Hiker's Guide to the Cannon & Kinsman Region
The Cannon & Kinsman region of the White Mountain Guidebook (WMG) is one of the smallest sections of the guidebook but by no means does that make it the least interesting. With the Appalachian Trail running through the region, from Kinsman Notch to Franconia Notch, this region is a popular place for hikers to visit in all four seasons. The first of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s huts, Lonesome Lake Hut, is nestled right into the side of the Kinsman and Cannon mountains, and is one of the three huts open all year round. This region is not to be underestimated. Although there are certainly harder trails found throughout the WMNF, the Kinsman Ridge is notoriously rugged.
The Cannon & Kinsman region is also home to 3 of the forty-eight 4000’ers and the popular Cannon Mountain Ski Resort. According to the White Mountain Guidebook, 31st edition, this section of the White mountains is, “bounded on the west by NH 16, on the north by US 2, and on the east and south by NH/ME 113…the Wild River Wilderness was established in 2006 and includes 23,700 acres” (pg. 445).
In total, it took us twelve individual days of hiking to complete the 69 miles of trail in this section. Our total elevation gain and total miles to complete this section of the guidebook were: 107.76 miles and 32,122’ of climbing. This is one of the regions where we ended up completing the entire section as planned in terms of days to complete all of the trails. However, we did end up having to move around some of the hikes. For example, we were not able to complete Pemi Trail on the day that we planned it because of the weather so we moved it to a different day when we were hiking less trails.
Easiest/Hardest Days
The hardest day that we encountered in this region was the day that we did the majority of the Kinsman Ridge Trail. We knew that this was going to be a difficult section, despite looking like it wouldn’t be based on the map and mileage, however the ruggedness of the terrain and the relentless ups and downs on slippery rocks left us grateful when we began the descent on Reel Brook Trail. We were pleasantly surprised with the terrain on Reel Brook Trail.
The easiest day we had on trail completing this section was a shorter day when we did Coppermine Trail and the trails on Bald Mountain. Although we did these trails in winter, they were both in wonderful shape and the elevation gain was minimal.
Navigation/Trail Conditions
This region is a combination of well traveled trails and seldom traveled ones. The entirety of the Kinsman Ridge Trail, as well as the trails that branch off of it, are all heavily trafficked. However, the trails that are located in various corners of the region surrounding the Kinsman Ridge are much less traveled except by local residents. The most difficult to navigate trails in this region are Cobble Hill Trail and Jericho Road Trail, both of which are seldom used and run through logging operations (both new and old). The Gordon Path trailhead is really hard to locate, as it is behind private property and parking is not allowed around the trailhead. This is one of the trails that reading the guidebook is a must in order to not only locate the trail but to know where to park.
Places of Note
Some of the trails that are less traveled in this region are also some of our favorites. One of the trails that we enjoyed the most was Reel Brook Trail. This trail runs along Reel Brook and junctions with the Kinsman Ridge Trail. While most people don’t ascend the ridge from this side, we were pleasantly surprised at how easy to follow the Reel Brook Trail was. The gentle grade was a welcome respite from the relentlessness of Kinsman Ridge. Another wonderful trail in this region that is underestimated is Mount Kinsman Trail. This trail also ascends the Kinsman ridge from the northern side. It is a beautiful trail running through stunning hard and softwood forests and along babbling brooks.
Hidden Gems in the Cannon & Kinsman Region
Reel Brook Trail
Reel Brook Trail runs from route 116 to the Kinsman Ridge Trail. This trail is a little over 2.8 miles and gradually gains 1,400’ of elevation. What we liked most about this trail is that not only is it a gradual ascent before a relentless push to the summit of South Kinsman along Kinsman Ridge, but the trail is easy to follow. Completing the Kinsman Ridge between Mount Kinsman Trail and Reel Brook using these two trails as access points was a really nice way to complete a rough stretch of trail.
Mount Kinsman Trail
Speaking of Mount Kinsman Trail, this is another wonderful trail that runs from route 116 to Kinsman Ridge. At roughly 4 miles and 2,600’ of elevation gain, this trail is a longer approach to Kinsman Ridge than Reel Brook. We also loved the side trail to the summit of Bald Peak and the seldom visited Kinsman Flume which is right next to the spur path for Bald Peak. The hidden Kinsman Flume is a really fascinating feature similar to the much more popular Flume nestled in Franconia Notch and we recommend taking the side path to Kinsman Flume.
Pemi Trail
Pemi Trail is both overused and underused. While the section of Pemi Trail that is part of the Appalachian Trail is heavily trafficked and easy to follow, the portion of Pemi Trail that runs from Basin Cascades Trail to Lafayette Place campground is much less traveled and harder to follow at times. We recommend completing this trail in its entirety as more of a challenge than just walking the Franconia Recreational Path in Franconia Notch, or combining the two as they run almost parallel to each other, even crossing paths many times. The Pemi Trail is 5 miles long and gains around 800’ of elevation running south to north.
