A year after section hiking Maine, we set out to tackle the New Hampshire Appalachian Trail. Except this time we planned on section hiking the state in sections. Simply put, it hasn’t worked out as planned. Add two more years and this is still a hike in progress. Please follow along, and feel free to get a good laugh at our expense. Hopefully you can learn something from our mistakes. Sometimes I wonder if we ever do.
Sugarloaf Mountain is Maine’s second-highest mountain, making it a top bucket list hike for peak baggers. Don’t be fooled by the relatively short hiking distance for a 4k mountain, Sugarloaf via the Appalachian Trail is not for the faint of hiking.
The kids perked up at the sound of rushing water. I almost didn’t have the heart to tell them that we were still a mile and a half from the wonders of Bridal Veil Falls. Almost. I totally told them. (Don’t judge, it was a loooooong car ride!)
A short walk from the Kancamagus Highway (Route 112), Sabbaday Falls is a popular pit stop for tourists and Tripyramid hikers alike. The o.3 mile walk is good for all ages.
At an elevation of 4,003 feet, Mt. Tecumseh is one good lightning strike away from being knocked off New Hamshire’s list of 48 peaks over 4,000 feet in the White Mountains. That said, the summit view of Mt. Osceola, the Tripyramids, and the Sandwich Range Wilderness make hiking Tecumseh worth more than a check in a box
Mt. Hale via the Hale Brook Trail is an ideal hike for those cloudy days when visibility is limited. There’s a “partial” view on the Hale summit, obtained by climbing the beefy summit cairn to see over the surrounding treetops. That’s not to say a Mt. Hale hike has to be all trail, no treasure—loop it with Zealand Falls via the Lend-a-Hand Trail and Zealand Trail for some waterfall eye candy.
We were hungry for an epic long-weekend backpacking adventure. The White Mountains aren’t exactly in short supply of rugged climbs rewarded with grandiose views, and while we didn’t want to exclude this from the menu, our appetite was for something different. One look at the suspension bridge arching over the Wild River, and we knew there would be no regrets.