TRAIL |
MOUNTAIN |
CLASS |
NOTES & HIGHLIGHTS |
TRAIL INFO |
Air Line Trail |
Mt. Adams |
II |
one of several exciting routes to the summit of Mt. Adams; many other less-scrambly trail options are available for the return trip back down |
trail info |
Baldface Circle Trail |
South Baldface |
II |
several class II moves are required on the ledges of South Baldface; fantastic views are obtained on the ledges and also at the summit of South Baldface; I recommend that you continue on and make a 10-mile loop over both Baldface summits (the summit of North Baldface is one of the best summits in New England); don't miss swimming in cold but beautiful Emerald Pool on the way down; overnight accommodation available at the Baldface Shelter (below South Baldface) |
trail info |
Beaver Brook Trail |
Mt. Moosilauke |
II |
this steep trail climbs alongside several series of picturesque waterfalls; some wooden blocks are bolted to rocks to assist you in the steepest sections; this trail will ultimately bring you to the awesome bare summit of Mt. Moosilauke (highly recommended); a shelter is available for those that want an overnight adventure |
trail info |
Blueberry Ledge Trail |
Mt. Whiteface |
II |
only one or two short sections of this trail are steep and challenging; the rest of the trail is much less steep; beautiful views from the ledges below the actual ("true") summit of Mt. Whiteface; you can continue across the ridge and make a loop over the summit of Mt. Passaconaway (make sure to take the 0.3 mile spur trail downhill to the north for the best views on Passaconaway) |
trail info |
Brook Trail |
Chocorua |
II |
several short and fun sections of scrambling are found on the south slopes of Chocorua (which is one of the most rewarding 3000-footers in New England); this is the steepst trail on Chocorua |
trail info |
Caps Ridge Trail |
Mt. Jefferson |
II / II+ |
it's a 2.5 mile one-way hike to the top of Mt. Jefferson from Jefferson Notch Road, but it seems much harder than the mileage indicates; the lower "crag" is the steepest and is quite fun for those who like rock scrambling |
trail info |
Carter Ledge Trail |
Chocorua |
II |
several semi-steep ledges en route to the summit of Middle Sister; only one portion really stands out as semi-challenging (but it's very short) |
trail info |
Carter-Moriah Trail |
North Carter |
II |
a long series of short ledges |
trail info |
Castle Ravine Trail |
Mt. Jefferson |
II |
involves scrambling and a significant amount of walking on loose talus; a quiet & scenic trail |
trail info |
Castle Trail |
Mt. Jefferson |
II+ |
fantastic views with some challenging rock scrambles; do NOT attempt in foul weather |
trail info |
Chemin des Dames |
Mt. Adams |
II+ |
connects King Ravine to Air Line; rough and very steep scrambling is involved |
trail info |
Dilly Trail |
n/a |
II |
short but very steep and rough trail that is part of the Lost River Reservation off NH 112 |
trail info |
Flume Slide Trail |
Mt. Flume |
II+ |
long sections of (typically wet) slab scrambling; hiking up this trail allows you to do a day-hike loop over Mt. Flume and Mt. Liberty; most hikers will want to avoid descending this route; take note that this is NOT the easiest route up Mt. Flume |
trail info |
Great Gulf Trail |
Mt. Washington |
II/II+ |
climbs a steep headwall; a wild, long, and difficult route up Mt. Washington; route-finding may be difficult in certain sections |
trail info |
Great Gully Trail |
Mt. Adams |
II |
connects King Ravine Trail to Thunderstorm Junction on the shoulder of Mt. Adams |
trail info |
Hi-Cannon Trail |
Cannon Mountain |
II |
includes one fun and challenging wooden ladder to climb, plus some moderate hand-scrambling ; return via Lonesome Lake for a nice day-hiking loop |
trail info |
Holt Trail |
Mt. Cardigan |
III |
this trail is surprisingly steep considering this mountain isn't located in the White Mountains; do NOT attempt this trail in foul weather (in fact, I would only hike this trail if it has not rained the previous 2-3 days); there is one awkward class III move located about 200 feet below the summit; in addition to that crux move, there are 4 or 5 class II+ moves |
