This 5.6 mile route to Zealand Falls is one of the easiest hikes we’ve done in New Hampshire. Most of the footing is smooth, soft, and flat! It was a real treat after climbing Pierce and Madison.
Adam sits at the top of Zealand Falls and takes in the view of mountains beyond and wetlands below. Below: Zealand Falls Hut is a popular hut for people who want to stay at an AMC Hut, but don’t want a tough hike; Christine hikes along; While the trail was generally flat and smooth, there were occasional roots and rocks to negotiate.
Christine Says…
The hike to Zealand Falls is doubtlessly the easiest ‘hut hike’ in the White Mountains. The elevation gain is barely discernible until the last couple tenths of a mile. The route offers mountain views, waterfalls, stream scenery, and lovely ponds. Guidebooks say it’s a great place to bird-watch and spot a moose (though I have my doubts about the actual likelihood of seeing a moose!)
The hike starts out at a parking area at the end of Zealand Road. It’s a fee area, so make sure you bring cash to pay at the self-service parking station.
We made our way along the trail, marveling at how smooth and soft the footing felt. There were certainly some spots with roots and rocks, but generally the trail was level and covered with a bed of pine needles. We could hear the Zealand River, but didn’t reach a close view of the water until .8 miles into the hike. When we hiked (early August), the water was low, clear and running quietly along. Almost all of the water crossings we encountered on this trail were assisted by wooden footbridges – no wading and very little rock hopping necessary!
The Zealand Falls trail passes many ponds and marshes. Below: Several views of the ponds and marshes along the Zealand trail.
As we walked along, the terrain became marshier. At about 1.8 miles in we passed a lovely beaver pond. We could see the dam from the trail, but didn’t see any beavers. The reflections of trees and mountains in the water were especially beautiful! With all the wetlands, I expected biting flies, mosquitoes and gnats to be a major issue, but we didn’t have any trouble at all. Maybe there was just enough of a breeze to keep the bugs at bay.
At 2.3 miles we passed the junction with the A-Z trail, where we continued on the Zealand Trail. A couple tenths of a mile later, we passed Zealand Pond and reached the junction with the Twinway (which is also the Appalachian Trail in this area) and Etlan Pond Trails. The last couple tenths of a mile to the hut follow the Twinway Trail.
Almost immediately after the junction, we reached the bottom of Zealand Falls. The water was running low, but it was still beautiful. There are two places to stop and admire the falls on the way up. The first stop is a view of the gradual, slide-like lower falls. The view of the upper falls is a bit more dramatic. The rocks around the falls are blocky and reddish-orange in color. The water comes plunging steeply over a cliff-side. The last tenth of a mile up to the hut is steep and rocky – honestly, it’s the only challenging part of the hike.
Zealand Falls make a couple distinct drops. Below: New signs were recently posted to mark trails in the area; Adam checks out the falls; The final ascent to the hut was the only steep part of the hike.
Zealand Falls Hut enjoys a lofty perch looking out across two notches. You can see the Bonds and Mt. Carrigain. There’s even a bench available for anyone who wants a nice seat to enjoy the view. We spent some time poking around the hut. The Croo had just made cinnamon rolls and purple frosted blueberry cake, but we weren’t quite ready for a snack. Instead, we decided to take the little side trail to the ledges of Whitewall Brook. It’s just a 25-30 foot walk through the trees. The brook passes over immense slabs of rock. It’s a nice place to sit, soak in the sun, and enjoy the view of the pond below and distant mountains beyond.
After spending some time enjoying the hut, we returned the way we came. The walk back was all downhill, so we made quick work of it. I would highly recommend Zealand Falls to anyone looking for a low-key hike without much climbing. In fact, we gave it such glowing reviews that my parents tried the hike a few weeks later. They enjoyed it and felt it was very approachable for hikers of any level.
Adam Says…
When we go about trying to cover a lot of hiking mileage on our vacation trips, we like to alternate some easier hikes with the tougher ones. Since we had just climbed Mt. Madison, our feet and joints were happy that we chose this easier leg-stretcher.
Christine and I do like to hike with goals in mind. Since we have climbed a few of the 4000-footers in New Hampshire (there are 48), we have thought about possibly trying to bag all of those peaks. Last year on our visit, I picked up AMC’s Passport to AMC’s High Huts in the White Mountains. That book describes each of AMC’s huts through the White Mountains and details the history, features, and interesting stories about each of the huts. It also serves as a passport that you can have stamped at each location to mark that you have been there (you can even earn a patch when you’ve visited them all). This was definitely enough of an incentive to try and reach all the huts.
Zealand Falls Hut sits at the top of a waterfall. A short trail from the side of the hut leads to the streambed; Inside the hut; View from the hut; Christine at the top of the falls.
As Christine mentioned, this trail had nice footing compared to what we were used to in the White Mountains. The trail was fairly smooth as it started through the woods mixed with pine and birch. The trail eventually opened up into some great views over marshy ponds. There was a large boardwalk to walk across that I thought would be a perfect vantage point for spotting a moose. There were such nice views over the dammed-up ponds and it reminded me that we were in a state filled with lots of lakes, ponds, and streams. We took a while to enjoy the scenery around us. The trail continued to give us lots of similar views and short step-offs to pond views. The trail eventually goes back into the woods as you get closer to Zealand Falls Hut.
At 2.3 miles, we reached the junction with the A-Z trail, which I came to realize after looking at our map that it connects the Avalon and Zealand trail, hence the A-Z name. At 2.5 miles, we reached a short side trail to check out Zealand Falls. The falls here were a nice place to get sidetracked. We crossed a few rocks and enjoyed climbing around the rocks at the base of the falls. Looking up towards the top of the fall is where this hike ends, but you should stick to the trail rather than trying to climb up the falls.
We continued our last piece of the hike, which was a steep and rocky .2 miles until we reached the Zealand Falls Hut at 2.8 miles. There were a few day-hikers at the hut, recounting tales of all the places they had visited around the world. We decided to take the short trail from the hut to the streambed of Whitewall Brook, which is the top of the falls we had seen below. Christine got a lot of pictures while I walked around climbing on some of the rocks and collecting a few blueberries from the nearby bushes. We then found a picturesque spot on the large rocks to take in the view of mountains ahead and the waterways below.
The woods along the trail were so beautiful! Below: Adam rock hops; Beautiful, tall, straight trees; A beaver dam.
We stopped back in to the hut to talk to the Croo members who were cleaning up breakfast and starting to prepare some food for lunch. I know they have some busy days, preparing meals, cleaning the hut, and transporting supplies on their backs to and from the hut. I talked to one of the members about how this hut was so much easier to reach than most of the others we had seen. I wondered if there was a selection process that was made to match up Croo members to the huts or if they even had a choice. It seems like maintaining this hut and transporting supplies would be made for those that wanted or needed an easier experience. We made our way back to our car the same way we came up.
I would recommend this hike to anyone that would like to see what one of the AMC huts looks like. It is the easiest one to reach, so people of most abilities should be able to attain the top. This is one I could see us doing many times in the future due to the ease and the serenity that the scenery of the marshes and waterfall evokes.
Difficulty – 2. This is a pleasant, easy walk until the last couple tenths of a mile. The last push to hut is short but steep.
Trail Conditions – 4. The trail is so nicely built and easy to walk. Most of the water crossings and marshy areas are traversed by sturdy bridges and boardwalks.
Views –3.5. Views from the hut and Whitewall Brook are nice, as are several views across the wetlands, but generally the views here are less dramatic than other spots in the White Mountains.
Waterfalls/streams – 4.5. The river, pond, wetlands, brook and waterfalls are all lovely!
Wildlife – 3. It’s supposed to be a nice area to spot wildlife, but we just saw birds and squirrels.
Ease to Navigate – 4. Trail junctions are clearly marked and easy to follow.
Solitude– 3. We saw relatively few people, but we hiked on a weekday in August. I think this is generally a popular trail.
Directions to trailhead: From I-93: Take Exit 35 for Twin Mountain. Follow 3N for 10.4 miles. Turn right onto 302E for 2.2 miles. Turn right onto Zealand Rd. and drive about four miles. The road will turn to gravel. The parking area is at the dead end of the road. There is a $3/day fee to park at the trailhead.
* MapMyHike is not necessarily accurate, as the GPS signal fades in and out – but it still provides some fun and interesting information.
This 8.8 mile hike takes you past Madison Spring Hut and up to the summit of majestic Mt. Madison. The Valley Way Trail is known for being one of the safer, more protected routes into the heart of the White Mountains. While the terrain is less extreme than other trails in the area, the hike still requires a little over 4,100 feet of climbing. It’s a tough hike, but the views make it well worth the effort.
Adam makes his way across the summit ridge of Mt. Madison. The big mountain in the background is Mt. Washington. If you look closely, you can see the Auto Road snaking down the peak. Below: Plenty of parking and access to many trailheads at the Appalachia Parking area; Warning…. danger ahead – seriously, the White Mountains can be pretty extreme; The early part of the trail was fairly soft and gentle.
Adam Says…
My top goal for our 2014 New Hampshire trip was to hike up Mt. Madison. We both went to James Madison University and have worked there for years, so it only seemed fitting to take on the mountain that shared a name with our college. I even wore JMU Dukes gear almost like the guy that goes to a concert wearing a t-shirt for the band’s previous tour to show his super-fandom.
We started out the day on a rough note. Christine had put her hiking shoes and socks in the back of our car, so she could wear sandals on the car ride up. When we pulled over at one point, we realized one of our Camelbak tubes had pressed open and leaked all over the car, soaking her shoes and socks. We debated about if we would have been able to even do the hike in fear of blisters, but Christine decided to push forward.
There are a lot of ways up Mt. Madison, but in our research we found the most popular way was to make our approach by going up the Valley Way trail. We parked at the large Appalachia parking lot (which was so full we needed to park on the road) directly on US-2. We were worried there would be so many people on the trail, but this parking lot holds the beginnings of lots of trails that lead up to many peaks (including Mt. Adams and Mt. Quincy Adams).
The early part trail follows Snyder Brook. By taking a short spur trial, you can visit beautiful 25′ Tama Falls. Below: We saw a couple Croo members on their way down from the Madison Spring Hut; Adam checks out all the rocks on the ‘not as rocky’ New Hampshire trail; The final push to the Madison Spring Hut was very steep and rugged.
The trail starts off from the back of the parking lot. The trail branches off in different directions but follow the signs for the Valley Way trail. The trail begins relatively flat and easy walking, as it runs along Snyder Brook. There were a few places where we could get some nice stream views and even a glimpse at the picturesque Tama Falls at .4 miles. At .7 miles, you reach another large junction, but continue to follow the signs to the Valley Way trail. The trail then begins the steeper uphill climb. Overall, I felt that the trail, while very rocky was not as steep and rocky as some of the other trails in the White Mountains. There is a relentless amount of climbing and many rocks to navigate, but it wasn’t as grueling on my feet as some hikes in New Hampshire have felt to me. At 3.0 miles, the trail gets very steep and rocky (often filled with larger small boulder-sized rocks to hoist onto) and will remain so until you reach the Madison Spring Hut at 3.8 miles. If you’re interested in camping on the mountain, but don’t want to stay at the hut, the Valley Way tentsite is at mile 3.1 on this hike.
Once we arrived at the hut, we saw there were a couple of ways up to the summit of Mt. Madison. At this point, we were above treeline, so we saw the rocky summit up above us. I went in and found one of the Croo members and she told me the Osgood Trail had the most direct route and was a little easier than making our way via the Watson Path. The final ascent up to Mt. Madison was .5 miles along the Osgood Trail (which is also the Appalachian Trail in this area). You basically needed to walk acrpss large boulders, following cairns along the way until you reached the summit. When you are above treeline, the summits of mountains seem so close to reach, but it is very misleading. As we climbed up, we looked back and saw the hut shrink with each step, finally giving us some perspective of how far we had come. We stayed a while at the summit. The views were breathtaking and you could see for miles all around. It definitely was one of the most beautiful scenes I have witnessed hiking and to realize the work we had put in to attain the peak, made it feel even more worthwhile.
Christine makes her way up the Osgood Trail to the summit of Mt. Madison. Below: About to go above treeline; Even though the summits are far away, they always look close; A view of Madison Spring Hut with Mt. Adams in the background.
