Hiker’s Guide to the Mahoosuc Region
The Mahoosuc region of the White Mountain Guidebook (WMG) is both heavily trafficked and rarely seen. While a large amount of the trails are hiked by thru-hikers heading along the Appalachian Trail, there are whole parts of this section of the guidebook that are less visited. Additionally, this section of the guidebook is not all located within New Hampshire. Contrary to popular belief, there are two parts of the White Mountain Guidebook located in both New Hampshire and Maine, the Mahoosucs being one of them and the Speckled region being the other.
The only 4000’er located in this region is on the New England 4000’ers List (Old Speck Mountain), and located in Maine. According to the White Mountain Guidebook, 31st edition, “this section includes the region along the Maine-New Hampshire border that lies east and north of the Androscoggin River…the backbone of the region is the Mahoosuc Range, which rises from the east bank of the Androscoggin River above Berlin and Gorham. It runs east at first and gradually swings toward the north as the range continues to its far end at Grafton Notch in Maine” (p. 534).
In total, it took us nine individual days of hiking to complete the 90.7 miles of trail in this section. Our total elevation gain and total miles to complete this section of the guidebook were: 110.44 miles and 27,302’ of climbing. Originally we had planned out seven days of hiking for this region but after completing a long day in the region and realizing we grossly underestimated the difficulty of the Mahoosuc Trail we redid one of our routes to break it up into two hikes.
Easiest/Hardest Days
When we were completing this region (as with any of the regions of the guidebook) our goal was to get as much done as possible in a set amount of time. Because of this, many of my routes were not ones we would have done as day hikes had we not been working on a timed attempt. That being said, the hardest day on trail in this section was the day that we did a loop up across the Mahoosuc Trail and back down Peabody Brook Trail. The stretch of the Mahoosuc Trail between Genetian Pond and Dream Lake was much rougher and rockier than we had expected. The Mahoosuc Trail starts off really nice as it leaves Route 2 in New Hampshire and gets gradually more rocky as it moves towards Maine.
The easiest day on trail in this region was the day that we did Wright Trail as an out and back. This trail is not as heavily trafficked as some of the other ones that branch off of the Mahoosuc Trail but we found it to be really nice, easy to follow, with a gradual grade before reaching the junction with the Mahoosuc Trail.
Navigation/Trail Conditions
In this region, there are a few trail organizations responsible for trail maintenance. The Mahoosuc Trail is definitely the most rugged trail of this region, and although it starts off gentle it becomes more and more rugged and rocky as it makes its way northeast. The Shelburne Trails Club maintains the trails located off of North Road and they do a phenomenal job with trail work. However, this area is also being logged frequently so be sure to check for trail conditions prior to setting out by visiting the trail organization’s Facebook page. The USFS and Appalachian Mountain Club also maintain trails in this region. The Grafton Notch is well maintained by the Maine Appalachian Mountain Club and there are lots of rebar rungs and ladders throughout this region. Navigation wasn’t an issue for us on any of the trails in this area; however the trails themselves can be more like an obstacle course than a single-track hiking trail between blowdowns, massive bogs, and rock scrambles.
Places of Note
The Mahoosuc region has a bit less variety than some of the other areas of the White Mountain Guide in terms of trail. Whether you’re heading up onto the Mahoosuc Traverse or traipsing around the trails behind historic Philbrook Farm Inn off of North Road, the conditions are more or less the same with the main exception being the amount of rocks you encounter. There are no switchbacks in this region whatsoever and despite being lower in elevation than the Presidential Range, the Mahoosuc Trail is not to be underestimated. It really is the exact opposite of the Appalachian Trail as it enters New Hampshire in Hanover. Where one is gentle with rolling hills, the other is rocky, steep, and covered in obstacles.
One of the most under-praised trails located in this region is the Grafton Loop Trail (West). With its sister, the Grafton Loop Trail (East) a beautiful 38 mile loop can be completed as a short backpacking trip, or for those who are looking to challenge themselves more, a single day hike rivaling the infamous Pemi Loop in New Hampshire. The Grafton Loop Trail has shelters at various intervals and is worth visiting in our humble opinions. Additionally, the lower elevation trails off of North Road are not to be forgotten. While they are certainly not as challenging as the Mahoosuc Trail, there are steep climbs found to the summits of some of these lower peaks and even a cable car that can be used to cross Austin Brook.
Hidden Gems in the Mahoosuc Region
Mount Ingalls via Scudder Trail
Mount Ingalls, nestled at the back of this region, may not have views but the trail leading to the summit is gorgeous. Walking along the edge of rocky ledges you will experience some views of the Presidential Range and Carters-Moriah region and as you continue towards the summit the forest becomes the view. Deciduous trees turn to coniferous before reaching the wooded summit of Mount Ingalls. Continue a bit farther and you reach Ray’s Pond.
The Outlook on Success Trail
While Success Trail is certainly not a hidden gem (as it leads to one of the peaks on the 52 With A View list) the side path that crosses a rocky outcropping might be. This short loop takes you out onto a ledge where you can sit and enjoy a snack while taking in the views of the Mahoosuc Trail facing southwest. Perhaps a visit to the summit isn’t in the cards for the day. This outlook can be reached in less than 2 miles from the trailhead and while there is climbing involved, the elevation gain is under 1,500’.
