Once past the curve you'll find a side-fork which bears left, while the main right fork goes behind several modern industrial buildings, continuing straight towards the river. (The earthen dike you're walking along contained the 30-acre Adams Pond for the mill's water power.)

Near the end of the dike the path goes down a flight of steps on the left, with the river ahead. At the bottom, a short side trip to the right, down the river, gives the hiker a view of the old sandstone dam ruins and the frame of the brick hydroelectric structure built by the E.E.Hilliard Company around 1907. This dam burst during the great New England Hurrricane of 1938.

Returning to the main river trail, it goes upstream along the river, always following orange blazes, and past a wooden bench. Nearby is a side trail, back into the woods, to an earlier dam with some modern-day carvings. The date here is an authentic 1867.

Back on the main trail going up along the river, the course climbs onto another old dike, still going upstream, then down a few steps, still further up and close to the river, up more steps, around to the left, up a slope, around the right, up again and along the top of a high slope. This follows past many Mountain Laurel and gives a breathtaking view of the river far below. The trail then goes out to the tracks and a railroad trestle, built in 1850.

For the daring, the path crosses high over the river on the trestle, then along the tracks for about 200 feet, where it turns sharply right and down a flight of steps toward the river below.

For a return back to the start WITHOUT crossing the trestle, the trail goes back on the same route along the river and dike, and then on a more inland route past the 1867 dam and on the dike back to the start.

Following the trail downstream ACROSS THE RIVER, the path becomes very narrow and difficult on a steep slope, which can be hazardous in winter. It continues across a stony brook, and eventually opens into a wide woodland valley (all of whose trees have come up since 1938), and still close to the river. You'll come upon a view, across the river, of the ruins the 1907 dam. The path winds around near the water, then goes up past DeCormier Motors and out to Adams Street, where it turns right onto the sidewalk and leads you back to the start.

Historical Information:
In the 19th century, before back-hoes and Caterpillar tractors, numerous dikes and dams were built along the Hockanum River to harness water power for mill machinery. This hike shows remains of dams, ponds and sluiceways from long ago. Except for the Union Pond Dam, all of the dams along the Hockanum were destroyed in a devastating flood of 1869.

In 1863, Peter C. Adams had purchased a paper mill, outbuildings, 38 acres of land and Hockanum River water privileges. He purchased additional land, houses and barns between 1869 and 1876. The present Adams Mill Restaurant building was constructed in 1880 (see the marble inscription over the front door). The Adams Mill flourished until Peter Adams' death in 1896. Financial decline and failure closed most mills by the 1880s and 1890s, leaving a few mill buildings and many ruins. The old Hilliard Mills and the Adams Mill are among the best preserved along the Hockanum River. (See also the Oakland Mills along the Union Pond hiking trail.)

Behind the Adams Mill Restaurant can be seen ruins of the extensive system of dikes and two dams which were destroyed in the 1938 hurricane.

The former Adams Mill became the Standard Washer and Mat, which was purchased in 1982 by Brad Morton and Tony Scarpace, who painstakingly renovated it to the present Adams Mill Restaurant. The HRLPC is proud to witness the present restoration of this historic mill to a viable modern-day use. For information on the restaurant, click: Adams Mill Restaurant.


Additional Historical Items:
Along the Adams Mill trail there are numerous historic structures which the observant hiker may see. For example, at the upper end of the trail is a sandstone headwall, several old earthen dikes, and the remains of 2 sandstone dams.

And of course the existing restaurant, which dates from 1880. The original keystone with the date on it is on the east end of the restaurant in an archway (the keystone with date over the front door is a replica). Also, the smaller brick building on the north side, to the left of the trail entrance, is historic as well.

Following are images, maps and drawings of the Adams Mill complex. Click on any item to begin "walking" through the set at that point.