While we were at the summit, we met a woman who had a sign pinned to her that had 48 over 50 written on it. She was over 50 years old and she had a goal to do all 48 peaks over 4000 ft. in elevation in New Hampshire. She had saved Mt. Madison as her last hike to meet her goal, so we were thrilled to be able to see her experience accomplishing her goal. What an inspiration! We also talked to a gentleman at the summit who was from Colorado that had done this same hike 30 years ago. He was staying at the nearby Crag Camp, run by the Randolph Mountain Club, just as he had done when we was a teenager. He wanted to see if this hike was just as amazing as he had remembered and he told us it definitely was. It made me further realize that everyone likes to hike for their own reasons and it is always a privilege to get to hear people’s stories on the hike.
We made our way back down and ate some lunch at the Madison Spring Hut. We then ventured .2 miles on the Parapet Trail to see Star Lake. This is a spot you definitely shouldn’t miss. The lake is more like a small pond, but it was so beautiful to view the summit of Mt. Madison, as it reflected into Star Lake. We debated about tackling Mt. Adams to bag another peak, but we realized that the summit looked close, but it was still a steep 1 mile away. Not wanting to add even more to our hike, we decided to make our way back down. The trail seemed to be even rockier on the way back down. While you can normally fly down some parts of downhill trails, you need to take your time on this one to navigate all the rocks. On our way down, we came into a rain shower, making the rocks a little slick. The last .8 miles were quite easy again and we did pick up some time at this point. We made our way back to the parking lot to make the round trip 8.8 miles.
Christine Says…
The morning of our Mt. Madison hike started off cheerfully enough. We stopped for breakfast at Dunkin Donuts. I ate both a bagel with cream cheese and a Boston Cream donut. If I’m going to hike almost nine miles with over 4,000 feet of climbing, I’m going to enjoy any and all the baked goods I want! However, I was jolted out of my happy post-carb afterglow when I discovered my socks and sock liners completely soaked in the back of the car. A tough hike with wet socks sounded like a really bad idea. But, driving out of our way to find an outfitter with Thorlo socks seemed like an even worse idea. I’m super picky about socks, and Thorlo’s thick-cushion hiker socks are the only ones that keep my feet happy. I decided wet Thorlo socks were better than dry socks of another brand. (and they were … I hiked all day in wet socks and didn’t get a single blister!)
As Adam said in his post, the Valley Way trail is pretty moderate for White Mountain terrain. The trail is not as rocky and stays under the shelter of trees until you get to Madison Spring Hut. It’s a great choice if you want to visit the northern Presidentials, but stay largely sheltered from wind and other weather. There is still plenty of climbing, but until the last mile, it’s all gradual and moderate. Trails like the Valley Way exist due in part to people like J. Rayner Edmands. He was an early volunteer for the Appalachian Mountain Club. Starting in the 1880’s, he spent over 20 summers building trails in the White Mountains. He believed trails to the high peaks should be passable without stumbles, even in the dark. Backpacker Magazine did a neat article about Edmands in their October 2014 issue. Check it out if you have a few free minutes.
We paid tribute to our alma mater (James Madison University) on the namesake mountain. Go Dukes! Below: The trail was extremely rocky and rugged between the hut and the summit of Mt. Madison; Cairns mark the way; Christine and Adam enjoy a summit view; The descent.
I very much enjoyed the little rapids and waterfalls along Snyder Brook early in the hike. Tama Falls was especially impressive. After we moved away from the stream, the hike was basically just a climb in the woods. As we ascended the trail got rockier, bit by bit. The last half mile to the hut was insanely steep and rocky. In one spot, my shoe got so solidly wedged between two rocks that I had to unlace it and contort my ankle to free myself. It took efforts from both of us to release my shoe from the rocks. It’s a good thing trail runners are so soft and flexible, because my feet definitely needed both shoes on this hike! I think the steepness of the terrain is actually what stopped me from getting hurt when my foot got caught. We were moving very slowly, picking our way across the rocks. Had I been moving at any significant speed, I think I could have easily broken my ankle.
When we arrived at Madison Spring Hut, it was already starting to cloud up a little. It wasn’t really overcast, but the sky had that heavy, hazy look about it. The weather was definitely changing and I wanted to make sure we enjoyed the best views possible. We headed up the Osgood Trail toward the summit of Madison. I don’t know if you can really call the path to the top a ‘trail’. It’s more of a scramble across rocks, following cairns leading you to the summit. The climb to the top is slow going, simply because there is never a simple place to put your feet. On our way up it was fun to look back and marvel at the towering peaks and the tiny hut tucked into the col.
We decided to eat lunch at Madison Spring Hut. Below: Even pretty dogs aren’t allowed inside AMC huts; We always enjoy the baked goods for sale at huts; Compass on the hut porch.
At the top we enjoyed spectacular views of the Presidentials. Seeing the Mt. Washington Auto Road snaking down the mountain was really impressive! While the wind was a little brisk at the summit, it was really a warm, mild day for the White Mountain high peaks. Lots of people were hiking in shorts and t-shirts. Some people even basked shirtless in the summit sunshine. My blood is a little thin for that, but I wasn’t cold like I had been on the summit of Mt. Washington in 2013.
After taking lots of photos and doing our JMU rituals, we climbed back down and enjoyed our packed lunch at Madison Spring Hut. Of course, we supplemented our packed food with baked goods from the Croo. I always hear people talking about how huts are packed with dayhikers all summer long. I’m not sure if it’s our timing (we hike early), but we’ve found almost every hut we’ve visited nearly empty.
Beautiful star lake sits near Madison Spring Hut. Below: As we were leaving the lake, clouds started to roll in and we heard distant rumbles of thunder… time to leave the peaks and head back to the valley below.
After lunch, we walked out to Star Lake. What a beautiful spot. The lake itself is small and shallow, but it makes a gorgeous reflecting pool for Mt. Madison. We were lucky to visit on a picture perfect day! While we were admiring the lake and taking in our final peak views, we started to hear distant rumbles of thunder in the distance.
Being caught in a thunderstorm in the Whites is definitely something I’d be happy to NEVER experience. Lightning strikes happen frequently, wet granite is very slick, and stream levels can change drastically in mere minutes. In fact, just last week I read a harrowing account from a solo hiker caught by storms in the White Mountains. Seriously scary!
We made our way down as quickly as we safely could. With a couple miles of hiking left, the rain started to fall. Fortunately, it was light rain and none of the thunder/lightning seemed close. We got back to the car right before the skies opened up and poured! What a great day with perfect timing. I’m really thankful that we had weather that allowed us to visit two more Presidentials on our 2014 trip!
Difficulty – 5. The trail started off easier, but it is still a very tough, uphill climb.
Trail Conditions – 2.5. The trail was well-maintained, but the rocky parts of the trail make this a challenge. The final push to the summit on the Osgood Trail also took a lot of precision. Bring trekking poles.
Views – 5. It doesn’t get much better than this. If you are lucky enough to catch this on a day where clouds are off the mountain summits, you will be able to see all around you for miles.
Waterfalls/streams – 3. The Snyder Brook runs alongs the trail early on the hike and you can see a few smaller waterfalls along the trail.
Wildlife – 1. We didn’t really see any wildlife on the trail. I wouldn’t expect much at all once you get above treeline.
Ease to Navigate – 2.5. There are a lot of junctions and side trails on the route because there are a lot of trails in this area. Keep following the signs for the Valley Way Trail until you reach the hut and then follow the Osgood Path via the cairns to the summit.
Solitude– 2. We picked a gorgeous day in the summer to do this hike, so we weren’t surprised to see lots of people. We saw the most at the summit and the hut, but there was still places to find our own bit of solitude.
Directions to trailhead: From I-93: Take Exit 35 for Twin Mountain. Follow 3N for 12.4 miles. Turn right onto 115N for 9.7 miles. Turn tight onto 2E for 8 miles. The parking lot will be a large gravel area on the right.
* MapMyHike is not necessarily accurate, as the GPS signal fades in and out – but it still provides some fun and interesting information.
This hike is one of the shorter, more moderate approaches into the Presidential range of New Hampshire. While the hike is only about 6.5 miles, we hiked an extra 2.4 miles for the chance to enjoy some views!
On our second pass-by, we were lucky to hit the summit with mostly clear views! Below: Adam makes his way up the Crawford Connector – a short spur trail from the parking lot to the Crawford Path; Trail signs and a sign for Mizpah Spring Hut; Gibbs Falls.
Adam Says…
Charles Dickens started off A Tale of Two Cities with the line, “It was the worst of times, it was the best of times.” When I was thinking about starting to write about Mt. Pierce, I was thinking, it was A Tale of Two Hikes with the worst and best of times. All of us have good days and bad days on the trail and this was a bad one for me. I wasn’t really feeling the hike deep down and I felt like I was just going through the motions rather than taking a moment to enjoy what I was able to do. The morning started off with a lot of fog around, which didn’t really help my mood. I was thinking it may burn off by the time we got to the top, but we weren’t so lucky.
The first .4 miles along the trail were relatively flat as it meandered through a wooded area. We crossed a footbridge at the base of a small waterfall and at .4 miles, we reached a junction with the Crawford Path. Taking a left at the junction, we began our ascent. The ascent begins while paralleling the Gibbs Brook on the left of the trail. The trail was extremely rocky which was making each step a challenge, as I felt like I was doing a demented, granite-laden version of a StairMaster. Most of the trail to the summit consists of having to step on rocks, so there is little evidence of soft ground to place your feet. I would recommend shoes with good padding, thick comfortable socks, ankle support, and trekking poles to help yourself along.
Even though the Crawford Path to the summit of Pierce is one of the least steep trails in the Whites, it is still very rocky and slick. Below: As we climbed, the woods got foggier and foggier; By the time we made it to the junction with the Mizpah Cutoff Trail we started to worry that we wouldn’t have a view at all; The Mizpah Cut-Off Trail departs the Crawford Path a little over a mile from the summit of Mt. Pierce.
At 1.9 miles, we reached a junction that led to the Mizpah Spring Hut, which is the return trip for this lollipop loop. Stay left and continue to climb up to the summit. The trail continued to be rocky and the fog was just sticking to the mountaintop as we progressed. I was feeling hopeless about being able to spot any views. As we got higher, we could tell the views would have opened up to the left of the trail but all we could see was a sea of gray. At 3.1 miles, we reached a large rocky, outcropping and waited a while for the views to open up. While the wind was picking up, we felt there was no end to the fog. At the outcropping, another sign for a junction pointed us to the summit and the Webster Cliff trail to the Mizpah Spring Hut (continuing on the Crawford Path would lead to the summit of Mt. Eisenhower in 1.6 miles). We took that sharp right and headed up to the top, where we reached the summit of Mt. Pierce in a short distance.
At this point the trail began to descend. The first part of the trail was a gradual descent, but eventually the trail was some of the steepest, rockiest downhill my feet and knees have witnessed. At 4.0 miles, we reached the Mizpah Spring Hut, maintained by the AMC and beds can be reserved in advance. We stopped for a while here and ate lunch. The croo (yes, that is how they spell it) that maintains the hut and cooks dinner and breakfast for overnight guests, had baked some cookies which we purchased and supplemented our lunch. As we were enjoying our lunch, we could see that the fog was finally lifting.
From the hut, we explored the nearby Nauman tent area (also able to be reserved for outside camping) and then proceeded on to the Mizpah Cutoff Trail to complete the lollipop section of the hike. The Cutoff Trail starts off flat, but is a relatively easier descent. We reached the junction with the Crawford Path at 4.7 miles. A return trip to your car by taking a left would make this a 6.6 mile hike. However, we had a debate about what to do. Going back up to the summit would be adding another grueling, rocky 2.4 miles, but the views could finally be opening up. What we had researched before told us how great the views were, so the temptation was hard to resist. I felt like I owed it to myself (and our readers) to change my attitude and fight through to see these views. I could tell Christine wanted to see the views as well, so we decided to hike up to the summit again.