Mascot Pond
As far as a very short walk to a really pretty spot, Mascot Pond is a great place to visit in this region. This pond is really close to the trailhead located off of Hogan Road but because it faces west, it’s a really pretty place to visit in the afternoon as the sun is setting. We weren’t expecting the trailhead to be as hard to find as it was, though, so be sure to park at the new trailhead directly off of route 16 heading towards Berlin, NH rather than the trailhead off of Hogan Road (which can no longer be accessed due to washouts).
Grafton Loop Trail West
While this may not be considered a hidden gem compared to some of the trails we’ve discussed in other regional guides, the Grafton Loop is still less traveled than one would expect given its ease of access and that it offers a bunch of designated tent/campsites that have bear boxes, tent platforms, and water. This loop takes you through stunning forest and has been heavily worked on in the last year. The trail is now much easier to follow than back in 2019 when we did the hike for the first time and the overgrowth has been almost completely taken care of. This hike can be done in either direction, however ending at Old Speck would be the more climactic way to hike the trail.
Popular Hikes in The Mahoosuc Region
The Mahoosuc Traverse
Perhaps one of the most popular challenges for local hikers is completing the Mahoosuc Trail in one day. On top of being over 25 miles in length, the Mahoosuc Trail runs through multiple bogs, up and over several peaks, and through the infamous Mahoosuc Notch. The notch typically takes over ninety minutes to complete and depending on which way you do the traverse you will be either descending or ascending a rock field known as the arm either before or after completing the notch. These two back-to-back challenges along with the myriad other obstacles that cover the over 20 miles of trail makes this a massive undertaking regardless of whether or not you take it on in a day or in chunks.
Mount Hayes via Mahoosuc Trail
Mount Hayes is a beautiful summit that can be reached from either the Mahoosuc Trail or Centennial Trail (which is the AT). We prefer approaching it from the Mahoosuc Trail off of Route 2 because the trail leading to the summit is beautiful, however taking the Centennial Trail is pretty, too. Both trails are a lot more deciduous and less rocky then the rest of the Mahoosuc Traverse. This peak is also on the 52 With A View list and while from the summit proper you will get some views there are more from the rocky ledges that lead to the summit than the summit itself.
Mount Success via Success Trail
This is another mountain on the 52 With A View list and although it’s not as easy to climb as Mount Hayes, it has better views. Not only is there the option of taking the side path to The Outlook from Success Trail, once you get up onto the Mahoosuc Trail there are stunning views in all directions and the trail itself, with the exception of a bog or two, has really nice foliage. In fall, the colors in this area are stunning, especially the grasses and low lying shrubbery along the bogs.
Old Speck Mountain via Old Speck Trail
The final popular hike in this region is Old Speck Trail to the summit of Old Speck mountain. Although there are minimal views on the summit, (unless you climb the lookout tower) this hike is popular for two main reasons. Old Speck Trail is part of the Appalachian Trail (with the exception of the final spur to the summit) and Old Speck is on the 4000’ers of New England hiking list. The trail to the summit is steep but there are some switchbacks for a short portion of it.
Final Thoughts
This section of the White Mountain Guidebook is definitely underestimated by many. We underestimated it when setting out to hike the guidebook in a set amount of time and subsequently had to alter our plans due to that. While this area is heavily trafficked along the main trail because it’s the Appalachian Trail, without that foot traffic the Mahoosuc region would likely be less popular among the hiking community (similar to the Speckled Region) because it is close to the Carter-Moriah Range, as well as the Presidentials. Competing with those two ranges would be difficult for the Mahoosucs if they weren’t part of the AT, in our opinion. We consider The Grafton Loop Trail what makes this region so special. Being able to do a backpacking trip starting and ending at the same trailhead, but not having to do an out and back, makes this an ideal route for the solo backpacker. 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: 6.5/10
With the exception of the trails maintained by the Shelburne Trails Club this region is dominated by the same type of rocky, muddy, boggy trails. In wetter weather this section can become very cumbersome to navigate as the bog bridges become submerged in water or aren’t there altogether. Additionally, there are a lot of sections where the hiker will find themselves having to use upper body as well as lower body to boost themselves up rock slabs or shimmy their way down wet rocks.
Accessibility from South-Central NH: 4/10
One of the furthest regions from south-central NH, this region is hard to get to. You’re either forced to endure the traffic of North Conway or take the long way around the Presidential Range and then head east. Additionally, many of the trails are located off of Success Pond Road which is not paved and can be slow-going. Grafton Loop is the furthest part of this section of the guidebook, at almost 3 hours one way from south-central NH.
Overall Enjoyment on WMG Journey: 6/10
This wasn’t one of the most enjoyable regions of the White Mountain Guidebook. We hiked the lower elevation trails in either shoulder season, when snowpack was still melting, or in winter when the trails were not necessarily broken out and took extra time and effort to navigate. The Mahoosuc Trail was very cumbersome and at times extremely frustrating. The Grafton Loop Trail was most definitely the most enjoyable part of completing this region along with the shorter days on Mount Success Trail and The Mahoosuc Trail to the summit of Mount Hayes.