Spying a fairy house in a friend or neighbor's garden may stir your imagination and get your creative juices flowing. "I bet I could fashion a wee fairy house for my garden," you think.

If this is you and thoughts of magical and elusive fairies and their tiny homes pique your imagination, make it a point to visit the Franconia Artwalk's Riverwalk trail this fall and see the amazing village of fairy houses created by community members.

The burbling Gale River and the canopy of trees overhead create an ideal setting for the more than two dozen fairy houses sprinkled along the trail. The shaded path and the dappled light create a magical universe for the homes of the tiny creatures of storybook fame and their 2026 visitors.

Community members used natural materials found on the forest floor to create the whimsical fairy homes: pine needles, lichen, mosses, grasses, twigs, birch bark, pine cones, acorns, pebbles, and much more.

Even if you have no intention of creating your own fairy house, the Riverwalk trail is a fun place for adults and kids to visit and relax. And if time permits, stroll along the Artwalk on Franconia's Main Street where some 30 sculptures and other art installations created by artists from throughout New England and New York state are on display.

Both the Artwalk and the Riverwalk and fairy houses are free to explore throughout the summer and into early fall.

Brochures at various stopping points and signage at each sculpture provide information about the Franconia Artwalk organization, now in its eighth year, and the artwork on display.

Eileen Alexander is a former newspaper reporter and editor. A New Hampshire native, she has a yen for old homes with character, colorful flower gardens, and expansive mountain views.