As we climbed, we saw people descending that we had seen earlier on our hikes. I stopped to ask everyone if they had seen views, thinking if there was still little hope we could turn back around. Early on, some were saying that we may get lucky to see things, but as we got closer, we were told the views had opened up. As people were descending, we ran into several people that we had seen before near the summit and they had wondered if we were hiking the summit again. We got looks of admiration, which made us feel like we fit in with New Hampshire hikers – we weren’t just some normal, Virginia couple that isn’t used to hiking the tough, challenging White Mountains. When we reached the rocky outcropping near the summit, the views were spectacular. There were still clouds in the distance that was stuck to Mt. Washington and some of the other high peaks, but we could still see miles of beautiful mountain ranges around us.
We hiked again up to the summit and the views got more amazing as we looked behind us each step. We stayed up here a little longer to take in the views. After getting our fill, we went back down the Crawford Path and made our way back to the car. When we reached the end, we were a little more tired and had covered more miles than we had planned, but it was a rewarding day. At the parking lot, we saw a fox standing next to our car, but it quickly darted off into the woods.
One thing to note about Mt. Pierce is that it was once named Mt. Clinton. When hearing some people refer to it as Mt. Clinton, my initial thought was that Mt. Pierce had been renamed for President Clinton. I thought that would be odd, since Franklin Pierce was the only President born in New Hampshire and I couldn’t see them changing the name for a President from Arkansas. But the original name was from DeWitt Clinton, a governor of New York and U.S. Senator, also known for being largely responsible for the construction of the Erie Canal. Even though the name was changed in 1913, some people have still held onto the original name of Mt. Clinton.
Christine Says…
Summiting Mt. Pierce has been on our New Hampshire ‘To Do’ list for several years now. I’m sad Adam didn’t have a better day on the trail, because I really enjoyed myself and had a strong hiking day. It’s always tough when your hiking partner is in pain or having a hard time with terrain, because there’s really nothing you can do beyond cheer them on (which is sometimes annoying) or stay quiet and let them work through the challenge.
We chose to hike Pierce on a day forecast to be clear and beautiful. As typical in the Whites, the clouds and drizzle stuck to the mountains far longer than the valley. It was sunny and pleasant at the AMC Highlands Center, but the peaks loomed in the clouds. We decided to start our hike on good faith that the clouds would blow off before we reached the summit.
By the time we arrived at Mizpah Spring Hut, the sun was fully out. Below: The Webster Cliffs trail is steep in places and is traversed by ladders and wooden stairs; Inside Mizpah Spring Hut; Cookies!
Hiking along the stream early in the hike was pretty and pleasant. Gibbs falls were lovely and I always enjoy the sound of water running through the woods! As we continued to climb uphill, the fog did the opposite of what we hoped/expected – it just got thicker! In fact, every time I paused to take a photo I had to wipe the lens with my shirt to get the droplets and mist off the glass.
Between the Mizpah Cut-Off trail and the summit, we were passed by a pair of trail runners. Running on mid-Atlantic mountain trails is challenging enough. I can’t even imagine keeping that pace over the rocks and roots of New Hampshire!
As we ascended, the fog enveloped the mountain even more. We debated taking the Mizpah Cut-Off trail, and visiting the hut first, but decided to chance the summit so that we’d hit the hut closer to lunchtime. That turned out to be the wrong call. At the summit of Pierce, we sat on the rocky outcropping looking into a sea of clouds. We couldn’t even tell which direction held the spectacular view we’d heard described in our hiking guide.
We hiked back up to the summit of Pierce to enjoy clear views. Below: The Nauman Tentsite is a short distance from the hut; A typical tent platform in the Whites; More views from the summit.
We sat in the clouds for a few minutes before deciding to push on to the hut. The Webster Cliff trail crossed a ridge for a while, using boardwalks and traditional trail. We stopped at one last high point and checked out the movement of the clouds. Every now and then, the clouds would blow off enough that we could see the shoulder of a mountain or the faint shape of a peak through the mist. We again discussed waiting/going back to the summit versus heading down to the hut. We agreed that it would still be a while before the view would clear, and proceeded to Mizpah Spring.
The Webster Cliff trail got steeper and slippery, using wooden stairs and ladders in a couple places. We eventually reached the hut. While we ate our lunch, the last of the clouds blew off, leaving bright bluebird skies above the White Mountains. We discussed climbing back up to the summit. Neither of us wanted to ascend via Webster Cliff, so we decided to delay our summit decision until after we walked the Mizpah Cut-Off back to its junction with the Crawford Path.
At the junction, we agreed that you don’t climb a presidential peak and pass on the opportunity to take in a spectacular view. We hiked the extra 1.2 miles (2.4 miles round trip) with 1,000 feet of elevation gain a second time. And you know what… it was SO WORTH IT. The views were spectacular, expansive, breathtaking. Even with Mt. Washington still in the clouds, it was a stunning view.
The hike down was long and slippery. We were passed again by the trail runners we had seen earlier. They had been all the way to the summit of Mt. Washington and back. Wow! We didn’t go that far, but we still felt our hike was worthy of celebration with a huge meal at The Italian Farmhouse in Plymouth. It’s always such a gift to have a great view day in the White Mountains!
Difficulty – 4. While there are steeper, more challenging trails in the White Mountains, this one is still challenging.
Trail Conditions – 2. The trail is mostly rock, requiring big steps and unsteady footing.
Views – 4.5. From the summit of Mt. Pierce on a clear day, you can see miles of the Presidential range.
Waterfalls/streams – 3.5. Early in the hike, you can see Gibbs Falls and the start of the Crawford Path part of the hike goes along the scenic Gibbs Brook.
Wildlife – 2. We weren’t expecting to see much, but we were lucky enough to see the fox at the end of our hike. Keep a lookout for the rare Bicknell’s Thrush.
Ease to Navigate – 3.5. Signage was fairly good at the junctions, but we were a little confused on how to get to the Mizpah Cutoff Trail from the hut.
Solitude– 2. This is a popular trail since the Mizpah Spring Hut is one of the easiest of the AMC huts to access. Expect to see people at the summit of Mt. Pierce and the hut mostly. Clear days in the summer could make this quite popular.
Directions to trailhead: From I-93: Take Exit 35 for Twin Mountain. Follow 3N for 10.4 miles. Turn right onto 302E and proceed for 8.2 miles. Turn left onto Mt. Clinton Road. There will be a large gravel parking lot at the trailhead ($3 fee applies).
* MapMyHike is not necessarily accurate, as the GPS signal fades in and out – but it still provides some fun and interesting information.
Adam on the summit of Mt. Pemigewasset. Below: The beginning of the hike follows the bike path for a short distance; One of the three tunnels on the hike; Adam crosses a small stream.
Christine Says…
The day before this hike, we made a quick trip over to Burlington, Vermont. We sampled beers at a couple breweries, stopped at a craft cider maker, toured a chocolate factory, ate lots of good food, enjoyed Lake Champlain, indulged in Ben & Jerry’s, and visited the chapel at Dog Mountain. It was an all-day trip with lots of miles in the car. When we woke up the next morning, we wanted to hike, but we wanted something that wouldn’t require a lot of time in the car. We also knew that thunderstorms were due to pop up starting around lunchtime. So, we chose the nearby and short hike of Mt. Pemigewasset.
There are two routes up Mt. Pemigewasset (also known as Indian Head because of its distinct, face-like profile). One is the Indian Head Trail which departs from a gravel parking area across from Indian Head Resort. We chose the Mt. Pemigewasset Trail that begins at the northern end of the Flume Gorge parking area.
Adam makes his way over the rocks and roots on the Mt. Pemigewasset Trail. Below: Christine climbs.
To start the hike, we followed the bike trail for a short distance before turning left onto the official trail. The trail started off relatively flat, and passed through three tunnels – one under Route 3 and two more under I-93. After a couple small stream crossings, the trail climbed steadily but moderately uphill. Like most New Hampshire trails, the way up was rocky and rooty. Near the top, the Indian Head Trail merged with the Mt. Pemigewasset Trail before emptying us out onto a smooth, wide ledge of granite. The drop-offs here are very steep and the granite can be slick/smooth, so take care!
When we reached the summit, it was still fairly early, so we only shared the vista with one other couple. We spent some time enjoying the views through the notch and watching the dramatic clouds swirling over Kinsman ridge. After about 20 minutes, more people started to arrive to the summit, so we made our way down. We were back at the car before noon. Since it was so early in the day, we decided to get some lunch at White Mountain Bagel Co. (great deli sandwiches) and see a matinee of Guardians of the Galaxy. While we were at lunch, a pressing cold front passed and it started *pouring*! The cold front was a welcome change, as it brought a forecast of clear, pleasant days – perfect for tackling bigger things! After a nice low-key day on Pemigewasset, we were definitely feeling ready to tackle some above-treeline Presidentials! Stay tuned!
The Kinsman Ridge was covered by clouds when we visited. Below: Views looking south along I-93 and the Lakes Region of New Hamsphire; The summit is made of smooth granite; More summit views.
Adam Says…
The names of places in New England (and particularly New Hampshire) always fascinate me. A lot of Native American names are used for mountains, towns, and rivers which leads to a lot of mispronunciations. Mt. Pemigewasset is named after the nearby river, the Pemigewasset River. It is an Abenaki word meaning “where entering current is”. A common joking name you hear is the “Pemi-gee-whats-it”, but many people don’t even attempt to try and pronounce it and just call it “The Pemi” for short.
The hike started at the northern end of the Flume Gorge parking area. You walk on the designated bike path for 150 yards and then you see the trailhead to the left. Take this and you will walk over fairly flat land as you go through three tunnels that go under US-3 and I-93. After the last tunnel, you begin your climb up the trail. Most of the trail is typical of the terrain in New Hampshire, with some rocky steps and roots to navigate. The overall terrain wasn’t too steep, but it is a constant uphill climb. At 1.7 miles, you reach a junction with the Indian Head Trail. Continue to the left and you gain the summit in another .1 mile.
Christine hikes down through the birch trees.
The summit is a huge rock outcropping that allows for views of other mountains, including Mt. Lafayette, Mt. Lincoln, the Tripyramids, and Mt. Moosilauke. The edge of the rock is a sheer cliff face, so be careful if you are approaching the edge, especially when it is wet.
Mt. Pemigewasset is a hike that should be possible for most people if you take your time. It is definitely easier than most of the hiking we have done in the White Mountains. One thing that played into our decision to do this hike was that we saw high clouds in the Presidential range. We felt this mountain, lower in elevation, would allow for some views down below and we predicted correctly. We were also able to do this hike fairly quickly based on the short distance and were back in our car before lunchtime.
Directions to trailhead: From I-93: Take Exit 34A for Franconia Notch State Park. The trailhead is begins from the northernmost point of the parking area.
* MapMyHike is not necessarily accurate, as the GPS signal fades in and out – but it still provides some fun and interesting information.
Mt. Willard is one of the most popular easy day hikes in the White Mountains region. Its highpoint of 2,800 feet is dwarfed by most every other mountain around, but it still offers a dramatic vista looking through Crawford Notch.
Looking through Crawford Notch from the summit of little Mt. Willard. You can see the road and the train tracks. Below: The trail starts across the train tracks at Crawford Notch Depot; Christine’s dad looks down at the Centennial Pool – one of the attractions on this hike; Enjoying the summit with family.
Adam Says…
Mount Willard is an extremely popular family hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It’s quite accessible since the trail takes off from the train depot at Crawford Notch. Many hikes in the Presidential range can be intimidating, but this hike of only 3.2 miles is more manageable. The hike has some rocky, steep sections, but if you take your time most people with a little hiking experience can reach the peak.
We started off the hike by crossing the railroad tracks near the train depot station where the AMC Highland Center is located. The trail quickly leads into the woods and in .1 mile, you reach a junction. Take a left to climb the Mt. Willard Trail (the other trail at the junction is the Avalon Trail, leading to Mount Avalon and Mount Field). The trail has a small stream crossing and then begins the climb. The trail is rocky and somewhat steep, like most of the area in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
The Centennial Pool has a small waterfall that cascades into a pretty plunge pool. Below: Adam crosses a stream early in the hike; Everyone makes their way uphill; The trail was mildly rocky.
Along the hike up, there is a small waterfall called the Centennial Pool on the right. There are a few steps down to reach the base of the falls, which is a nice cascade to give yourself an excuse to take a break on the way up. Continuing up the trail, eventually the path of the trail consists of smaller, but more abundant rocks. A short distance of climbing through this and then the trail begins to level off around 1.4 miles. It is a short distance at this point to reach the summit at 1.6 miles.
