Pawtuckaway State Park: Mountain Trail to South Mountain (Blog Hike #543)

Trails: Mountain and South Ridge Trails

Hike Location: Pawtuckaway State Park

Geographic Location: north of Raymond, NH (43.08415, -71.17419)

Length: 4.6 miles

Difficulty: 6/10 (Moderate)

Date Hiked: August 2015

Overview: An out-and-back to the fire tower on South Mountain.

Park Information: https://www.nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails/pawtuckaway-state-park/

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=729299
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: In southeastern New Hampshire, take SR 101 to SR 102 (exit 5).  Exit and go north on SR 102.  Drive SR 102 north 0.4 miles to SR 27 and turn left on SR 27.  Drive SR 27 west 0.1 miles to SR 156 and turn right on SR 156.  Drive SR 156 north 1.4 miles to Mountain Road and turn left on Mountain Rd.  Drive Mountain Rd. 2 miles to the state park entrance on the left.  Turn left to enter the park, stop at the Visitor Center to pick up a trail map, then pay the park admission fee at the toll booth.  The trailhead for the Mountain Trail is on the left 0.4 miles past the toll booth and just after passing an unnamed pond.  There is roadside parking for about a dozen vehicles.

The hike: Here’s a question: what do Crater Lake in central Oregon and Pawtuckaway State Park in southeast New Hampshire have in common?  One answer: they both lie on ancient volcanoes.  The volcano under Pawtuckaway is much more ancient and more eroded than Crater Lake, but it can still be made out on a topographic map.  Using the Google Map linked to above, look for the ring of high ground anchored on the south and north sides by South Mountain and North Mountain respectively.  Middle Mountain lies in the center of the ancient volcanic ring dyke.

            The volcanic features lie in the western end of 5500 acre Pawtuckaway State Park.  In terms of facilities, the park offers a major 195-site campground, but the park’s most popular attraction is adjacent Pawtuckaway Lake, which also gives the park its name.  The park’s beach on Pawtuckaway Lake is so popular that tickets are required to access it, and tickets often sell out on warm-weather weekends.

            Fortunately for hikers, no tickets are necessary to hike the 15 miles of trails that wind through the park’s natural areas.  In contrast to what you might expect in New Hampshire, most of the trails are fairly flat and easy except for the areas around the ancient volcanic ring dyke.  The trail system offers many hiking routes, but the park’s signature hike is the one described here.  This hike starts at the main park road, uses the Mountain Trail to climb gradually to the west arm of South Mountain, then embarks on a steep climb up the South Ridge Trail to the mountain’s summit where fantastic views await.

Trailhead: Mountain and Round Pond Trails

            Pick up the combined Mountain and Round Pond Trails as they leave the west shoulder of the paved park road at a wire vehicle gate.  The initial segment of trail stays close to a pond on the left, so be on the lookout for wildlife.  I saw a heron sitting on a log as I walked past the pond early on a Saturday morning.

Pond along Mountain Trail

            After passing the pond, the trail curves right and climbs gradually to top a low ridge before descending the other side.  The wide dirt trail remains quite straight as some old rock walls appear on the left, remnants of this land’s agricultural days.  Some official-looking signs that accompany the white hiking paint blazes remind you that this trail doubles as a snowmobile trail in the winter.

            At 0.5 miles, the Round Pond and Mountain Trails part ways.  As directed by a wooden sign, turn right to remain on the more heavily used Mountain Trail.  The trail undulates slightly as it passes near a couple of small ponds, but neither pond comes into view.  Just past 1 mile, the trail gets a little rockier and climbs slightly as it approaches the southeastern base of South Mountain.

Hiking the Mountain Trail

            After completing the brief moderate climb, the trail curves left to continue heading west.  You next tread a narrow area of high ground with ponds on either side, but again neither pond comes into view.  At 1.5 miles, the trail climbs on another moderate but more extended grade to ascend the west arm of South Mountain.

            1.8 miles into the hike, you reach an intersection with the South Ridge Trail, which exits right.  As directed by another sign, you need to turn right here to head for the fire tower atop South Mountain.  The South Ridge Trail is marked with white plastic diamonds nailed to trees.

Climbing South Mountain

After a brief level area, the climb up South Mountain begins in earnest as the trail becomes steeper and rockier.  As you gain elevation, hemlocks from the lower areas give way to stunted pines on the mountain.  In spite of the rockiness, the trail is manageable for most people if you take your time and plan your steps carefully.

