The New Hampshire Trails You Never Knew
The New Hampshire Trails You Never Knew
With the second book of White Mountain waterfalls nearing completion and
in between scouring New Hampshire’s forests for The White Mountains You
Haven’t Seen: Volume Two, I’ve come across a lot of officially unofficial
trails. They’re the ones that are clearly there, used and taken care of, but
don’t technically exist. We’ve visited a few of them already but it turns out
there are so many secret hikes in the White Mountains, they could fill a book,
and now they are.
The New Hampshire Trails You Never Knew Existed is still in its early
stages with only half of its proposed fifty destinations completed, but what a
list it is. Hillsides, mountaintops, waterfalls, abandoned bridges and mines,
land trusts and preserves, meadow meanders and rock cliff perches, we
explore them all. Follow me as we explore gardens by the train tracks,
conquer stone monoliths rising from rockslides, enter forgotten mines and
witness water carving its way through unforgettable cliffs. I know some of
our bushwhacks can get a little extreme, it’s an activity certainly not suited
for everyone. Well, this one is for you. This is how you go off the beaten path
without going off the trail.
Index Rock
Tucked away in the Great North Woods Region, near the tip of the
Granite State where you’re so close to Canada that the road signs are in both
English and French, there is a small tract of terrain so rugged it seems out of
this world. Most of those who visit the White Mountains never make it to the
incomparable Dixville Notch. After the Balsams Resort closed its doors in
2011, that wild and untamed stretch of Route 26 sees even less visitors. The
few trails that were once well-known are slowly becoming forgotten.
At the former entrance to the grand hotel, below the dominant Table Rock
rising 700 feet from the floor of the notch, there is a trailhead hidden from
those who don’t know of its existence. It traverses the northern wall of the
notch known as the Sanguinary Ridge. The tenacious pines of the
mountainside quickly give way to an inhospitable landscape of broken cliffs
that shatter into uniquely shaped shards of red rock that glisten in the
sunlight. A small stone monolith rises from the midst of the rockslide,
protruding from the hostile slopes forming the natural anomaly, Index Rock.
The first hurdle on our journey to Index Rock requires a lot of driving. In
fact, we have to go around the entire Nash Stream Forest, where roads are
few and far between and most of those require a monster truck to navigate.
Don’t worry, we’re not going that way, unless you want to get Grave Digger
out of the garage. Is Grave Digger still relevant or did I just age myself?
If you’re coming from the western half of the state, follow Route 3 north
towards Lancaster and, well, Canada. In the town of Colebrook take a right
onto Route 26/Mohawk Rd and follow it for about 10.5 miles into Dixville
Notch. Lake Gloriette and the Balsams Resort will come into view on your
left where there is a large gravel parking area. If you’re coming from the
eastern half of the state, follow Route 16 through Berlin up the Androscoggin
until you reach the T intersection in Errol. Take a left onto Route 26 and
follow it approximately 11 miles into Dixville Notch. You’ll pass beneath the
Old King cliff on your left before the Balsams entrance comes up rather
abruptly on your right with its large parking area on the shore of Lake
Gloriette.
Behind the Balsams sign is an easy to miss trailhead. Don’t let the mileage
fool you, it may only be 0.2 mile to Index Rock but it is a ruthless 0.2 mile. If
not for the switchbacks, we’d probably roll down the hill backwards it’s so
steep. As the trees thin out, you round the last corner and step out onto the
desolate landscape. I’ve traversed a lot of rockslides but this is like none I’ve
ever encountered. Jagged spires of crumbling rock rise out of the scree slope
like pillars in a red ocean. One stands taller than the rest, precariously
positioned near the edge. The trail passes right by it as it continues along the
ridge. Those not scared of heights might want to peer over the edge but be
forewarned, the terrain is far from stable and requires a baby-step shuffle in
order to keep yourself from feeling like you might slide right off the edge of
the mountain. Alright, fine, I possibly sat on my butt and slid for part of it so
no, you won’t be alone in doing so. Keep in mind, I’m not so fond of heights.
I know, I probably should have chosen a different profession. Standing on
that open scree field looking across the wild notch at Table Rock in a setting
unlike anywhere I’ve ventured before, I don’t regret my decision. Of all New
Hampshire’s famed notches, Dixville may be the smallest but it is the most
wildly intense place you’ll visit in the entire state.
Kilburn Crags
If you’ve ever driven through Littleton then you already know the view is
spectacular. Well, with one major drawback, you’ve got nowhere to admire
the view from because the buildings downtown tend to get in the way.
Stopping in the middle of the highway is frowned upon for some reason. And
then on the rare occasion you do get a second to gaze upon the surrounding
summits in wonder, there’s always a pesky powerline getting in the way. I’ll
tell you, one of the most frustrating parts of being an avid hiker is knowing
there is a view to be had and having no way to view it. Which brings us to an
amazing little cleared ledge on the northeastern shoulder of Walker Mountain
known mostly by the locals as Kilburn Crags.