The summit gives you great views down into Crawford Notch as you can see down Rte. 302 and the train tracks that would leave from the depot. You can see the path of the glacier that carved out this area. There are some precipitous drops from the top, so keep a close eye on any children. We stayed at the top for a while until it started to become overcrowded with larger groups, so we made our way back down the way we came.
After the hike, we went into the train depot where they have a small gift shop to purchase shirts or hiking guides. After we left the area, we headed down to one of our favorite lunch spots, Moat Mountain in North Conway, NH. Their nachos are amazing and we’ve always been impressed with the beer they brew there.
Christine Says…
When I say that Mt. Willard is a favorite family day hike, I mean that literally! My parents walk to the summit of Willard several times a year. It’s probably one of my dad’s very favorite hikes in the region. It’s the right distance and right amount of climbing for them, plus they really enjoy the view from the top. They prefer to leave the high peaks and steep climbs for us to do on our own, but we always like to try and find a hike we can all do together. On this visit, Willard fit the bill perfectly.
Before setting out for our hike, we stopped in Sugar Hill for a big pancake breakfast at Polly’s Pancake Parlor. It’s a standing tradition to eat there at least once on every visit. I love all the different batters and pancake fillings. They also have delicious chicken-apple sausage.
Adam checks out the Mt. Willard Summit. Below: Summit scenes.
We got an early enough start that we were able to begin our hike by mid-morning. We set out across the train tracks and headed up the Mt. Willard trail. The climbing on Mt. Willard is steady, but never terribly steep. The trail is rocky, but nowhere nearly as rocky as what you see above treeline. It was a humid day, so everyone was sweating like crazy. Thankfully, the bugs weren’t too bad and we were able to hike without bug spray or constant swatting.
At half a mile, we passed the Centennial Pool. I scrambled down to the base of the falls and snapped a few photos before a large family group caught up to us. The group of twelve included many young children who wanted to scramble on the rocks around the pool. We left the spot to them and continued our uphill climb.
As we continued upward, the trail became rockier and wetter. Thunderstorms the day before left plenty of water still draining off the mountain. There were a couple places that the trail was more like a shallow stream. When we reached the summit, there were only a couple people there. We claimed a nice spot overlooking the notch below. We took photos and enjoyed the view together for a few quiet moments. Soon enough, lots of other hikers began to reach the summit. Children were running pellmell all over the summit. Fortunately, it’s a safe and wide summit. There are steep drop-offs, but the ledge is spacious enough that there is plenty of room to enjoy the view without ever getting close to the edge.
The trail is rocky and cobbled. Below: Some parts of the trail were wet from thunderstorms the night before; The trail is pretty, piney and shady: Returning to the depot.
After exploring the summits different views and angles, we decided it was getting a little too crowded at the top. We gathered our gear and started the descent. The hike down went pretty quickly. We passed many people climbing up as we descended. It’s definitely a popular and well-traveled trail. We soon arrived back at the train depot. After the hike, we headed into North Conway for lunch. It was a great day and I loved spending some time on the trail with my parents.
Directions to trailhead: From I-93, take exit 35 to merge onto US-3 N toward Twin Mountain/Lancaster. Stay on that for 10.4 miles and then take a right on US-302 E. Go 8.3 miles and the AMC Highland Center will be on the right. Park in the parking lot and make your way towards the train depot station. Cross the train tracks and you should see the trailhead leading into the woods.
Note: We’ll be taking you to New Hampshire for our next seven hikes! Enjoy the north country!
This 5.3 mile hike includes open ledges, ladders up cliff faces, caves, tight squeezes, and rock scrambling. At the summits of both Morgan and Percival, you get great views of Squam Lake. Look for blueberries along the way!
A view of Squam Lake from the summit. Below: Papery, white birches are iconic in New England; Eastern red-spotted newt at eft/juvenile stage; Adam slogs across wet trail. It was more like a stream in places.
Christine Says…
After two lengthy days of travel from Virginia to New Hampshire, the last thing we wanted to do was get back into the car for more than a short drive. So, for our first hike in the area, we chose the Mt. Morgan – Mt. Percival Loop. The 5.3 mile hike is just a few minutes from my parents’ house and offers great views of Squam Lake.
We hiked this loop in 2009, before we started including out-of-state hikes on Virginia Trail Guide. I remembered only a few generalities about this hike: challenging, exceedingly buggy, nice views, tons of blueberries. It definitely seemed worth another look!
By New Hampshire standards, this trail is rated moderate. On paper, that seems fair – 5.3 miles and 1,575 feet of climbing. But, by Virginia standards we probably would rate this hike more toward difficult due to the terrain. If you follow the route as we hiked it, there are ladders, exposed ledges, steep rock scrambles, and a tight-squeeze section that passes through a series of caves. It’s also very muddy, rocky and rooty. I would equate the skill-level/fitness needed for this hike to be similar to what you need to hike Old Rag.
We reach the ladder portion of the Mt. Morgan Trail.
We started off early in the morning, but the parking lot was already full when we arrived. We managed to wedge into one small space still remaining in the corner of the lot. I think most of the cars parked in the Mt. Morgan lot belonged to people hiking the Rattlesnakes on the other side of the road, because we saw relatively few people on our hike.
The Mt. Morgan trail started off at the end of the parking lot. The path was wide, gradually ascending, and covered with pine needles. There were beautiful, papery white birch trees all through the woods. As the trail continued, the climbing got rockier and steeper. We passed sections of old stone wall half buried in the forest. There were also several muddy stream-bed areas to traverse. At 1.7 miles, the Mt. Morgan trail and the Crawford-Ridgepole trails joined ways for about .4 miles before reaching a series of ladders affixed to a cliffside.
If you’re not into height and ladders, you can continue on the Mt. Morgan trail for several tenths of a mile to reach the summit. We chose the ladders. I did fine until there was a horizontal move from one ladder to another, followed by a step onto a large metal screw in the rock. I kind of panicked at that point because I couldn’t span the space with my arms. I could get my feet where they needed to be, but I couldn’t reach any solid handhold to pull myself up the rock face. Adam ended up giving me a hand up. We both passed through a small cave onto a steep, exposed ledge with views of Squam Lake. After enjoying the view for a moment, there was still a little more steep, scary boulder scaling we had to do to get to the summit of Mt. Morgan. I stood on the ledge and pondered whether I wanted to go back down the ladders and go around, or figure out a way up the rest of the rocks. I ended up opting for directly up the rock face, but I paid a price for it. I got several huge bruises and two gashes on my legs from the sharp, hard granite. What can I say… I never go home from New Hampshire unbranded!
Even after you reach the top of the ladders, you still have some challenging, steep scrambling to complete. Below: Adam navigates the ladders; At the top of the ladder, you’ll pass through a small cave; The scramble is scary because the granite is so smooth and steep.
The view from Morgan was lovely, albeit misty and hazy on the day we visited. There also weren’t as many blueberries as I remembered. We had a snack, took a few photos and pressed on to the next summit – Mt. Percival.
We followed the Crawford-Ridgepole trail for about .9 of a mile to the summit of Percival. The trail across the saddle between the two mountains was alternately rocky, boggy and piney. There were a few steep spots, by this section of trail was one of the easier parts of the hike.
Right at 3 miles, we reached the summit of Percival. The view was similar to that of Morgan – Squam Lake’s asymmetrical, island-dotted expanse. At the summit of Percival, there are two sets of blazes – one to the side and another that plunges steeply right of the front of the mountain. When we visited, there was no sign indicating where each trail headed, so we used our guidebook and map to make a guess. If you take the trail on the side, you’ll have steep (but normal) climb down the Mt. Percival trail. If you follow the blazes over the cliff, you’ll find yourself wedging your body through a series of caves and opening in boulder tumbles. The cliff route is fun and a little bit unnerving.
There were several places that Adam and I looked at each other and thought NO WAY! We had to pass backpacks and trekking poles through openings. There was even one place I thought I’d make it, but my backpack got hung up and left me stuck! After several squeezes, we came to the junction of the Mt. Percival Cliff Trail and Cave Trail.
After this point, the rest of the climb down Mt. Percival was just a steep, rocky, rooty, slippery, muddy knee grinder. I didn’t particularly enjoy this part of the hike. My knees and feet were hurting and I was being relentlessly menaced by bugs. It’s hard to pay attention to your footing when you’re flailing your hands to swat flies away from your face. I definitely slipped and slid several times.
Adam enjoys the summit of Mt. Morgan. Below: Scenes from the Crawford-Ridgepole Trail between the summits of Mt. Morgan and Percival. The terrain was rolling and varied.
I was pretty happy when, at 4.7 miles, we reached the junction with the Morse Trail, because it meant the hard hiking was behind us and we were almost back to the car. We flew along the Morse Trail, enjoying pretty streams and easier footing. We made one final left turn back onto the Mt. Morgan trail for the final tenth of a mile.
After wiping off the mud and doing a little minor first aid, we were on our way to a well-deserved lunch at Squam Lakeside. They have enormous lobster rolls and sherbet freezes. It’s a great place to eat outside and enjoy a view of the lake.
Adam Says…
This was one of those trails that I first discovered five years ago when I was researching nearby geocaches when we were visiting the White Mountains for the first time. I was also drawn to Mt. Percival due to my love for reading Arthurian legends when I was younger (Percival accompanied Sir Galahad on his quest for the Holy Grail). I remember this being a challenging hike, yet unlike anything we have in Virginia. As a hiking couple, we sometimes find that one of us enjoys a hike more than the other; we also face days where one of us is not having a strong hiking day. This hike was one that I enjoyed more than Christine. For me, if I experience something unusual on a hike (a rock scramble, ladders, exposed cliffside walks, a stream crossing where we have to wade across), I find that I really have fond memories of it. As I’m reflecting, I realize I enjoy the challenge of trying to figure out how to overcome an obstacle. This loop definitely has some of those memorable abnormalities on it.
The summit of Mt. Percival offers a similar view.
We were looking for a decent hike to start off our trip to the White Mountains. Since we had about a 12 hour drive from our home in Virginia to New Hampshire, we were looking forward to doing something active. We found the parking lot and trailhead along Rte. 113. The trail starts off level and at .1 miles, you reach the junction with the Morse Trail, your return route for the loop. Stay straight on the Mount Morgan Trail. The trail starts off with a gradual uphill, but the trail begins to get steeper and rockier as you continue. There wasn’t a lot to note on the hike up, but the sight of white-barked birch trees always makes me happy to be in New England. At 1.7 miles, you reach a junction with the Crawford Ridgepole Trail. Stay on the right to continue your hike up to Mt. Morgan. At 2.1 miles, we reached a sign that shows that you can reach the summit of Mt. Morgan through the ladders or circumvent and reach the summit by continuing on the trail.
During our first visit in 2009, I had decided to go up the ladders and Christine went the other way. In 2009, never having experienced ladders attached to large rocks before, I was very apprehensive and worried about climbing up that way. But when I saw an older man climb the ladders without any difficulty, I dug deep and forced my way up them. This time, I didn’t have any trepidation, most likely from the combination of climbing these ladders before and experiencing more harrowing ladder climbs at Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina. Once we reached the top of the ladders this time, we had some rock scrambling to do up some exposed rocks until we reached the summit of Mt. Morgan. I was proud of Christine tackling the ladders and the rock scramble, because these are definitely things she doesn’t usually enjoy.
Adam expresses disbelief at the way forward. Below: Different sections and tight squeezes on the cave trail.
We had a hazy day from the summit of Mt. Morgan, but the view over Squam Lake always amazes me with the small islands scattered through the lake. We climbed down from the summit and shortly reached the sign which pointed out the other option for reaching the Mt. Morgan summit. We continued on the rocky trail, which is fairly flat on the ridge, but does have some ups and downs as you are climbing over rocky areas of the ridgeline. At 3.0 miles, we reached the summit of Mt. Percival. The summit of Mt. Percival was very hazy and cloudy, which didn’t give us great views this day, but we remember the great views we had from here in 2009. The signage at the summit of Mt. Percival didn’t help us too much. We saw two sets of blazes leading down the mountain, but there was no signage stating where they headed. After consulting my map, we took the rightmost trail (facing the view) that seemed to lead straight down the rocks. It turns out this is the option to go down via the caves (the next trailhead down to the left of this one would be more of a cliffside trail but they join ahead). We climbed down this very steep section and then at one point, I said “You’ve got to be kidding me. How are we getting through that?” The trailblazes led down into a hole that wasn’t much bigger than my body.