North-facing viewpoint

            At 2.3 miles, you reach the top of a rock ledge that offers the first truly outstanding view.  This viewpoint faces north, so Middle Mountain and North Mountain sit in the foreground with taller mountains off on the horizon.  After taking in this view, turn right and walk across the bare rock to the fire tower, which stands nearly 20 feet above the treetops.  The top of the tower was not open on my visit, but climbing the steps to the landing below the top still gives 360-degree views of the surrounding area.

South Mountain fire tower

            I did this hike as an out-and-back, and therefore I turned around after climbing the fire tower and retraced my steps 2.3 miles to the roadside parking area.  If you wanted to extend your hike, you could form a small loop by taking the Tower Trail or the northeast section of the South Ridge Trail back down to the Mountain Trail and then turning left to hike the entire Mountain Trail.  For a longer loop, other trails access Middle and North Mountains, which also lie within the park boundary.  The options are many, but mind your ability and amount of daylight when deciding how to complete your hike.

Rhododendron State Park (Blog Hike #541)

Trails: Wildflower and Rhododendron Loop Trails

Hike Location: Rhododendron State Park

Geographic Location: southeast of Keene, NH (42.78155, -72.18985)

Length: 0.7 miles

Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: August 2015

Overview: A flat loop through a dense rhododendron grove.

Park Information: https://www.nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails/rhododendron-state-park/

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=941468
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From Keene, take SR 12 south 10.9 miles to SR 119 and turn sharply right on SR 119.  Drive SR 119 0.9 miles to Rhododendron Road and turn right on Rhododendron Rd.  Drive Rhododendron Rd. 2 miles to the signed park entrance on the right.  Turn right on the gravel park entrance road, pass a signed historic cottage on the left, and park at the cul de sac at the end of the road.

The hike: The historical core of Rhododendron State Park lies in the small wooden cottage you passed on your drive in.  Known as Old Patch Place, the cottage was built by either Captain Samuel Patch or his son between 1790 and 1818.  The cottage changed ownership several times before 1865, when it became the headquarters of a mail-order business that sold potted rhododendrons among other items.  This business first brought the majestic rhododendrons that live here to the public’s attention.

            In 1901, the land was scheduled to be lumbered until Miss Mary Lee Ware of Boston purchased the land to save the rhododendrons.  In 1903, Miss Ware donated the land to the Appalachian Mountain Club, which in turn transferred it to the New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation in 1946.  The Old Patch Place was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, and the rhododendron grove was added to the list of National Natural Landmarks in 1982.

            The park remains lightly developed, and the 16 acre rhododendron grove remains the focal point.  The park’s main trail is the short 0.6 mile handicapped accessible Rhododendron Loop Trail that tours the rhododendron grove, but the adjoining 0.3 mile Wildflower Trail, maintained by the Fitzwilliam Garden Club, also provides a nice walk.  A more difficult 1 mile one-way trail leads to the summit of Little Monadnock, a nearby mountain also within the park’s boundaries, and connects with the long-distance Metacomet-Monadnock Trail.  This hike combines parts of the two shorter trails to give a nice, fairly flat tour of the rhododendron grove.

Start of Rhododendron Loop Trail

            Both ends of the Rhododendron Loop Trail leave the parking area.  This description starts at the western end with the picnic area and toilets on the right.  It seemed odd to me to have a picnic table right beside a pit toilet, but such is this park’s layout. 

The wide Rhododendron Loop Trail heads west around a large boulder into a dark hemlock forest.  Very quickly you reach the first area of rhododendron.  When I hiked here in early August, all of the rhododendron had already bloomed, leaving just the leaves and stems.  Come in early to mid-July for the height of the rhododendron bloom.  Also, in the summer the park maintains a bloom update on its webpage.  I had missed the last blooms by a couple of weeks.

Bloomed-out rhododendron

In less than 0.1 miles you reach a junction.  If you only wanted to hike the Rhododendron Loop Trail, you would turn right here.  To see some additional wildflowers on the Wildflower Trail, turn left to briefly leave the rhododendron grove. An information board says that the Wildflower Trail was constructed in memory of Betty Myrick, 1915-1989.

Hiking the Wildflower Trail

The trail heads west before curving right to head north along the base of Little Monadnock Mountain.  A creek gurgles just downhill to the left.  I did not see many wildflowers on this trail, but I did see a lot of mountain laurel, which looks much like rhododendron except for its smaller leaves and different flower.

Just past 0.3 miles, you pass through a break in an old stone wall to rejoin the Rhododendron Loop Trail, which goes straight and right.  Continue straight to hike the full loop.  After curving slightly right, you cross a recently replaced wooden footbridge and enter the core of the rhododendron grove.  You will be surrounded by white flowers if you come here at the peak of the bloom.

