Monadnock Trails, Monadnock Mountain, New Hampshire Hiking, New Hampshire Maps, Mount Monadnock, Jaffrey, NH, Hiking New Hampshire
Monadnock State Park Side Trails
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Above: Spellman Trail
The side trails that emanate out of the State Park Headquarters are less crowded than the White Dot or White Cross Trails to summit. The side trails up the mountain are generally more eroded and have seen more use than the Halfway House Trails. The Harling and Hinkley Trails as well as the cross country ski trails are secluded lightly beaten mossy grassy corridors through the woods. Cascade Link and Spellman Trails make for a scenic hike up the mountain via the Pumpelly Trail that leads along an open ridge to the summit. The Parker Trail and Lost Farm Trails lead to the Cliffwalk with it's declivities of open ledge and Bald Rock, an open crag connecting to Monadnock's summit via, White Arrow or White Dot Trails.
Trails:
Cascade Link offers a scenic hike up to the Pumpelly Trail for a longer hike up the
mountain. From Headquarters take the White Dot Trail to Falcon Spring junction to Cascade Link.
Cascade Link shortly passes the
Harling trail on right (sign is currently missing). Right after the Harling junction Cascade Link passes through a birch/hardwood forest that has been devastated by the Dec. '08 ice storm and soon comes along some small cascades (may be dry)
then crosses the Birchtoft-Red Spot Trail junction entering a spruce forest then to the Spellman
trail, on left. Cascade Link continues through spruce forest with much damage from the March '10 ice storm higher up, passes the source for Eleventh brook and then opens up with
some views up to Town Line peak and across the valley to the Wapacks, then
the path joins the Pumpelly trail 2.1 miles from headquarters, 1.4 miles to the summit.
Spellman Trail is the steepest maintained trail. The Spellman Trail starts on level ground from Cascade Link
then climbs a section of steep ledge with excellent views toward the east
then enters spruce woods shortly before reaching Pumpelly trail.
Red Spot Trail is less steep than the Spellman Trail and is much less crowded than the main
trails from Headquarters. The Red Spot Trail is reached by Cascade Link (1.2 miles from headquarters) from Falcon junction via the White Dot trail as well as Birchtoft Trail from Gilson Pond (2.1 miles from Gilson Pond parking). The Red Spot Trail starts at the junction of Cascade Link and Birchtoft Trail, shortly passing the Cascade Link junction to Spellman Trail. The Red Spot trail heads uphill at a moderate grade reaching the Old Ski Trail in .4 miles. The Red Spot Trail climbs up along woods that have been hit hard by recent ice storms. The Red Spot Trail trail climbs past the Doric Temple with views east at a steep ledgy section (.7 miles from Birchtoft jct.). The Doric Temple was named because the cliffs resembled a simple Greek temple from a distance. There are some views on the trail (.9 miles from Birchtoft jct.) as Smith Connecter is reached (no longer on map but jct. is still marked on rock). The grade eases over open ledge with views of the summit and in a short distance reaches the Pumpelly Trail 0.4 miles to the
summit (1 mile from Birchtoft Jct.).
Old Ski Trail leads northeast from
the White Dot trail just below the plateau, the path follows a nice easy ski
touring grade, but is too eroded unless there is very deep snow to ski on
leading to the Red Spot Trail.
Hinkley Trail leads north from Poole Road east of Monadnock State Park headquarters connecting Poole Road to Harling Trail and Birchtoft Trail, linking Monadnock State Park to Gilson Pond, and the new campground. The Hinkley trail's signs are set back from Poole Road and you need to look for the signs. The path is lightly beaten and mossy in spots. The route is well marked by yellow markers. The
forest changes from pines to hardwoods with spruce and joins up with Poole
Brook shortly before reaching the Harling Trail junction. The Harling Trail heads west to Cascade Link and up Monadnock. The Hinkley Trail continues north (follow signs) along a lightly beaten path through logged woods and is now young hardwood re-growth with some trees bent from the recent ice storm on the way to the Birchtoft Trail.