This turns out to be the entrance to the cave on this trail. You can still see light shining through in spaces between the rocks, but it is fairly closed off and not a route for any claustrophobic people. We rock scrambled through the cave and then eventually the blazes lead you out of the cave through another hole not much larger than my body. When I peered through this opening, I couldn’t see what was ahead, but I plunged my body through and I felt like I was getting reborn through a rocky birth canal. On the other side was a family heading up, so we had to exit before they could try to enter. We made our way through and then had a little more downhill rock scrambling to do until we reached another sign. This one pointed the way to the summit via the cliffside trail or through the caves. This would have been helpful from the summit.
Christine exits the cave portion of the hike. Below: The descent of Percival was nothing but rock, roots and more rocks; We were glad to finally hit pine-needle covered trail again; Adam crosses one of the streams on the Morse Trail.
The trail at this point continued its rocky climb down and you can hear the sounds of Smith Creek at times. Eventually at 4.7 miles, we reached the junction with the Morse Trail, that ducks to the right. We took the Morse Trail, which was mostly flat but more overgrown and less traveled than the other trails. This trail joins the Mt. Morgan again at 5.2 miles. We took a right and made our way back to our car in just another .1 mile.
At the summit of Mt. Percival, we met a girl hiking with her dog. She was also trying to figure out which way led down Mt. Percival and she took the cave trail as well. I can’t even imagine how she navigated her dog through the caves, but we saw her at the junction with the Morse Trail. She told us how tough it was for her dog. She was training for her goal of trying to hike the 48 peaks of New Hampshire that are above 4000 feet with her dog. This goal has been most popularized by the book Following Atticus by Tom Ryan and you can read more about their adventures on his blog.
As we are always trying to cover new ground whenever possible, I’m not sure how often on our return trips to the White Mountains we will revisit this loop, but this is definitely a hike that you will remember. The interesting features and scenic views give you an introductory glimpse into what hiking is about in New Hampshire.
Difficulty – 4.5. Even with a moderate elevation gain and distance, the terrain of this trail warrants a higher difficulty rating.
Trail Conditions – 3. The trail was a muddy, slippery mess when we hiked, but generally the trail is well maintained and passable.
Views – 4. On a clear day, the view of Squam Lake is beautiful.
Waterfalls/streams – 2. There are lots of small streams and springs on this trail. Nothing mind-blowing (and a lot them just make mud), but a couple crossings along the Morse Trail are pretty.
Wildlife – 1. We saw red squirrels and a salamander.
Ease to Navigate – 2. There are multiple trails that lead the same place. Also, there isn’t a sign differentiating the cave and cliff trails on Mt. Percival.
Solitude– 3. This trail is not as popular as the nearby Rattlesnakes, but you’ll probably still see a number of hiking parties along the way.
Directions to trailhead: From I-93: Take Exit 24 and follow Rt. 3 South to Holderness. From the town Holderness, get on Rt. 113 and follow it northeast for about 5.5 miles. Parking will be in a gravel lot on the left. The large parking lot on the right is for the Rattlesnakes hike. If there is no space left in the Morgan lot, it is fine to park at Rattlesnakes.
* MapMyHike is not necessarily accurate, as the GPS signal fades in and out – but it still provides some fun and interesting information.
Interstate 93 passes through Franconia Notch. While the road is classified as interstate, it narrows to two lanes (total) and has scenery and wildlife along the way. Below: Mt. Washington looms over the historic hotel bearing its name; Inside the AMC’s Lonesome Lake Hut; The Basin… one of the most beautiful spots in Franconia Notch.
Some General Tips for Hiking in the Area
The White Mountains are TOUGH The trails are steep and the rocks are hard. Trails considered moderate in New Hampshire may have 3,000+ feet of elevation gain over just a few miles. Much of the footing on trails is root-snarled and rock-covered, with loads of mud, shifting boulders underfoot and swift-moving streams to cross. The weather changes without warning in the Whites. On a sunny 80 degree day in the valley, you may experience 50mph winds, 45 degree temps and heavy fog on a mountain top. Even in the heat of summer, it’s likely you’ll want a hat, gloves and a windproof/waterproof shell. There aren’t many trails in Virginia that can adequately prepare you for what you’ll see in the Whites.
To a person unused to mountain trails or in less than excellent physical condition, this unrelenting uphill grind can be grueling and intensely discouraging. If you are not an experienced hiker or a trained athlete, you will almost certainly enjoy the ascent of Mount Washington a great deal more if you build up to it with easier climbs in areas with less exposure to potentially severe weather.
So, heed that advice and pick tough Virginia hikes to train/practice on before you make your White Mountains visit.
New Hampshire has a Negligent Hiker Law. Be prepared to take care of yourself in the Whites. Carry the ten essentials in your pack, let someone know your route, stay on the trail, stay with your group, be willing to turn back if the weather or your ability dictates, and don’t do anything stupid. If you need rescue because of your own negligence, you may receive a hefty bill from the state. Visit HikeSafe.com for more information.
Many New Hampshire State Parks Are as Impressive as National Parks. OK… now that we’ve sufficiently scared you with bad weather, tough climbs and personal liability, it’s time for the good stuff! New Hampshire is incredibly spectacular and wild. When you compare many of New Hampshire’s state parks to the state parks we have in Virginia, prepare yourself to be blown away! The scenery, wildlife and expansiveness of New Hampshire parks like Franconia Notch, Mount Cardigan and Mount Washington rivals (OK… let’s be honest – exceeds) what you see in Shenandoah National Park.
Hiking Guides There are lots of great hiking guides for New Hampshire. We recommend the AMC’s White Mountain Guide, Hiking New Hampshire (Falcon Guide) and 50 Hikes in the White Mountains. We suggest photocopying the pages you need for the day of the hike, as it saves you from carrying the extra weight of a guidebook. The website Hike New England is also a super resource.
Stay Alert for Wildlife on Highways
Each time we’ve visited the White Mountains, we’ve seen moose hit by cars on I-93. It’s very sad and dreadfully dangerous to hit a moose. We’ve seen bears and deer along the interstate, too.
Where to Stay in the Area We have free lodging in the Holderness/Plymouth area (thanks Mom & Dad!). It’s a great location – nestled right between the Lakes Region and the White Mountains Region. If you want lodging even closer to prime trails in the Whites, North Conway (very crowded, very touristy) and Lincoln are great choices. Both have tons of amenities and are close to popular trails. The area also has loads of camping, and for the true adventurer, the Appalachian Mountain Club maintains a series of seasonal backcountry lodging.
Must-See Things That Don’t Involve Hiking
Take a Drive on the Scenic Kancamagus Highway. There are great views, cascading streams, opportunities to spot wildlife, and access to many of the area’s easier family trails.
Visit the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center(Christine’s mom is a volunteer). This center has fantastic hands-on displays for children and a nice variety native animals on display (bears, bobcats, eagles, etc). The Center also runs boat excursions to observe loons in the wild on Squam Lake.
Rent Bikes and ride through Franconia Notch. There is a ten-mile paved bike path that runs the length of the notch. You can rent a bike, arrange a shuttle and coast downhill through the park stopping at all the scenic/historical sites along the way.
Watch an Optical Illusion Put the Old Man of the Mountain Back Into Place – In May of 2003, New Hampshire’s most notable natural landmark fell from the face of Cannon Cliffs. Now, due to the generosity and ingenuity of interested individuals and companies, you can visit Profile Plaza and watch the Old Man reappear on the cliffside. This stop was very cool!
Visit Castle in the Clouds – This beautiful, historical mansion overlooks Lake Winnipesaukee. The grounds are beautiful and traversed by an extensive network of trails.
Take a Day Trip to the Coast – In about an hour and a half you can be in York/Ogunquit eating lobsters and chowder by the oceanfront. There are lighthouses, beachfront strolling, mansions, ice cream… everything you expect to see at a New England Beach. York/Ogunquit has the Marginal Way – which is a beautiful walk. If you visit, don’t miss stopping by the Stonewall Kitchen flagship store. If you enjoy cooking or eating, it’s a great stop! Lunch at Lobster Cove in York was especially delicious and memorable.
Take a Day Trip Into Burlington (Vermont) – Burlington is a beautiful city on the shore of Lake Champlain. On various day trips, we’ve stopped at many shops in town and toured the University of Vermont. In 2014, we visited several breweries (Magic Hat, Citizen Cider and Zero Gravity) and took a tour of Lake Champlain Chocolate. We also had a fantastic dinner at the farm-to-table restaurant/brewery Prohibition Pig in Waterbury. If you take the northern route past St. Johnsbury, stops at Ben & Jerry’s, the Cabot Cheese headquarters, and Dog Mountain (an absolute must for pet lovers!) are all worthwhile.
Take a Day Trip to the Quechee Gorge (Vermont) – There is a lot to see on this drive! On the way to Quechee, you’ll get the chance to stop in Hanover and visit the beautiful grounds of Dartmouth College. This route also takes you by the King Arthur Flour headquarters. I know, many of you are thinking ‘flour?’ – but trust me, it’s another super stop for anyone who likes to cook or eat! Quechee is also home to another Cabot Shop and Simon Pearce Glassblowers. A little extra driving will take you to both the Harpoon and the Long Trail breweries.
Above: King Arthur Flour Company Bakers, Simon Pearce Glassblowers, Sampling at Long Trail, The Dog Chapel, Stonewall Kitchen Store & Cooking School, Nubble Lighthouse; Classic Maine Lobster Roll, Along the Marginal Way, Covered Bridges are everywhere, Profile Plaza recreates an optical illusion of the Old Man of the Mountain; Adam enjoys the children’s exhibits at the Squam Natural Science Center
A Restaurant Recap
Six Burner Bistro (Plymouth, NH) offers fantastic casual fine dining. They had a great beer and wine list and all the food was excellent!
Schilling Beer Co. (Littleton, NH) is primarily a brewery – and their beers are top notch. But their food is also top-notch – their hearth-baked pizzas and breads are outstanding. There brats were the best Adam has ever tried.
Polly’s Pancake Parlor (Sugar Hill, NH) is celebrating its 75th year of making customized, made-to-order pancakes. They have several batter choices and several add-in choices, so you can mix-and-match to create an endless number of combinations. Their maple-apple chicken sausage is delicious! Don’t forget to pose on Trot-Trot before or after your breakfast!
Flatbread Company (North Conway, NH) serves handmade, wood-fire cooked pizzas that make heavy use of local, seasonal, organic ingredients. We went there for lunch on the one rainy day of our 2013 trip and loved sitting next to the huge, brick pizza oven. So cozy!
Lucky Dog (Plymouth, NH) is a reliable college-town pub. They serve endless cheese and a wide variety of bar food – burgers, nachos, wings, etc. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s always good when we go.
The Common Man (throughout New Hampshire) is a local chain of unique, independently run restaurants. They exist in many styles and iterations all over New Hampshire. We ate at three different restaurants under the Common Man umbrella on our 2013 visit. Italian Farmhouse, Town Docks and The Common Man – Ashland. All three were equally great!
White Mountain Bagel Company (Lincoln, NH) was a great post-hike stop for sandwiches. Creative combos and everything was very fresh!
Moat Mountain Smokehouse & Brewery (North Conway, NH) is a favorite stop for craft beer, but they also serve fantastic barbecue! We never miss a stop to eat at Moat when we visit the area.
The Woodstock Station Restaurant (Woodstock, NH) is another brewery-restaurant combination. We visited early for dinner on a Monday evening, and the place was packed. The service has a reputation for being slow (and it was), but the food and beer was good. They have the biggest gluten-free menu we’ve ever seen, so if you have to avoid wheat and want a large selection, this is a great place to go!
Above: Town Docks by The Common Man has excellent outdoor, lakeside seating, Moat Mountain nachos, Flatbread Company pizza oven, Polly’s pancakes and maple-apple chicken sausage, Woodstock Station Inn
This 7.2 mile hike takes you to the summit of Mt. Moosilauke – Dartmouth College’s ‘home mountain’. It’s also the first place in New Hampshire where Appalachian Trail hikers walk above treeline in the alpine zone.
