Powder Majors Forest was acquired by the Forest Society in 2017. The highlights of the property include frontage along the Oyster River, a beaver pond complex along Dube Brook, and an extensive recreational trail network.

These lands were once the home of Revolutionary War hero Major John Demeritt, aka “The Powder Major.” Major Demeritt was celebrated for his role in a raid on the British Fort William and Mary (now called Fort Constitution) in Portsmouth Harbor. He is credited for hiding the stolen gunpowder on his Madbury farm and then transporting it to the Continental Army fighting in the Battle of Bunker Hill at the outset of the American Revolution.

Since then, subsequent generations of the Demeritt family and then the Goss family lived on and farmed the Powder Major’s land.

The trails of this reservation are easy to moderate. An outer loop trail marked with yellow blazes (2.4 miles) runs through several wetlands and includes a spur trail (unmarked) in the far northwest that reaches the beaver complex.

Two other trails marked with green and orange blazes provide hikers the opportunity to shorten the 2.4-mile outer loop. Some areas may be very wet.

You can access the Powder Major’s Forest from Tibbetts Field, 25 Lee Road, Madbury. The playing fields and parking lot are owned by the Town of Madbury. From the far end of the parking lot, follow the path to the back corner of the playing field. As you enter the woods, you’ll pass over a patch of private land, used by permission of the landowner, before entering the extensive trail system on the property.

The AllTrails website has a description and map of a hike at  Powder Majors Forest.