Entering the rhododendron core

At 0.5 miles, the rougher Little Monadnock Trail exits left for its namesake hill.  This description stays right to remain on the fairly flat Rhododendron Loop Trail.  Now heading south, you quickly reach another trail junction, where a left turn is needed for the shortest route back to the parking area.  Another 0.1 miles through more hemlocks and rhododendron return you to the parking lot to complete the hike.

Pisgah State Park: Kilburn Loop (Blog Hike #540)

Trail: Kilburn Loop

Hike Location: Pisgah State Park

Geographic Location: southwest of Keene, NH (42.84150, -72.48340)

Length: 6.3 miles

Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)

Date Hiked: August 2015

Overview: A rolling lollipop loop around scenic Kilburn Pond.

Park Information: https://www.nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails/pisgah-state-park/

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=729297
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From Keene, take SR 9 west 8.9 miles to SR 63 and turn left on SR 63.  Pisgah State Park’s Kilburn Road trailhead is located on the left (east) side of SR 63 4.4 miles south of SR 9 (or, equivalently, 3.9 miles north of SR 119).  There is a brown road sign marking the trailhead.  Park in the gravel parking lot at the Kilburn Road trailhead.

The hike: Weighing in at over 13,300 acres, Pisgah State Park is the largest state park in New Hampshire.  The park features very little development, so its many miles of trails are a paradise for hikers, mountain bikers, and (on some trails) ATV and snowmobile riders.  The park’s seven ponds are also a major attraction for anglers.

            Pisgah State Park has 6 different trailheads, each of which provides access to the park’s vast trail system and the central natural area from a different angle.  Thus, many different hiking routes are possible.  This hike starts at the Kilburn Road trailhead, the park’s western-most trailhead, and forms a very loose loop around Kilburn Pond.  Thus, the route described here is widely known as the Kilburn Loop.

The Kilburn Loop is one of the few extended loops at Pisgah State Park to enjoy hiker-only status.  The loop does not pass any magnificent waterfalls or vistas, so its main appeal is just quiet woods and quiet ponds.  However, other trails branching off of the loop allow you to extend your hike and visit other parts of the park if you wish.

Kilburn Road trailhead

            From an information kiosk at the rear of the parking area, the Kilburn Loop starts by heading around an orange vehicle gate and undulating slightly on a general eastward course.  The “stick” of this lollipop loop uses the old Kilburn Road as a treadway, so you find yourself walking on wide two-track dirt trail through cool, dark hemlock forest.  After topping a small rise, the trail curves right and begins a moderate descent toward Kilburn Pond.

            At 0.6 miles, the old road ends, and the trail splits to form its loop.  To hike the more undulating east arm of the loop first, I chose to continue straight here and use the trail going right as my return route, thus hiking the loop clockwise.  The hike crosses from Hinsdale County into Winchester County in this area.  Continuing an eastward track, an unmarked side trail soon exits right to provide your first clear view of Kilburn Pond.  On the morning I came here, I detected little activity around the pond’s calm, tranquil waters.

North end of Kilburn Pond

            Back on the main trail, 0.8 miles into the hike another trail exits left at a soft angle.  The trail map calls this trail the Town Forest Trail, but a sign nailed to a tree states that this trail is not maintained.  In either case, you should angle right to cross the main water source for Kilburn Pond on a wooden bridge.  This bridge was so new when I crossed it that I could smell the resin from the lumber.

            The trail becomes rootier as it climbs gradually away from Kilburn Pond.  The Kilburn Loop is marked with blue wooden diamonds nailed to trees, and the blazes come in handy when the treadway on the ground is not obvious.  At 1.2 miles, you reach another intersection where the yellow-blazed Pisgah Ridge Trail exits left.  If you wanted to extend your hike, turning left on the Pisgah Ridge Trail would lead to some nice vistas from atop Mount Pisgah, the park’s main summit.  This hike will continue straight to remain on the Kilburn Loop.

Climbing on rooty trail

            Now heading southbound, the trail embarks on a ridgetop course as some rock outcrops appear on either side of the trail.  A large number of roots in the trail impede your progress, but the grade remains gradual to moderate.  Therefore, the overall going is quite easy.  Kilburn Pond lies downhill to your right, but it is sufficiently far away to be out of sight.

            Just past 2 miles into the hike, the trail descends more moderately for a brief time to enter the watershed of a second smaller pond that lies below Kilburn Pond.  This second smaller pond soon comes into view on the right.  At 3.2 miles, you begin a more aggressive descent toward Kilburn Brook, the outlet of both ponds encircled by this hike.