Adam enjoys the summit of Mt. Moosilauke. Below: Damage from Hurricane Irene forced the rerouting of trails; Adam climbs the Gorge Brook Trail; Open views along the ‘balcony’ section of the hike; The area right below treeline was thickly forested with evergreens.
Christine Says…
For the final hike of our granite-state adventure, Adam and I chose to hike the western-most of New Hampshire’s 4,000-footers – Mount Moosilauke. At 4,802 feet, Moosilauke is the first spot northbound Appalachian Trail thru-hikers truly walk above the treeline. Yes… there are balds and high grassy meadows in the south, but those are not created by the unforgiving alpine climate it takes to truly create areas above the treeline.
There are several different routes up Moosilauke. We chose a 7.2 mile loop following the Gorge Book Trail, the old Carriage Road and the Snapper trail. It’s probably the most popular route for dayhikers.
We started off from the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge. Before I get started talking about the actual hike, I wanted to take a moment to talk about how much I enjoyed visiting the Ravine Lodge. The lodge and several surrounding bunkhouses were built in the late 1930’s and were originally used as a hub for competitive skiers. Nowadays, the lodge is owned by Dartmouth College and run by students. You can stay the night or just come in to enjoy a hearty home-style dinner. The lodge is everything you would imagine a rustic mountain cabin to be – antique skis, old trail signs and mooseheads adorn the walls. There’s a big stone fireplace (yes… a fire was necessary and burning cheerfully on this chilly August morning) and an old piano along one wall of the dining room. There’s even a cozy library on the lower level! The lodge windows and back porches also offer stunning views of its namesake mountain.
Dartmouth College owns and runs the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge. Below: The lodge is very rustic and comfortable. It was even cool enough in August to have a fire in the fireplace; The food at the Ravine Lodge is supposed to be pretty good!; Adam checks out out route.
Now back to the hike… our route started off behind the lodge. We almost immediately crossed the Baker River on a nice, sturdy bridge. The Gorge Brook trail climbs uphill gradually over rocky terrain. We soon came to a sign announcing a reroute of the Gorge Brook Trail. Evidently, the heavy rains from Tropical Storm Irene caused rock slides and irreparable damage to part of the original route. A group of Dartmouth students built the Wales Carter Connection, a short section of trail that bypasses the damage. The connection eventually came back out on the Gorge Brook trail near it’s junction with the Snapper Trail. We continued gradually uphill on Gorge Brook. Much of this section of trail followed a pretty stream. After passing a memorial plaque and a sign for ‘last sure water’ we moved away from the stream and into forest increasingly made up of evergreens.
At 2.3 miles, we got our first open views of the hike. Through a wide opening in the trees, we could look across the valley in the direction of Mount Cardigan – our first hike of the trip! Around this part of the hike, we came across our first human company! One group of three was carrying on a loud and detailed conversation about the best spots to get clear 3G service in the wilderness. Another group, maybe a father/daughter, was arguing about the nature of God – whether he’s benign and quietly observes suffering or if he’s like a menacing boy who enjoys pulling the legs off of bugs to watch them struggle. I think we overheard them talking about Shakespeare, too, but I can’t be certain. Usually when Adam and I talk on the trail, we talk about the scenery/wildlife or we just walk in companionable silence. It made me curious… are you a chatty hiker? What are your typical trail topics?
Adam climbs the rocky Gorge Brook Trail. Below: Beautiful stream scenery; The Gorge Brook trail was very rocky; Our first views along the way.
After the first view, the trail got a bit steeper and the trees a bit sparser. We enjoyed several nice views from a section of the trail called ‘The Balcony’. After climbing the massive stone steps along the Balcony, we dipped in and out of thick stands of evergreens. It was almost like walking through an overcrowded Christmas tree farm.
We soon stepped out into the alpine zone – the barren rocky expanse that exists above the treeline. We could see the rocky path winding across the bare terrain toward a copse of rocks a top the summit of Moosilauke.
As soon as we were in the open, I had to dig my fleece out of my backpack. It was a good 15-20 degrees colder (and much windier) on the summit. We enjoyed a snack, took our photos at the summit sign and marveled at the views. I especially liked looking across and seeing the Kinsmans, Franconia Ridge and the distant Presidentials.
Mt. Moosilauke is the first New Hampshire peak on the Appalachian Trail that includes an alpine zone. Below: Coming out of the trees; The final push to the summit; At the summit marker.
Leaving the summit, we briefly followed the white-blazed Glencliff trail (which is also the Appalachian Trail across this mountain) to its junction with the Carriage Road. This section of trail was almost perfectly flat and went through more areas that resembled large groupings of Christmas trees. We could have taken a detour to visit the South Peak of Moosilauke, but we decided to skip it.
The Carriage Road was wide and graveled, but a little steep. I can’t imagine people coming up this route in horse-drawn carriages! This part of the hike was pretty uneventful, and we were glad to finally reach the Snapper Trail.
The Snapper Trail descended gradually through stunningly beautiful New England woods. There were thick beds of moss, peeling white birches and several small bubbling streams. It was a lovely way to bid farewell to New Hampshire trails. Before we knew it, we were back at the Ravine Lodge and finished with a productive week of hiking!
Adam Says…
Mt. Moosilauke was one of the three hikes we most wanted to do in New Hampshire. Having hiked Mt. Washington and Franconia Ridge earlier that week, we were feeling a little tired and sore but we decided to press on to cover Mt. Moosilauke. We try to get a lot accomplished on our vacations, so we didn’t want to have any regrets of not doing a certain hike. We always say that we can be tired when we go back to work, so we run ourselves ragged on our vacations.
Parking at Mt. Moosilauke can at times be a challenge. There is one long gravel road and during the summer, you will likely see cars lining one side of the road, parallel parked. We had to drive to the end of the road and then turn around and backtrack, but we were able to find a decent spot since we left so early in the morning.
We first visited the lodge and you can just imagine the history here. The lodge is rustic but has that snuggle-by-the-fire cozy feel to it. Since this is maintained by an Ivy League school, my mind began to wonder if there were academic secret society meetings held here or if famous alumnus, Robert Frost penned any of his poetry here. All I witnessed were a few students playing Magic: The Gathering in the basement.
The first trail we used for our descent was the Appalachian Trail, also called the Glencliff trail in this area. Below: Christine makes the descent; Looking back through the pines toward the summit; Alpine zone marker.
The trail had us a little confused to start off on the right path. My recommendation would be to go to the back of the lodge and as you are looking into the backyard, head down the lawn towards the right. You will soon come to a path that will lead you to the Baker River. In a short distance, you will cross the bridge over the river. The Gorge Brook Trail starts off to the left. The trail takes a right turn in a short distance and you begin a moderate ascent through a very rocky trail. You’ll hear the sounds of the Gorge Brook to the left of the trail at times as it carries water to the Baker River. As you keep climbing, at .6 miles you will reach the junction with the Snapper Trail, your return route. The trail has been rerouted at this point with the Wales Carter Connection. Follow the signs through this .5 mile connection to continue along the Gorge River Trail. The trail continues to ascend through a steeper section of trail through the woods.
At 2.3 miles you reach a break in the trees and can see your first views of Mount Carr, Mount Cardigan, and Mount Kearsarge. The trail continues to ascend and then loops back around to the northwest as you gain some more views from the area known as The Balcony at 3.0 miles. The views were quite delightful and gave us something else to focus on as we labored up more rocky steps. The trail then ducks away from the views and you find yourself soon immersed into a dense forest of spruce and fir as the trail snakes through. You will see signs reminding you to stay on the trail to protect the fragile vegetation. At about 3.25 miles, you will come out of the trees and into the open alpine area. Large cairns are placed on the side of the trail. The summit looks misleadingly close, but due to the open nature it still takes about 10 minutes to reach the summit at 3.5 miles.
At the summit, the wind had picked up quite a bit across this vast, open area. We found lots of people huddled up against rocks, trying to protect themselves from the wind. We ate some lunch on the trail, snapped a few photos from the summit, and made our way back on a different set of trails.
The Snapper Trail was delightfully green and shady. Below: Adam descends the Old Carriage Road; The Snapper trail was mossy; Water crossing on the Snapper Trail.
From the summit marker, we followed the signs for the Glencliff Trail (also known as the Appalachian Trail) southwest of the summit. This trail started off as a ridgeline hike which gave us even more views along the way to start our hike. At 4.4 miles, the Appalachian Trail ducks off to the right to take you to the South Peak summit. We stayed on the main trail which is the Moosilauke Carriage Trail, which drops steeply down the rocky “road”. The trail was fairly uneventful, but the downward climb can be hard on the knees. At 5.7 miles, we reached a junction and took the Snapper Trail. This trail was thickly wooded and had lots of beautiful fern along the trail. At 6.4 miles, we rejoined the Gorge Brook Trail and made our way back to the lodge, which we reached at 7.2 miles.
The trail returns to the Ravine Lodge. Below: Looking back toward Mt. Moosilauke; A pleasant patio spot to take in views of the summit; Lodge decor
One thing that amazed me about this hike is how Dartmouth College has integrated with and adopted this mountain. They maintain and run the lodge and the network of trails is maintained by students in the Dartmouth Outing Club. We had the opportunity on our visit to New Hampshire to step on the campus and actually walked into the Dartmouth Outing Club building. Yes, this college has a building designated for this club and they even post information for Appalachian Trail thru-hikers to get them connected to where they could stay for the night. I was amazed at how the students have made this a strong tradition of caring for the mountain and environment. They even hold freshman pre-orientation trips where they all meet up at the Ravine Lodge. I wish more colleges and universities had more intentional connectivity with the outdoors.
What a great last hike for our trip to New Hampshire! We felt so blessed to have great weather for the entire week and our hiking adventures whetted our appetites for more trips in the future.
Directions to trailhead: From Interstate 93, take exit 32 for NH-112 toward North Woodstock/Lincoln. Follow NH-112 West for 3.2 miles. Take a slight left onto NH-118 S/Sawyer Highway. Follow this for 7.1 miles. Take a right on to Ravine Road. Follow this gravel road for 1.5 miles. The entrance to the lodge is on the left. Go behind the lodge across the lawn to the right to start the hike.
* MapMyHike is not necessarily accurate, as the GPS signal fades in and out – but it still provides some fun and interesting information.
This 4.5 mile ascent of Mt. Washington follows challenging, steep, slick terrain along a ravine that showcases waterfall after waterfall. Once you clear the treeline, you are treated to a hut visit and some of the most dramatic alpine walking in the east.
From Lakes of the Clouds Hut, you follow the Crawford Path (America’s oldest continually used hiking trail) to the summit of Mt. Washington. In this photo, you can see the summit and its weather towers looming in the distance. Below: The trailhead begins near the cog railway on Basecamp Rd; The beginning of the trail is deceptively easy; There are many water crossings en route to the top – some easy, some not so easy.
Adam Says…
Hiking to the summit of Mount Washington (also known as ‘the most dangerous small mountain in the world‘) was definitely a bucket-list item for me. Making it to the top of the highest peak in New England feels like an accomplishment and we definitely have memories from the hike that we will never forget.
We arranged for Christine’s parents to meet us at the top and shuttle us back to our car. Many people descend by trail, but there is a hiker shuttle and a limited number of seats available on the Cog. It’s important to note that you should always be prepared and have a plan for walking off the mountain. Trains and shuttles book up quickly and the auto road closes from time to time. Ultimately, you are responsible for your safety and the manner of your descent. Visit New Hampshire’s Hike Safe site so you can learn more about mountain safety and the state’s expectation that every hiker be prepared.
The entire Ammonoosuc Ravine trail followed a stream which tumbled down the mountainside in waterfall after waterfall. Below: Lakes of the Clouds advertisement; The early parts of the trail are rocky, but only slightly uphill.