trail info |
Huntington Ravine Trail |
Mt. Washington |
III |
undeniably the hardest "hiking" trail in New England; only those with previous scrambling experience should attempt this trail; do NOT try to descend this trail; this trail is typically ice free from mid July through late September, but snow, ice or hail can occur in any month; do NOT attempt in foul weather or if the temperature dropped below 32 degrees the night before as having ice present on this trail can be extremely dangerous |
trail info |
Ice Gulch Path |
n/a |
II |
extended periods of scrambling over wet & slippery rocks; wild and remote |
trail info |
King Ravine Trail |
Mt. Adams |
II+/III |
climbs a steep headwall; one of the most scenic scrambles in the White Mountains; an optional trip through "the Subway" is very challenging |
trail info |
Madison Gulf Trail |
Mt. Madison |
II+ |
one of the steepest and most challenging hikes in New England; arguably the toughest route up Mt. Madison |
trail info |
Mount Major |
Main Trail |
II |
the Main Trail is the fun route up Mt. Major; there is only a small amount of scrambling here, but it makes for an excellent first family scramble! views from the ledges and the summit of Mt. Major are first-rate (some of the best lake views in New England) |
trail info |
Mount Morgan Trail |
Mt. Morgan |
II |
involves climbing over several ledges, passing through a boulder cave, and scrambling up three ladders and some ledges; Mt. Morgan is typically combined with Mt. Percival for a classic 5.4-mile loop; don't miss the boulder caves on Mt. Percival |
trail info |
Mount Osceola Trail |
E. Osceola / Mt. Osceola |
II+ |
the "Chimney" between the two peaks is a short but exciting class II+ section, but it is optional (there is a bypass route that is class II) |
trail info |
Mount Percival Trail |
Mt. Percival |
II |
optional boulder cave; typically combined with Mt. Morgan for classic 5.4 mile loop |
trail info |
North Slide |
Mt. Tripyramid |
II+/III |
lengthy sections of extremely steep slab scrambling; this trail gains 1,200 feet in 0.5 mile, making it one of the steepest and most challenging hiking trails in New England; do not attempt when wet or icy, and do not use this trail for descent; most hikers will make their hike a loop by descending down the nearby South Slide. |
trail info |
Owl's Head Path |
Owl's Head |
II/II+ |
involves a steep climb up a semi-loose slide; some loose rock, so take your time when ascending and descending; Owl's Head is typically done as an 18-mile day hike, but there is an optional bushwhack to make the trail a little bit easier |
trail info |
Percy Peaks Trail |
North Percy Peak |
II |
fun scrambling on a remote peak; access via the remote Nash Stream Road in the northern region of the White Mountain National Forest |
trail info |
Six Husbands Trail |
Mt. Jefferson |
II+/III |
this trail climbs several steep ladders and ascends towards Mt. Jefferson via some challenging scrambling; there is supposedly one section where handholds are a far reach away and the ledges are often wet and slippery |
trail info |
Spellman Trail |
Mt. Monadnock |
II/II+ |
the steepest trail on Mt. Monadnock; if you've done Mt. Monadnock before (and I bet a lot of you have), the degree of scrambling on this trail may surprise you |
trail info |
South Slide |
Mt. Tripyramid |
II |
this slide is full of loose rock scree; most hikers will find this sort of terrain unpleasant |
trail info |
Star Lake Trail |
Mt. Adams |
II/II+ |
very steep hike from the AMC Madison Hut to the summit of Mt. Adams; don't miss the view of Mt. Madison from the shore of Star Lake (visible from the trail itself) |
trail info |
Table Rock Trail |
Table Rock |
II+ |
views of Dixville Notch from the rocky perch at the top; only brave souls will walk across the narrow rock feature to its end; there are three trails up to the beginning of Table Rock, one of which is extremely steep |