Crossing Kilburn Brook

            At 3.5 miles, you reach the hike’s lowest elevation as the trail curves sharply right to cross Kilburn Brook on a wooden footbridge.  Now heading northbound, a brief moderate climb brings you to the bank of the lower pond.  My approach to this area sent a family of deer scampering into the woods.

            The western return arm of the loop is straighter and therefore shorter than the eastern outbound arm.  After passing the lower pond, a brief climb brings you to the southern end of Kilburn Pond.  An unmarked spur trail exits right and heads for the dam that forms Kilburn Pond, perhaps your first indication that the pond is man-made.  The pine trees and rocks around Kilburn Pond make for a scenic setting.

Kilburn Pond near dam

            The trail continues north along the west shore of Kilburn Pond.  Some planks placed on logs carry you over some wet areas, and some side trails exiting right lead to more nice pond views.  At 5.7 miles, you close the loop.  Angle left and hike Kilburn Road 0.6 miles back to the parking lot to complete the hike.

White Mountain National Forest: Appalachian Trail to Lowe's Bald Spot (Blog Hike #538)

Trail: Appalachian Trail/Old Jackson Road

Hike Location: White Mountain National Forest, Pinkham Notch

Geographic Location: south of Gorham, NH (44.25751, -71.25334)

Length: 4 miles

Difficulty: 9/10 (Difficult)

Date Hiked: August 2015

Overview: A persistently rocky, occasionally steep climb to a fantastic viewpoint.

Area Information: http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/whitemountain/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=74505&actid=50

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=941469
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From Gorham, drive south on SR 16 for 10.5 miles to the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center, which is well-marked by signs.  Turn right and park in the visitor center parking lot.  If the lot is full, which happens often on warm summer days, you will have to park at the Wildcat Ski Area 0.75 miles north on SR 16.  The trail starts behind the Visitor Center.

The hike: When I arrived at the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center on a sunny early afternoon for which thunderstorms were forecast, I asked the young lady manning the hiker information desk if it was a good time to set out for Lowe’s Bald Spot.  She replied, “oh yeah!” as if I had asked a stupid question.  2 hours later, I found myself hiking in a moderate rain with thunder booming over my shoulders.  By the time I finished the hike (without incident: God protected me yet again), the sun was back out.  White Mountain weather can flummox even the most knowledgeable locals.

            For my general comments on hiking in Pinkham Notch, see my short and fairly easy hike to Crystal Cascades, which departs from this same trailhead.  I did the Crystal Cascades hike back in 2004 on my first trip to the White Mountains, so I decided to be slightly more ambitious on my 2015 return trip.  I chose the hike described here partly due to the view at the end and partly because it uses the world famous Appalachian Trail (AT).  As you will see, I bit off a little more than I could chew, but not because of the terrain or length, both of which are fairly manageable.

Trailhead in Pinkham Notch

            The hike starts on the west side of the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center at the same trailhead used by the Crystal Cascades hike.  Very quickly the Tuckerman Ravine Trail heads left toward Crystal Cascades.  Angle right to stay on the AT and the Old Jackson Road.  The white AT blazes and the blue blazes for Old Jackson Road run conjointly for the next 1.5 miles.

Intersecting Old Jackson Road

            The trail undulates gently as it heads north over rocky terrain.  The low-elevation forest here at Mount Washington’s base is dominated by birch and maple trees.  At 0.3 miles, you intersect the Blanchard Trail, a ski trail that links the Tuckerman Ravine Trail with the state highway.  Continue straight on the AT.

            0.4 miles into the hike, the path you are walking intersects the roadbed used by the historic Old Jackson Road.  As directed by a sign, you need to turn left here to continue on the AT.  The climb now begins in earnest as the wide dirt/rock trail seems to head straight up the mountain.  Numerous well-constructed waterbars keep the trail from becoming too eroded, but the rockiness of the terrain still makes the going rough.  The trail crosses the main headwaters of the Peabody River on a thick, sturdy wooden bridge, but other feeder streams are crossed via rock hop.

Climbing on the AT

            At 1 mile, the trail levels out as a small wet area comes into view on the right.  The signed George’s Gorge Trail soon exits, also to the right.  Though more primitive and rugged than the AT, the George’s Gorge Trail could be combined with some ski trails to form an alternate route back down to Pinkham Notch.  For now, continue straight to keep heading for Lowe’s Bald Spot.