As we were driving along the road to the parking lot, the sky was completely cloudy. The online forecast said it was going to be a perfect day, but the clouds were saying something different. We hoped that the weather would push off and made it to the parking lot. We packed some extra gear knowing that the temperature was going to be much cooler at the top. We started off from the parking lot and filled out our parking permit, enclosing $3 in an envelope to allow us to park in the lot. The parking lot was already getting full and we could tell that all the people getting ready to hike were in great shape. We hoped we were ready for the challenge and started on the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail from the end of the parking lot. The trail started off relatively flat through a thickly forested area. At .25 miles, we reached a stream crossing. Because a heavy rain fell just the day before, the crossing, which is normally easy, presented a real challenge. We saw a few others cross in different areas, but ultimately decided the best route was tightrope-walk across a thin log that spanned the creek. This is always more unnerving when you are carrying expensive camera gear, but we made it across without a hitch. We were worried how many other crossings we would have to make seeing the Ammonoosuc River on our trail map coming ahead.
At 1.0 miles, the trail reached the Ammonoosuc River, but the trail turned quickly to the right. We saw the rushing water of the river and glimpsed up at the sky, which looked less foreboding than earlier. The trail hugs the riverside and begins a steep ascent up a rocky slope. At 2.1 miles, we reached the Gem Pool, a serene swimming hole created by a small waterfall. We rock-hopped across to continue the path from the pool and stopped for a short rest in this peaceful area. After leaving the Gem Pool, the trail becomes very steep as you climb up the rocky slope. At 2.35 miles, a small trail to the right leads about .1 miles to The Gorge waterfall. I highly recommend checking out this waterfall, which you can see plunging over 100 feet. We returned from The Gorge and rejoined the trail. The trail continues its steep ascent and you can only imagine that you are climbing up a slope that seems to be as steep as the slope of the waterfall you just saw.
Christine crossing the water at Gem Pool. This is the point of the hike where the climbing starts getting serious. Below: Adam works his way uphill on the steepest part of the hike; It was seriously steep; One section had a little ladder to help you over the boulder.
We continued to climb up the very steep slope until we reached a great viewpoint at 2.7 miles. Along with the view, there were also multiple waterfalls falling in dramatic cascades. It was here that we were finally able to see that the clouds had moved off and we should have a gorgeous hike to the summit. The unnerving thing was that in order to continue the trail we had to walk across the top of a waterfall with a very precipitous drop to one side Due to the rain, there was no way to rock-hop across. We knew we had to put our feet in the water to make it across, but we couldn’t tell how deep the water was or how fast it moved. As we realized that a false step could have meant a long plummet down, it definitely gave us a gut-check to see if we could make it. We tried to look around for the best way to cross and decided to wait and let a few other hikers attempt it first. After learning what others had done, we followed suit and crossed without any difficulty.
The hike from this point continued to be steep as you climb along some areas of bare, slick rock. Eventually, we began to rise above treeline and were able to see Lakes of the Clouds hut seated on the edge of the ravine. The wind was already picking up and the cold wind had us switching into cold-weather clothes. To the left of the hut was the summit hike to Mount Washington and we could clearly see the Observatory Tower in the distance. We reached Lakes of the Clouds hut at 3.2 miles and decided to go inside to eat a snack.
One little spur trail on the steepest section of climbing led to this large and impressive waterfall called Gorge Falls. Below: Christine picks her way through boulders and across the water; Our first views into the Washington Valley; At the halfway point
Lakes of the Clouds Hut was built here over 100 years ago and has some interesting history. Two AMC members, William Curtis and Allen Ormsbee, were hiking up the Crawford Path to go to an annual AMC meeting at the Summit House on the top of Mount Washington in 1900. They reached what is now Mount Eisenhower and met 60 mph winds and cold temperatures. By the time they reach Mount Monroe, the temperature had plummeted to freezing and the rain became ice. Curtis died at Lakes of the Clouds and Ormsbee pushed on for help before perishing himself only a few hundred yards from the summit station. The storm lasted for 60 hours and their bodies were discovered. The AMC created a wooden shelter first near where Curtis had died. In 1915, the wooden shelter was replaced with a stone shelter and it has since had several additions and improvements made. It can accommodate up to 90 guests per night.
From the shelter, you can see a trail that leads up to Mount Monroe. If you are interested in peak-bagging a few of “the Presidentials”, it is a short but steep hike. We decided to save our energy and just tackle Mount Washington. We continued along the trail and soon reached views of the Lakes of the Clouds, which are actually more like mountaintop ponds than full lakes.
Since we were now above treeline, the hike to the summit of Mount Washington was now just a series of steps across boulders for the remaining 1.3 miles. The wind was incredibly strong and I believe gusts were at least 50 mph, which is considered more of a calm day on the mountain. The wind was blowing up the ravine to the left of our bodies, so there were times that we had to angle ourselves to fight the winds as we pushed onward. The views of the ravine and behind us were more breathtaking with each step. Whenever we stopped to turn around, the wind had our noses running from the cold and it was hard to even talk to each other through the force of the gusts.
Near the top of the headwall, there is a series of several impressive waterfalls and the scariest water crossing we’ve ever done. Below: This trail had so many waterfalls; Our first view of the Mt. Washington summit; Hikers coming out of the ravine.
At 4.5 miles, we reached the summit area. We followed the signs to the summit marker, that was crawling with people. Most people reach Mount Washington by car or by the cog railroad. When you pay to take the Mount Washington auto road, you receive a sticker that states “This Car Climbed Mt. Washington”. We waited our turn to get a picture with the summit sign. Some people were amazed that we had hiked up. We made our way over to the visitor center and snack bar. We had agreed to jokingly meet her parents by the “death plaque”, a plaque that shows a list of the names of people who have died on the mountain. When we arrived at the snack bar area, a group of hikers we had seen earlier on the trail whispered to us “there’s a hiker’s lounge downstairs”. While the upstairs area was crawling with people, the hiker’s lounge was quiet and nearly empty. We had a peaceful time to eat our lunch and then were able to meet her parents in about 30 minutes. From here, we jumped in their vehicle and enjoyed the car ride down the narrow road that snakes down the mountain. We stopped a few times along the way to catch some last views of the Presidential Range before we were back on the road.
The hike up Mount Washington was definitely something that Christine and I felt that we wouldn’t have been able to accomplish several years ago. I can’t think of any other time that I have felt such a sense of accomplishment after reaching this summit. We were so blessed with the great weather and we have already begun talking about how we could do an entire hut-to-hut Presidential traverse.
Christine Says…
With our days in New Hampshire running out and great weather in the forecast, we decided we had to tackle Mt. Washington. With a reputation for fickle weather, ice storms that happen at the height of summer, and gusts of wind that can blow a grown-man sideways, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The night before our hike, we were looking at maps and guidebooks and discussing our different route options. Across the living room, my mother was Googling ‘deaths on Mt. Washington‘, ‘failed hikes of Mt. Washington‘ and ‘accidents on Mt. Washington’. Comforting, right? She also told me to make sure I had the phone number for New Hampshire’s Fish and Game department on hand – they do most of the mountain rescues in the state. Her worries and cautiousness got into my head, and I went to bed feeling really nervous about my ability to make it to the top.
Adam approaches Lakes of the Clouds Hut. Below: Inside Lakes of the Clouds; We ate cake!; Wooden racks for carrying supplies.
On the drive to the trailhead, dark blackish clouds completely obscured the mountain. I said to Adam, ‘This is probably a bad idea.’ He reassured me, telling me he was certain the clouds would blow off, the day would be beautiful, and that we would have a great time. I let my worries non-verbally stew in the back of my mind. We parked, geared up and made our way down the trail with several other groups of people.
Within the first mile, we came to a rain-swollen stream with no clear way to cross. The rocks normally used to rock hop were all under rushing water. I tested a few spots, and ended up falling shin deep into water and wrenching my knee. I was feeling discouraged, because the only other potential crossing left was a thin, bouncy, moss-covered log that had fallen across the stream. I have problems with vertigo and balance, so situations like this really push me outside my comfort zone. Adam carried all the expensive camera gear, and I slowly and carefully stepped across that log. Phew! I told Adam if there were lots of crossings like this one, I didn’t think I could do the hike. He offered to turn back, but I told him that I wanted to challenge myself and keep going.
Fortunately, most of the hike followed alongside the stream with only a few much easier crossings along the way. Eventually we reached the Gem Pool. What a gorgeous spot! It’s a crystal clear, green, pool; fed by a cascading waterfall. It would be a great place to take a picnic and go for a swim. We did one more rock hop at the end of the pool and prepared ourselves to do some serious climbing!
Mt. Monroe looks like a small hill above the hut. Below: Mt. Monroe; The Lakes of the Clouds’ namesakes.
About 1600 feet of elevation gain comes in just about a mile of hiking after you pass the Gem Pool. It’s grueling and steep, but both Adam and I were well-prepared with all the hiking and other cardio we’d done to prepare for this trip. We were able to make the ascent without having to take a breather! The only stop we made along the way was the side trail to check out the Gorge Waterfall.
On the climb up, we started seeing glimpses of the valley through the trees. The majestic Mount Washington Hotel looked like a tiny red speck below. We’d come a long way up already! The remainder of the steep climb followed the Ammonoosuc River through the plunging ravine. Even when we couldn’t see the water, we could hear it.
Eventually, the trail exited from the woods onto a wide rock plateau. Above, we could see a waterfall falling in several distinct drops and below, we could see the water crashing over a steep, long drop. We decided to take a break and enjoy the view from the rocks. We sat for a minute taking it all in. At that point, I noticed I didn’t see the trail continuing anywhere. Horror dawned on me when I realized that the trail continued on the other side of the river. We saw two people cross it successfully, but I still wasn’t so sure. The water was fast and a little deep from the rainfall the day before. I had no idea how slick the rock under the water would be. The crossing had just a couple feet of flat width on the downhill side before the water dropped over a 100 feet down into the ravine. A slip at this crossing would almost surely be fatal. I took a moment to hyperventilate and freak out, and then I plunged across. This was followed by another ‘Phew – I’m still ALIVE’ moment.
Adam fights the 50-60 mph winds. Below: The hut grows increasingly tiny; Christine hikes along; There were several rock fields to cross.
After that crossing, the hike was less steep but a lot rockier. The trees were getting smaller and more stunted as we approached the treeline. We could see the summits of both Mt. Washington and Mt. Monroe looming above. Lakes of the Clouds Hut was in view, but distances are so deceptive above treeline. Everything looks so close, but it’s always further than you expect. I guess it’s a bit of an optical illusion when you don’t have trees to compare for scale.
As soon as we broke the treeline, just slightly below the hut, the wind was shockingly strong. I was hiking in long pants and long sleeves, but I had to add my hooded jacket right away. Even so, my face and hands were freezing! I was sure I had packed gloves. I usually keep a spare pair in all my backpacks, but I couldn’t find them anywhere. I ended up paying the premium price to buy a cheap pair of gloves at the hut (only to find the spare pair of gloves in a side pocket that night when we got home).
We took a twenty minute break at the hut and enjoyed some of the baked goods made by the Croo. Adam had pumpkin cake and I had chocolate cake. I had my phone with me, so I decided to take a look at MapMyHike to see how we were progressing. I found that Lakes of the Clouds actually has 3G service, so I posted an Instagram and a Facebook status from the hut. Ah… technology! 🙂
Adam pushes uphill against wind, over rocky terrain. Below: Spectacular Presidential Views; Christine has made a lot of uphill progress; Many cairns mark the way above treeline.
After our snack and rest, we were ready to tackle the last mile and a half of trail to reach the Mt. Washington summit. I can’t even describe how much I enjoyed this portion of the hike! The climb up the Ammonoosuc ravine had been moderately scary, physically challenging and really slippery, but the hike along the Crawford Path was pure, unadulterated hiking joy!
The Crawford Path was built in the 1800’s and originally used as a horse trail to the summit of Mt. Washington. The trail celebrated its 175th anniversary in 1994 and is the oldest, continuously maintained, hiking path in America. I felt so privileged to be walking someplace so beautiful and historic.
We spent some time exploring and photographing the glacial ponds that give Lakes of the Clouds its name. On this particular day, the pools were sapphire blue and covered with scalloped ripples from the brisk wind. It was spectacular and gorgeous.
We toiled along, pushing our bodies against the 50 mph winds. The alpine terrain was breathtaking and otherworldly. I’ve never seen mountain views like the ones I saw in New Hampshire on this trip. Between the walk along Franconia Ridge, and then the hike along the Crawford Path, I had my mind blown twice in one week. These places should be on every American hiker’s bucket list!