Coppermine Trail
Coppermine Trail is a highly underrated trail that leads from 116 to Bridleveil Falls and Coppermine shelter. The three-sided shelter is nestled right below the stunning 35’ waterfall named Bridleveil Falls. This waterfall is less visited than others in the region because the trip to the falls is around 2 miles and gains around 1,200’ of elevation. However, the option to stay at the shelter and sunbathe on the massive slabs of granite that surround this water feature make it a perfect spot to get away for a night (or two).
Georgiana Falls Trail
Georgiana Falls trail is one of the oldest trails in the White Mountains. Noted in the first edition of Eastman’s Guidebook (published in 1858) this falls has become less popular over the decades but is still a popular stop for tourists in Franconia, New Hampshire. The trail is 1.4 miles long and gains over 900’ of elevation if you hike all the way to the top of Georgiana Falls. The section of trail past the first falls (Harvard Falls) is much less traveled and will require care to follow.
Popular Hikes in The Cannon & Kinsman Region
The Kinsman Ridge Trail
Kinsman Ridge Trail is the heart and soul of the Cannon & Kinsman region of the White Mountains. At 16.7 miles in length, this trail takes you from Kinsman Notch to Franconia Notch and gains over 6,000’ of elevation. The Kinsman Ridge Trail runs over the summit of five mountains over 3,000’ tall and is one of the most underestimated trails in the White Mountains. Steep, rocky ascents, and relentless descents rule this traverse and if you’re looking for an easily accessible traverse to complete and some challenging terrain this might be the trail for you.
Lonesome Lake Trail
Lonesome Lake Trail is one of the most heavily trafficked trails in the White Mountains. Running from the Lafayette Place parking lot in Franconia Notch, Lonesome Lake Trail gains around 1,000’ of elevation and is 2.3 miles long. The trail ends at the AMC Lonesome Lake Hut which is on the Appalachian Trail and is a very popular place to stay because it is open all four seasons. Furthermore this trail runs along the edge of Lonesome Lake and beautiful views of Franconia Ridge can be seen from the trail.
Basin-Cascades Trail
Basin-Cascades Trail runs from Pemi Trail at The Basin to Cascade Brook Trail and passes by the stunning Kinsman Falls. This trail also runs parallel to Cascade Brook. One of the bonuses of this hike is that it starts right at The Basin, which is a bowl shaped water feature tucked right next to I-93 and accessible from two separate trailheads on either the northbound or southbound sides of I-93. This trail is easy to follow but can be wet. It crosses Cascade Brook one time. The Basin-Cascade Trail is one mile long and gains over 600’ of elevation.
Mount Pemigewasset Trail
The Mount Pemigewasset Trail is another heavily trafficked trail to the summit of Mount Pemigewasset in Lincoln, New Hampshire. This trail runs through some stunning hardwood forests before breaking through the trees onto a rocky outcropping on the summit of Mount Pemigewasset. Views run south from the primary viewpoint but through the trees there is another viewpoint looking north into Franconia Notch. This hike is very popular because of its location and shorter ascent to the summit. In total, the trail gains under 1,400’ of elevation and is 1.8 miles long.
Hi-Cannon Trail
The very popular Hi-Cannon Trail runs from a junction with Lonesome Lake Trail to the Kinsman Ridge Trail and is one of the primary trails used to ascend Cannon Mountain. Gaining over 2,000’ in under 2 miles, the Hi-Cannon Trail has one ladder ascending a rocky section and can be treacherous in winter conditions. This is a steep trail that doesn’t let up for long in terms of elevation gain but it is one of the most popular trails in the White Mountains every season.
Final Thoughts
The Cannon & Kinsman region of the White Mountains is certainly not to be underestimated. Although the Presidential Range, Bonds/Twins, Mahoosucs, and Carter & Wildcat ridges are much more well known for their ruggedness and relentlessness, the Kinsman Ridge is not easy. In fact, the consistent gains and losses found along this stretch of trail has left many Appalachian Trail thru-hikers wondering if they’re going to make it through New Hampshire. The side trails branching off of Kinsman Ridge are either heavily trafficked or less traveled, offering the hiker polarized options for descending off the ridge. Although the spine of trail that runs over the Kinsmans and Cannon Mountain is the star of the region, lesser-known trails like Jericho Road and Cobble Hill are pretty in their own ways and worth visiting. In an attempt to quantitatively rank the 12 sections of the guidebook, we will give it a score out of 10 in three categories:
Variety of Hiking Trails: 6/10
This region doesn’t have a wide variety of hiking trails and therefore it doesn’t get a very high rating in this category. There are also not very many hiking trails in this region to begin with so it is difficult to say that there is a wide variety of terrain when you’re only looking at 69 miles of trail versus some of the larger regions in the Whites.
Accessibility from South-Central NH: 9/10
The Cannon & Kinsman Region is one of the easiest regions to access from south-central New Hampshire. Because this region is right off of a major highway, it’s very conveniently located.
Overall Enjoyment on WMG Journey: 6/10
This region wasn’t one of our favorite areas because there is not a wide variety of hiking trails and we prefer trails that run through wilderness areas. This region has no designated wilderness and tends to be pretty busy year round because of the AT and the hut as well as because of its location near a major highway. However, the convenience of being so close to the highway is why a lot of these trails are well loved and get a lot of much deserved attention.