            1.3 miles into the hike, you cross a wet area on wooden planks placed on logs, a construction called puncheon.  After another rocky creek crossing, you reach a signed intersection where the AT and Old Jackson Road part ways.  The blue-blazed Old Jackson Road continues straight to quickly reach the Mount Washington Auto Road.  The auto road is steep, narrow, and winding, so hiking along the road is not recommended.  Thus, our hike turns left to continue up the AT.

Approaching Mt. Washington Auto Road

            Next comes the hardest part of the hike.  The AT climbs some steep, primitive rock steps to quickly pass two junctions, the first with the Raymond Path and the second with the Nelson Crag Trail.  Both of these trails exit left.  More steep rocky areas bring you to a parking lot on the Mount Washington Auto Road at 1.8 miles.  Continue straight on the AT as it crosses the road and enters the Great Gulf Wilderness.  Due to the wilderness designation, blazes will become less frequent for the last portion of the outward hike.

Storm clouds on Mt. Washington

            In another 0.2 miles the unsigned trail to Lowe’s Bald Spot exits right, after which a short climb brings you to the viewpoint.  To be honest, I never made it all of the way to Lowe’s Bald Spot.  I made it to the last 0.3 miles when I looked over my shoulder and saw the storm clouds in the picture above coming over Mount Washington.  Realizing I was in an exposed area at risk of lightning strike, I chose to turn around and head for lower, more sheltered ground rather than risk everything to get a view.  I made it back down the rockiest areas before the rain and thunder started in earnest.  In hindsight, I am glad I yielded to the most basic rule in hiking: always be willing to change your plans when trail conditions warrant doing so.

White Mountain National Forest: Sabbaday Falls (Blog Hike #164)

Trail: Sabbaday Brook Trail

Hike Location: White Mountain National Forest, Kancamagus Highway

Geographic Location: west of Conway, NH (43.99741, -71.39310)

Length: 0.7 miles

Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: August 2004

Overview: A short hike to the pretty, flume-type Sabbaday Falls.

Area Information: http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/whitemountain/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=74927&actid=50

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=941470
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: Sabbaday Falls is located near the midpoint of the scenic Kancamagus Highway (SR 112) 19 miles east of Lincoln and 15 miles west of Conway.  Park in the well-marked paved parking lot on the south side of the road.  The trail starts at the information board on the south side of the parking lot.

The hike: The Kancamagus Highway (pronounced Kan-ca-maw’-gus) is well-known as one of the most scenic drives in the northeast.  The name comes from Chief Kancamagus of the Penacooks Indian tribe.  In 1685, Chief Kancamagus led the final revolt of the Penacook Indians against the white settlers.  For 34 miles, the road winds up and over Kancamagus Pass with numerous overlooks and trailheads along the way.

One of the more pleasant, popular, and shortest diversions from the highway is the trail to Sabbaday Falls.  The name Sabbaday Falls is a corruption of the words “Sabbath day.”  The falls earned this name because visitors from nearby towns only had time to reach the falls on the day of rest.  The modern trail is wide and gradually sloped for the entire 0.3 miles to the falls, and the reward is well-worth the small amount of effort it will take to get there.  This hike makes a nice leg stretch while you are driving the highway, not to mention an opportunity to see a pretty waterfall and the natural mountain environment.

Trailhead: Sabbaday Falls Trail

            Begin at the information board where the trail immediately enters the hemlock forest.  Sabbaday Brook flows against you on the left and the hillside rises steeply to the right.  After only 0.25 miles of gradual uphill hiking, the spur trail to the falls exits to the left.  This trail comes out at an observation area beside the medium-sized but shallow plunge pool at the base of the falls.  From here, you can look upstream into the narrow chasm through which the falls tumbles in a pair of 6-foot drops and some other less dramatic cascades to arrive at the plunge pool.

Sabbaday Falls

Looking down the flume

            The trail heads upstream, climbing some steps built beside the stream as it falls.  At the top of the falls, the spur trail rejoins the main Sabbaday Brook Trail.  Although one could continue hiking the Sabbaday Brook Trail upstream beside the brook, the going gets steeper and more difficult, and the highlight of the trip is over.  So turn right and descend moderately back to the parking lot, completing the hike.

Franconia Notch State Park: The Flume (Blog Hike #163)

Trails: Flume, Ridge, and Wildwood Trails

Hike Location: Franconia Notch State Park

Geographic Location: north of Lincoln, NH (44.09683, -71.68124)

Length: 2 miles

Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)

Date Hiked: August 2004, August 2015

Overview: A scenic route, partly on boardwalk, through one of the most famous destinations in the White Mountains.