We made it to the top! Below: Adam makes the last push to the summit, The Crawford Path is also the Appalachian Trail; The summit was crawling with people who had driven or taken the cog to the summit.
The stretch of trail between the hut and the summit is a rock field. Sometimes the rocks are wide and flat, sometimes they are uneven, loose and pumpkin-sized. The trail isn’t so much a path as it is a series of cairns that keep hikers on course.
At first, the trail between the hut and Mt. Washington was pretty flat, but the final push to the summit required a little more steep climbing. The weather station towers looked so close you could almost touch them, but it turned out they were still about a half mile away.
We could tell we were getting really close when we started seeing more and more people in jeans, sneakers and sweatshirts milling about the trail. These were the car and train people! Eventually the trail emptied us out onto the summit. We passed the historic hotel-turned-museum – Tip Top House – and made our way over to the summit marker. We actually had to wait in line with all the car and train people to have our picture taken at the summit sign. It’s always funny to finish a hike that has a summit that can also be reached by car – Clingmans Dome comes to mind (the high point on the Appalachian Trail).
The cog makes a few daily ascents/descents of Mt. Washington. Below: The crowded summit building; The Mt. Washington Hotel sits below the mountain – what a beautiful day!
After taking our obligatory summit photo, we grabbed some drinks and hot dogs from the summit building’s snack bar and waited in the hiker’s lounge. My parents still hadn’t arrived, so we had about a half hour to kill. It made me wish we actually had taken the time to do the short side-trip climb to the summit of Mt. Monroe when we had been at Lakes of the Clouds. I just didn’t want to leave my parents waiting in case we took longer than expected. I didn’t want them to worry more than they had to.
Every 10 minutes or so, I ran up the stairs to look for my parents. On the third trip up, I spotted my father and my (nervous-looking) mother waiting by the death sign. I know it sounds kind of mean to have them meet us there, but honestly, it’s the easiest ‘landmark’ to find in the summit building. The place is so crowded that you can’t really say ‘meet me by the snack bar, museum or gift shop’. My parents were both relieved and impressed by how quickly we’d made it to the top.
Honestly, other than the two nerve-wracking water crossings, the hike up Mt. Washington was not nearly as difficult as I expected. The elevation gain was challenging, but I think it would be doable for most reasonably fit people. And the walk from Lakes of the Clouds to the summit was a pure pleasure, and definitely one of my most memorable hikes ever!
Difficulty – 5. The steepness of the hike is no joke. The winds and weather possibilities just add to the difficulty.
Trail Conditions – 3.5. The trail is well-maintained, but there were some stream crossings, loose and wet rock that made this tough in some parts.
Views – 5. Once you rise above treeline you have great views of the ravine. The view from the top of The Gorge is also nice.
Waterfalls/streams – 5. You get the rushing waters of the Ammonoosuc River, the Gem Pool, The Gorge waterfall, and Lakes of the Clouds.
Wildlife – 1. We didn’t see much other than squirrels. Some moose have been spotted near the lower parts of the trail.
Ease to Navigate – 4. Junctions were clearly marked. The hike from Lakes of the Clouds to the summit could be difficult on foggy/rainy days, but follow the cairns.
Solitude– 2. On a gorgeous day, there were lots of people. But, due to the danger of hiking this trail, that is probably a good thing to have others nearby. We were always able though to find our own space to enjoy views.
Download a trail map (PDF)
Directions to trailhead: From Interstate 93, take exit 35 to merge on to US-3. Take US-3 for 10.4 miles and then take a right onto US-302 East. In 4.4 miles, take a left on to Base Station Road. Follow this about 5.7 miles until you reach a large gravel parking lot on the right. The trailhead can be found as you entered on the lefthand side of the lot.
* MapMyHike is not necessarily accurate, as the GPS signal fades in and out – but it still provides some fun and interesting information.
This 3.3 mile hike is one of the easiest and most accessible ‘hut hikes’ in the White Mountains. Lonesome Lake is beautiful and the hut provides a nice place to stop for a picnic lunch.
Lonesome Lake is beautiful and one of the easiest, most accessible ‘hut hikes’ in the White Mountains. Below: The trail for Lonesome Lake starts in the campground; Adam climbs the trail; As is the case with most New Hampshire trails, the path to Lonesome Lake is rocky and rooty.
Adam Says…
After our hike on Franconia Ridge, I had to take a day off to let my leg muscles recover. When we were ready to tackle another hike, we decided to do something on the easier side this time that didn’t have nearly as much elevation as our previous hikes. While we were hiking up the Franconia Ridge Trail, we noticed this serene lake in the far distance.
We started off our hike from the opposite side of I-93, so we walked underneath the interstate bridge and followed the signs for the Lonesome Lake hike. This led us into Lafayette Place campground, which has 98 campsites. With such nice weather we were having, it was no surprise that the campground was full. It always feels awkward to me to be walking by campsites while people are still sleeping, eating breakfast, or hanging out. We made our way along quietly and then reached the true trailhead next to campsite #93.
The Lonesome Lake trail consisted of a steady climb through sections that are covered with roots and steep rock steps. At 1.35 miles, we reached the ridge and came upon our first glimpse of Lonesome Lake at a junction point with several other trails. We stopped for a quick breather and to enjoy the view of the lake, a remnant of a glacier that had carved out the mountains. The uphill hiking was over, and we headed left on the Cascade Brook Trail, which winds around the side of the lake. The trail was boggy in many spots, but there were often footbridges, rock steps, or logs to walk on in the muck to make our way across easily. On our way, we passed a croo member from Lonesome Lake who was heading down the mountain with a wooden frame loaded with outgoing refuse from the hut.
The mountains reflect in Lonesome Lake. Below: There are lots of trail junctions when you reach the end of the lake; The trail around the lake is muddy and traversed by planks and stepping stones; Climbing the stairs to Lonesome Lake Hut.
At 1.6 miles, we reached the junction with the Fishin’ Jimmy Trail. We took a right on to this trail and in a short distance we came to a large dock on the lakeside. There were a ton of teenagers on the dock, so we decided to check this out later. Right above the dock was a series of steps that led to the Lonesome Lake Hut. When we arrived in the hut, there was nobody there except for a few croo members. One was cleaning up the kitchen and the other was packing her frame to take down the mountain. We talked to her for a while and found out that they make several trips a week down to the base of the mountain where they meet up with someone to help them resupply for their trip back to the hut.
We rested a while on the back porch of the hut and talked to a family that was visiting from the Netherlands. They were on their way to visit Shenandoah National Park soon, so we gave them some tips on where to stay in the park and some of the things we would recommend they do while in Virginia. The large group of teenagers had cleared out, so we went to the dock to enjoy views of the southern end of the lake (now occupied by several families with toddlers). We made our way back the way we came to finish the out-and-back hike.
The inside of Lonesome Lake Hut is cozy, bright and cheerful. Below: Adam enjoys a nice seat on the large porch overlooking the lake; Whoopie pies and mountain views; The Lonesome Lake dock gets crowded!
We could tell from the people that we saw climbing up that this is a highly-trafficked hike. We hope in the next few years to do a larger hut-to-hut traverse across this area. It was nice to see a possible overnight location in advance. This is an easier hike that most families should be able to do if they take their time.
Christine Says…
After hiking Franconia Ridge, we decided to take a day off and be restful tourists rather than ambitious hikers. We spent the day visiting Dartmouth College, sampling Long Trail Ale, gorging ourselves on Cabot Cheese and watching glassblowers at Simon Pearce. The next morning, we were ready to get back on the trail. Adam’s knees and calf muscles were still bothering him, so we went with the easy hike to Lonesome Lake.
Lonesome Lake is lovely glacial pool sitting between North Kinsman and Cannon Mountains. The initial ascent to the lake is a little steep – about 1000 feet over 1.3 miles, but compared to many other hikes in the area, it’s considered a very easy trail.
When we began our hike, the morning was cold and sort of grey. The forecast called for brilliantly sunny weather, but you just never know what you’re really going to get in the White Mountains. We meandered through the Lafayette Place campground to reach the trailhead. The smell of campfires and cooking bacon was heavy in the air. That smell always makes me so nostalgic for the camping trips of my youth. My mom was a great camp cook – there were always sausages, bacon, pancakes and eggs. Nice memories…
Each hut is run by a ‘Croo’ – mostly college students on summer break. They carry supplies for the hut on their backs using these wooden racks.
The hike up to the small plateau where the lake sits is uphill and pretty, but generally unremarkable. Like most New Hampshire trails, you can expect to see lots of rocks and roots along the way. As you climb, the woods change from predominantly hardwood to a heavier evergreen mix.
At the tail-end of the lake, there was a junction sign with different trail options headed in many different directions. We followed an almost completely flat trail around the perimeter of the lake. We caught lots of glimpses of the water through the trees, but the most memorable feature of this trail was the mud! Thankfully, the trail is well maintained and rocks and planks were strategically situated the entire way, and we never had to get our boots muddy.
At the head of the lake, we crossed a wooden footbridge that came out between a wooden staircase and a lakefront dock. Since the dock was packed with kids from a summer camp group, we decided to check out Lonesome Lake Hut before enjoying the water. We climbed the stairs and found a charming cluster of wooden buildings that make up the ‘hut’. Unlike Greenleaf Hut, which is in a single building, Lonesome Lake Hut is a collection of cabins and a main dining room.
A couple members of the Croo were still cleaning up from breakfast. And of course, Adam managed to snag more free leftover pancakes! If you have a spare minute, check out this fun video about the 2013 hut Croo. If I had known there was such a job opportunity as ‘AMC Croo Member’ when I was in college, I would have leapt at the opportunity. It sure would have been more fun than filing procurement paperwork for the Army Corps of Engineers! (no offense to ACoE).
Christine sports her new knee brace. Below: The beautiful lake; Beginning the climb down; The ranger station at the base of the mountain.
At Lonesome Lake, we met another croo member who was loading up her packboard with empty boxes and other outgoing items to carry down the mountain. She said the trip down is typically a lighter load than the trip up, which includes food and other supplies. The AMC has a fun article about Packboarding Legends. Can you believe some people have carried packboards weighing over 100 pounds? The average is more in the 40-80 pound range, which is still extremely impressive!
After looking around the hut for a few minutes, we found a couple pleasant Adirondack chairs to relax upon. The back porch of Lonesome Lake hut is a great place to idle away a pretty summer afternoon. While we relaxed, the sun came out, making it even nicer for sitting. I shared a whoopie pie with Adam. We also had a very nice conversation with a family visiting from the Netherlands. They were greatly enjoying the expansive, forested terrain of New Hampshire – something they said they have little of at home.
After a while, we made our way back down to the lakeside dock. We found it still crowded, so I took some photos and didn’t linger for long. The hike back went very quickly. We saw lots of families hiking up to spend a night at the hut. I hope we’ll have the opportunity to do a hut stay on our next New Hampshire trip.
Difficulty – 2.5. The climb up was fairly steep, but because of the short distance, you can take your time.
Trail Conditions – 3.5. The trail is well-traveled and in good condition. There are some steeper sections and some worn-out areas that do require careful footing.
Views – 2. You do get views from the lake of the mountains around you, but the height of the mountains around the lake keeps you from getting distant views.
Waterfalls/streams – 4. While you don’t have waterfalls and very limited stream views, you are rewarded with a massive lake on this trail.
Wildlife – 1. We didn’t see anything on this hike other than squirrels.
Ease to Navigate – 3. There are some confusing spots where you wonder where the trail is leaving the campground. Also, the junction at the ridge has a lot of different trails to follow. Read the signs and you should be fine.
Solitude– 1. On a clear day, this hike is likely crawling with people.
Download a trail map (PDF) – Coming soon!
Directions to trailhead: Head north on I-93 until it becomes Franconia Notch Parkway. Pass exit 1 and the exit for the Basin. Take the next exit (for trailhead parking). Park in this parking lot. Leave your car and head underneath the bridge that is I-93. Follow the signs for the Lonesome Lake trailhead, going into the Lafayette Place Campground. The trailhead leaves near campsite #93.
* MapMyHike is not necessarily accurate, as the GPS signal fades in and out – but it still provides some fun and interesting information.
Virginia Trail Guide 
