullard Hill. Now known colloquially as the “Lost Village,” this settlement is characterized by intact cellar holes and stone walls, dating back to the late 1700's and early 1800's. At some point in the past, a dam was built resulting in a small 3+ acre pond. It was restored by Joe Brennan and his son Art in 1975. The land has been logged periodically over the years.

The Reserve is part of a biologically diverse 6,126-acre unfragmented habitat block, of which 2,600 acres have been protected. It is primarily forested, with south-facing slopes and sloping terrain dotted with large boulders and glacial erratics, vernal pools, wetlands, 3,000 feet of frontage along Brennan Brook which flows from a large beaver pond, and a waterfall. The 1895 history of Francestown refers to the waterfall as: “a remarkable fall of 20 feet, often visited by ramblers and romance-lovers.” An old photograph shows visitors to the waterfall in the 19th century, members of the Bixby family who once owned it. It’s well worth a visit.

From the intersection of Routes 136 and 47 in the middle of Francestown, follow Rte. 47N toward Bennington.​ After 1.3 miles, turn left onto Campbell Hill Road. Drive ~.25 miles past a white mail box numbered 130 to a fork of dirt roads on the left. This is just after pavement on Campbell Hill Road ends. The right fork is unmaintained Bullard Hill Road (left fork is a private driveway). At this point, cars should park on the downhill-side of Campbell Hill Road. The trailhead kiosk is ~.25 miles down Bullard Hill Road, off to the left and adjacent to an old wood yard. 

The Brennan Falls trail begins to the right of the trailhead kiosk and follows a gentle downhill slope via a woodland road, to the bench overlooking the pond. Soon after the trail becomes a single-track trail, traveling over the footbridge and eventually down the last slope to the waterfall. The trail ends here and requires a return trip uphill to the trailhead kiosk.

Maps for the Schott Brennan Falls Reserve are posted on the trailhead kiosk, available in the black box on the kiosk and viewable on the website via the posted QR Code.

The Reserve provides habitat for a wide range of wildlife species including birds known to be declining in the northeast, such as the scarlet tanager, eastern wood-pewee, veery, wood thrush, black-and-white warbler, and the American redstart. Evidence of moose, bear, bobcat, otter, fisher, and mink have been found here. It contains 30 acres classified as “Highest Ranked Habitat in Biological Region” and the rest is “Supporting Landscapes” in the NH Wildlife Action Plan. Brennan Brook is one of the top three headwater streams of the South Branch of the Piscataquog River. It is a high-quality stream that serves as an important cold-water spawning stream and safe haven for brook trout and other cold-water species including the Spring Salamander.

Beginning in 2005, a coalition of conservation organizations, including the Francestown Land Trust, the Piscataquog Land Conservancy (PLC), and the Town of Francestown began working to protect the headwater streams of the South Branch of the Piscataquog River, a river which, in Francestown, has been designated as protected ‘natural’ waters by the NH State Legislature. The ‘Headwaters Project’ strengthened relationships within the conservation community, energized landowners and community members. It led to protection of over 1,700 acres and thousands of feet of frontage on high quality streams and ponds. 

With its remarkable environmental and cultural attributes, the Schott Brennan Falls Reserve easily met FLT’s selection criteria. FLT signed a purchase and sales agreement with the Schotts in August 2013 and embarked on an aggressive fundraising campaign. Anchored by a grant from LCHIP, and additional grant support from An Environmental Trust and Fields Pond Foundation, the fundraising effort was successful and the sale of the property to FLT was completed in April 2014.

FLT deeded a conservation easement to PLC on April 30, 2014. This provides an enforcement mechanism to help ensure the land’s permanent protection. The purposes of the easement are:

• To maintain the property in perpetuity as open space;
• To protect its conservation attributes; 
• To protect the quality of its surface water and groundwater; 
• To protect its natural communities and habitats; 
• To provide for low-impact outdoor recreational and/or educational use, by the general public; 
• To provide for the scenic enjoyment by the general public; and 
• To conserve its productive forest land.

FLT has maintained the property in an undeveloped state for conservation and low-impact recreational purposes, including the existing trail used by hikers, hunters, and various conservation groups. Traditional outdoor recreational activities continue. A small foot bridge was built for ease of access and a bench overlooking the pond has been installed for the public’s use. The Reserve is readily accessible by foot from Bullard Hill Road which leads to an information kiosk and a well-marked trail that goes past the pond and continues to the waterfall