Park Information: https://www.nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails/franconia-notch-state-park

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=719311
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From Lincoln, go north on I-93 4 miles to the exit for the Flume.  The Flume is a popular tourist destination, so it is well-marked.  Park in the large paved parking lot.  The trail leaves from the visitor center.  A significant admission fee will be charged to access the trail.

The hike: Few destinations in the White Mountains attract families like Franconia Notch.  Since I-93 runs through the notch itself, the destination is easily accessible from populated areas to the south such as Concord and Boston.  The notch also has family friendly attractions including several scenic railroads that depart from the town of Lincoln, the southern gateway to the notch.

Included in these attractions are three top-quality hiking destinations.  The Basin, described elsewhere in this blog, provides a very easy walk along the Pemigewassett River itself.  Located 10 miles west of Lincoln, Lost River (not described in this blog) provides a more difficult walk with lots of steps through an interesting gorge, featuring many waterfalls and caves.  Perhaps the most famous destination of the three, however, is the Flume, described here. 

Although the term “flume” can be used to describe any place where water cascades through a narrow, glacier-runoff-created chasm, if one speaks of The Flume, everyone knows that this person is referring to the Flume of Franconia Notch.  Indeed, The Flume attracts visitors from around the country and even around the world.  While many visitors care only to hike the Flume Trail, making it somewhat crowded, a very pleasant hiking experience can be had by taking the route suggested here.  This route starts with a journey through the Flume, but then embarks on a woodland trail over a couple of covered bridges and past some nice forest and aquatic scenery along the way.

Front door of Visitor Center

            Begin by paying for admission, then walk out the back door of the Visitor Center.  The first 0.5 miles of this hike can be avoided by taking a bus to Boulder Cabin, but those with the time and energy should choose to walk.  The gravel trail leaves the Visitor Center and immediately crosses a paved maintenance road.  In 0.2 miles, the trail arrives at a large boulder, where the trail forks.  To get to the Flume faster, this description will use the right fork as the outward portion and the left fork as the return portion of the loop.

Bearing right, the trail drops steeply to cross the Pemigewassett River on the first of two covered bridges.  Looking to the right, you can see the bridge used by the buses to cross the river.  The trail now parallels the bus route and climbs moderately to arrive at Boulder Cabin.  Stay to the left of Boulder Cabin as the trail continues climbing.  At 0.65 miles, the trail arrives underneath an impressive waterslide where Flume Brook cascades down bare bedrock just after exiting the Flume.

Waterslide at base of Flume

            The trail climbs more gradually now and soon becomes boardwalk as the Flume comes into sight.  The dark grey granite walls rise nearly vertically some 40 feet above the stream.  Further, the walls are only about 10 feet wide in places, so there is no place to put a trail on the floor between the walls.  Fortunately for hikers, the state of New Hampshire has built the boardwalk directly over the stream, so wet feet are avoided and you can feel the cool dampness within the Flume.

Boardwalk through the Flume

Steps and waterfall in the Flume

            The trail climbs through the Flume on wooden boardwalk and steps to arrive at Avalanche Falls.  This is the point where Flume Brook enters the Flume from the north side.  The waterfall is 25 feet high and similar to many of the other spill-over type waterfalls in the region.  Just above the falls, the trail climbs a final set of steps to exit the Flume.

Avalanche Falls

            At the top of these steps, the Rim Trail continues straight ahead to short-cut the hike and return you to the Visitor Center in only 1.25 miles.  Our hike turns right on the Ridge Trail.  After a short ascent to the height of land, the trail descends rather steeply through beautiful, mature pine forest.  Pass a small waterfall on the left and continue to descend.  At 1.4 miles, the Pemigewassett River comes into view to the left, and a couple of protected overlooks provide nice views of the wide, boulder strewn river which flows 130 feet below you.

The trail continues to descend and crosses the river on the Sentinel Pine Covered Bridge.  The area immediately to your left as you cross the bridge is called The Pool.  The name is appropriate, as the area is a large round depression with a tranquil pool, a pause in the normal tumbling of the river to the south.  Now at the lowest point of the hike, the trail climbs moderately steeply, passing one final river overlook on the left.

The Pool

            This last section of trail past the river is called the Wildwood Trail after the mature mixed pine and hardwood forest that grows near the river.  After the climb away from the river, the most difficult section of trail is behind you, and the well-worn trail assumes a rolling track through the forest.  Intermixed with the forest are a few glacier erratics transported here from the north by the last ice sheets.  2.2 miles into the hike, the Wildwood Trail comes out at the large boulder to close the loop.  Continue straight to return to the Visitor Center and complete the hike.