Harling Trail is a lightly beaten path and is not hiked
very much. The path is mossy and grassy in spots but is easy to follow.
The path heads east down from Cascade Link .1 miles north from White Dot
Trail at Falcon junction and south of Red Spot trail (sign is currently missing). The path heads down
to X-C ski trails with a sign to the State Park Campground, the Harling Trail (sign) now
an old woods road continues east coinciding with the X-C Ski
Trails passing a few junctions until reaching the Hinkley junction and Poole Brook (sign and bridge)
where the Harling Trail currently ends. The Hinkley Trail leads south to Poole Road and Monadnock State Park Headquarters or across the brook the Hinkley
trail heads north to the Birchtoft Trail, leading to Gilson Pond and the new State park campground.
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Above: Lost Farm Viewpoint after Ice Storm
Lost Farm Trail is generally crowd free although the path is well beaten. The Lost Farm Trail is marked by some white markers, is easy to follow and is a longer route to the summit via Bald Rock. The Lost Farm Trail leads north uphill from the Parker trail .6 miles from State Park Headquarters heading up by nearby Mead brook along the west side of a stone wall then turns west to head toward the Cliffwalk junction by Ainsworth Seat and Thoreau Seat. The path heads up on moderate grades through a hardwood forest then turns to spruce shortly before reaching the Cliffwalk with a fine viewpoint right by the Cliffwalk. For reverse trail description from Cliffwalk see Bald Rock Ridge Trails.
Parker Trail (from Headquarters) on gentle grades from leads headquarters 1.4 miles to the Old Toll Rd. The trail is marked with yellow blazes and the trail is easy to follow. From State Park Headquarters Parker Trail signs lead to the south end of Poole Reservoir then pass through an area known as Mead’s Orchard, now just stone walls in the woods. The Parker Trail passes the Lost Farm junction in .6 miles (signed, heads up north then west to the Cliffwalk), to a small brook, Hunters Rock a large glacial boulder at stonewall crossing, then the Former Cliffview trail junction (a steep difficult route, no sign) then the current Cliffwalk route (signed, leads north up the mountain). The Cliffwalk continues uphill and soon passes through a pass known as The Notch then at a sign a path, sharp left, southeast, a side path leads to a fine viewpoint Little Mtn. Then continuing east on the Parker Trail in 50 yards leads to the Old Toll Rd. For Directions from Old Toll Road see BaldRockRidgeTrails.
X-C Ski Trails is a ski touring trail network in an area east of the mountain that is
lightly used, is un-groomed in winter and requires at least 8 ” of natural
snow to ski. The trails are on easy grades and do not head up the mountain.
The trails are generally easy to follow for a woods walk in summer. Do not hike
over ski tracks; the trails are for skiing. Southeast of headquarters the
ski trails are closed due to recent logging activity. There is a map available at
State Park Headquarters. There is a map of the currently open X-CSkiTrails on this website. The ski trails have recently been marked by blue diamonds so they should be easier to follow if nobody has skied them yet. It still may be a good idea for anyone skiing that they should bring a map and compass and know how to use them in case they happen to lose their way.
Dora Spaulding
Nature Trail is a well signed nature trail with many signs and descriptions of various
trees, vegetation, and plant communities in a few loop paths. The loop paths are lightly used
and care is needed to follow paths, look for signs. Also there is a patch
of Rhododendron which is one of the most northern patches of this bush.
Dora Spaulding Trail starts on Poole Road east of the Hinkley Trail and a
path leads north out to Poole Brook a vernal stream along an old bridle path. Boulder loop
may be difficult to follow. The open planting area loop is well signed.
Monadnock Trails:
Monadnock Trails website: Author, Creator, and photos by Frederick Pitcher 2010
Use of the information on this site is the sole risk of the user. The author is not responsible for the trails or anyone's ability to follow them. In addition to the trails there are certain places in this website described that are off trail. Anyone exploring Monadnock does so at their own risk.
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