trail info |
Underhill Trail |
North Percy |
II/II+ |
supposedly a fun scramble, but the trail is semi-abandoned and sees little use; may be tough to follow in spots |
not available |
White Dot Trail |
Mt. Monadnock |
II |
very fun & relatively easy scrambling; a classic "first scramble" for so many hikers; often combined with White Cross Trail for lollipop-style hike |
trail info |
Wildcat Ridge Trail |
Wildcat Mountain, Peak E |
II |
the steepness of this trail begins very close to the Glen Ellis Falls trailhead; good views are obtained very quickly on this steep climb; several wooden blocks assist you in the trickiest spots; if the river-crossing at the start is running high, you can cross upstream at the AMC Pinkham Notch center |
trail info |
TRAIL |
MOUNTAIN |
CLASS |
NOTES & HIGHLIGHTS |
TRAIL INFO |
Appalachian Trail |
Bemis Mountain I |
II+ |
steep trail to Bemis Mountain, Peak I; from here, you can continue to other peaks of Bemis Mountain (which have much better views); big 1-2 day loop option is possible |
not available |
Abol Slide |
Katahdin |
II/II+ |
steep, loose, and long scramble up to the "Tablelands" of Katahdin; I wouldn't call this trail "fun", but sometimes the other trailheads for Katahdin in Baxter State Park are full and you become stuck with this one |
trail info |
Beehive Trail |
The Beehive |
II+ |
very fun scrambling in Acadia National Park; iron rungs and ladders assist you up the mountain; if you love this trail, also consider doing the Precipice Trail; frequently closed due to Peregrine falcon nesting, so check nps.gov to see if the trail is open before visiting |
trail info |
Cathedral Trail |
Katahdin |
II+/III |
the steepest "hiking" trail on Katahdin; access is via Chimney Pond (return via Saddle Trail or Dudley Trail instead of descending this steep trail); do NOT attempt this trail in foul weather as ledges can be very slippery |
trail info |
Dudley Trail |
Katahdin |
II+ |
extremely fun scrambling; avoid in wet or icy weather; for perhaps the most fantastic photo-op in the park, scramble to the top of Pamola's Finger on the way up (but be very, very careful); this trail begins at Chimney Pond and climbs to the top of Pamola (from here, you can take the Knife's Edge to the summit of Katahdin) |
trail info |
Hunt Trail (A.T.) |
Katahdin |
II/II+ |
this is the final section of the Appalachian Trail; fun scrambling, including several metal rungs to climb; impressive waterfall en route (Katahdin Stream Falls) |
trail info |
Knife Edge |
Katahdin |
III |
only a short section of the Knife Edge Trail is class III (the "Chimney" near the summit of Pamola); rest of the trail is class II and II+; do NOT attempt the Knife Edge in foul weather |
trail info |
RAM Trail |
Little Spencer Mountain |
II+ |
ropes are in place to guide you through the steepest section (the "Chimney"); other scrambles en route; good views from the summit; the name of the trail I've listed may not be correct |
not available |
Loop Trail |
Tumbledown |
II |
intermediate scrambling to one of the finest mid-sized mountains in New England; the easier way up Tumbledown is the Brook Trail; you can find a trail map here |
trail info |
Mahoosuc Notch |
Mahoosuc Notch |
II/II+ |
often called the "hardest section of the Appalachian Trail"; requires lots of bouldering and travel through caves and narrow enclosures; several fun wooden ladders and metal rungs to negotiate en route |
trail info |
Mount Coe Trail |
Mt. Coe |
II |
steep slide trail |
trail info |
Precipice Trail |
Champlain Mountain |
II+/III |
the most fun scrambling you will find in Acadia National Park; iron rungs and ladders assist you up the mountain; frequently closed due to Peregrine falcon nesting (typically opens mid-August); do NOT attempt in foul weather as ledges and rungs will be very slippery; if you enjoy this trail, also do The Beehive, which is just a bit south |
trail info |
West Face Trail |
Cadillac Mountain |
II+ |
steepest route up Cadillac Mountain, which is the tallest peak in Acadia National Park |
trail info |