Franconia Notch State Park: The Basin (Blog Hike #162)

Trail: The Basin Trail

Hike Location: Franconia Notch State Park

Geographic Location: north of Lincoln, NH (44.12296, -71.68270)

Length: 0.5 miles

Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: August 2004, August 2015

Overview: An easy route, mostly on paved trail, along an interesting section of the Pemigewasset River.

Park Information: https://www.nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails/franconia-notch-state-park

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=719310
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From Lincoln, go north on I-93 4 miles to the exit for the Basin.  Park in the large paved Basin parking lot.  The trail leaves from the west side of the southbound I-93 parking lot.

The hike: Many of the great hiking destinations in the White Mountains require long and difficult mountain treks to reach the reward.  This hike at the Basin is not that type of hike.  For a small amount of effort, a very pleasant reward can be had by anyone in decent physical condition.  Even better, this hike can be obtained by a short drive from I-93, which runs through Franconia Notch.

Parking lot trailhead

            From the parking lot, descend gradually on a paved trail west toward the Pemigewasset River.  In a very short distance, the trail crosses the paved bike path that travels along the east bank of the river.  The bike path heads north to Profile Lake in 4 miles and south to Lincoln in 7 miles.  Immediately after crossing the bike path, the trail comes to the banks of the river.  The river here is swift but shallow (during times of normal water tables) and travels over the granite bedrock, which is very close to the surface.

Waterfall in Pemigewasset River

            The trail crosses the river on a wooden bridge just below a pleasant cascade as it enters the basin.  The basin itself is a large, round flat area where the waters of the Pemigewasset River and some of its tributaries spread out into several channels, only to converge again dramatically at the foot of the basin.  Across the bridge, the paved trail intersects the Pemi Trail, a long, unpaved hiking trail that parallels the river’s west bank.

The Basin Trail joins the Pemi Trail heading downstream with the river on the left.  0.15 miles from the trailhead, the Basin-Cascade Trail exits to the right.  A detour of 0.5 miles each-way on this trail will take you uphill to Kinsman Falls, a worthwhile side trip for those with the time and energy.  Our hike curves to the left and, in another 0.1 miles, descends a short series of steps to arrive at the outlet of the basin.  At this point, the hiker stands downstream from a powerful cascade where the water plunges into a deep pool through a gap in the right hand side of a rock wall.  The thunder of the water echoes off of the rock wall creating a tremendous noise, one that you will not find at most waterfalls twice this size.  This point marks the highlight of this trip through the Basin.

Powerful cascade in the Basin

            The trail continues downstream to a bridge that crosses the river allowing the hiker to access the bike trail on the other side rather than continue downstream on the Pemi Trail.  Cross this bridge and turn left to begin the return route to the trailhead.  The paved trail climbs moderately to arrive at a second overlook of the cascade described above.  This view point sits above and to the east of the cascade, so it provides a very different perspective than the one you saw earlier. Also, this overlook is accessed by paved trail, so it is handicapped accessible, though the route to the overlook is somewhat steep for a wheelchair.

Trail along Pemigewasset River

            Continue climbing past the overlook with the river to your left and I-93 uphill to the right.  In a short time, arrive back at the junction with the Basin Trail and the bike path, both of which are paved at this point.  A right turn at this intersection will return you to your car and complete the hike.

Crawford Notch State Park: Arethusa Falls Trail (Blog Hike #161)

Trail: Arethusa Falls Trail

Hike Location: Crawford Notch State Park

Geographic Location: northwest of North Conway, NH (44.14803, -71.36684)

Length: 3 miles
Difficulty: 7/10 (Moderate)

Dates Hiked: August 2004, August 2015

Overview: A rocky, steady, occasionally steep climb to the highest waterfall in New Hampshire.

Park Information: https://www.nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails/crawford-notch-state-park/

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=719309
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From North Conway, head west on US 302 into Crawford Notch.  Continue west on US 302 in the town of Bartlett where Bear Notch Rd. turns left.  8.5 miles west of Bartlett, turn left onto the park entrance road, which is marked by a sign for Arethusa Falls.  There are two parking areas, the lower parking area immediately to the right after entering the park and the upper parking area which is located uphill further from US 302.  The upper parking area is closest to the trailhead, so try to park there first, retreating to the lower one if the upper parking lot is full.

The hike: There was a time when Bemis Brook babbled peacefully from the mountains to the west into the Saco River on its journey to the Atlantic Ocean.  That time ended several thousand years ago when the glaciers advanced south and scoured the walls of this once-shallow valley.  When the glaciers retreated, what remained was a deep rut flanked on either side by steep granite walls.  Today, Bemis Brook flows over these granite walls and plunges into Crawford Notch on its eastward route to the Saco River.  This plunge forms the tallest waterfall in New Hampshire, named Arethusa Falls.

The waterfall’s unusual name comes from that of a Greek mythical water goddess.  One visit and you will know why this waterfall deserves deistic nomenclature.  Since this is the tallest in the state, you will likely not be alone during your visit to the waterfall.  Also, the trail to the falls is not easy, as numerous sections are rocky, a few are steep, and the total elevation gain is 1050 feet.  Still, for those who are willing and able to put forth the effort, the reward is more than worth the climb.

Trailhead: Arethusa Falls Trail

            From the upper parking area, cross the railroad tracks belonging to a local scenic railroad and bear left as the trail enters the forest.  The dense forest at the lower elevations consists of northern hardwoods such as sugar maple, yellow birch, and beech trees.  In only 0.1 miles, the trail forks, with the blue-blazed Arethusa Falls Trail going right and the yellow-blazed Bemis Brook Trail going left.  The trails rejoin in only 0.4 miles, so I suggest taking the Bemis Brook Trail as the outbound trail and returning on the Arethusa Falls Trail.  The former provides views of two smaller waterfalls on your way to the main attraction.

The Bemis Brook Trail follows directly along Bemis Brook, which is on the left, while a steep hillside ascends to the right.  0.4 miles into the hike, pass pretty Bemis Brook Falls, which is actually a series of cascades on your left.  Past Bemis Brook Falls, the trail ascends rather steeply for a short distance to reach a bluff overlooking the creek.  A brief descent brings you to the base of Coliseum Falls, another small ledge-type waterfall in Bemis Brook.  The view is partially blocked by some trees, so you will have to leave the trail and enter the rocky streambed to get a good view.

Bemis Brook Falls

            The trail turns right at the base of Coliseum Falls and climbs very steeply directly up the hillside on an unlikely course over lots of roots and a few rocks.  Take your time as you climb, picking your route carefully and keeping track of the blazes.  0.6 miles from the start, the trail finishes the steepest climb of the hike and intersects the Arethusa Falls Trail, which goes straight and right.  A right turn would provide a shortcut back to the trailhead, but the real show remains straight ahead.

Climbing toward Arethusa Falls

            The Arethusa Falls Trail curves left on a section of trail that has recently been rerouted as it gently climbs a set of wooden steps built into the ground.  The trail curves right as it climbs gently but steadily along the right bank of a shallow ravine.  1 mile from the start, the trail descends some more steps built into the ground to cross the tributary of Bemis Brook on a newly constructed wooden bridge.

The trail ascends the opposite ridge via a pair of broad switchbacks before dropping gently to cross another tributary to Bemis Brook on a wooden bridge.  One final moderate climb brings the hiker to the highest point on the hike, some 1050 feet above the trailhead.  At this point, the trail comes to a T-intersection with trails going left and right.  The trail to the right leads to Ripley Falls and Frankenstein Cliffs.  Both of these destinations are worthy sites to see, and Frankenstein Cliffs can be seen from below from the lower parking area.  However, the trail to these attractions is lengthy and difficult, so it should only be considered by people with adequate preparation and conditioning.

Arethusa Falls will be reached in 0.2 miles by taking the trail to the left.  This trail descends moderately, clinging to the hillside, as it comes out at a rocky area of the streambed at the base of the falls.  From this perspective, you can see the spray of water cascade down the sheer pink granite face, which towers over 200 feet above and in front of you.  You can scramble over some boulders to get closer to the base of the falls, but the best view is actually near the point where the trail enters the streambed, as from here you can get the entire waterfall in your field of vision and in a single regular-sized camera frame.

Arethusa Falls

            In the past, one could scramble across Bemis Brook and take a return route down the south side of the brook, but that trail is no longer maintained.  Instead, you will have to retrace your steps to the first intersection and turn right to begin descending and heading back east toward the trailhead.  Where the Bemis Brook Trail exits straight, turn left to continue descending on the Arethusa Falls Trail, as this avoids what would be an extremely steep descent to the brook.  The Arethusa Falls Trail makes a more moderate, but very rocky descent to intersect the other end of the Bemis Brook Trail 0.1 miles from the trailhead.  A short hike remains to return you to the parking lot and complete the hike.