While I was in the southwestern part of the state, I decided to grab another shorter hike since I had the time. 25 minutes from Mt Caesar was Porcupine Falls. I decided to do both trails outlined in the AMC South Guide, so I parked at the Rt 10 Connector trailhead. The trail heads up a steep climb with a big drop off down to the river before taking a sharp right turn and traversing up and down along the base of an unnamed hill/mountain before joining Porcupine Falls Trail at the trailhead on White Brook Road. From here it is an easy quarter mile or so to the falls. Today unfortunately everything was pretty much dried up. I saw just a trickle. Still a pretty area to explore around. There are a couple new trails being developed above the falls, but as it was starting to sprinkle and those trails aren't officially part of the AMC Guide yet, I decided to give those a miss and can easily come back if they are ever formally added. I continued on Porcupine Falls Trail which joins a discontinued part of White Brook Road at a rather overgrown area. Luckily coming out from the falls it was easy enough to discern, there were no markings if you were entering from the old road. Back at the parking area for Porcupine Falls Trail I retraced my steps on the Connector Trail and got back to the car just as the heavens up and it started pouring, justifying my decision to not explore the new trails!

Route 10 Connector trailhead

trail turning right off the woods road

Porcupine Falls trailhead

just a dribble today

where the trail pops out on White Brook Road

parking area for Porcupine Falls trail

Mt Caesar

I had previously visited Mt Caesar, but at that time just did the 2 outer trails creating a loop over the summit. A couple of intersecting trails towards the base of the mountain have been formally added, so I went back to grab those. Seeing as they are on the shorter end, and I drove 2 hours to get there, I decided to go back over the summit and get myself a little more bang for my buck. I parked at the trailhead which starts at the most interesting of many trails I have done.. through a cemetery! I headed up the combined Theresa's Trail and Elijah's Epic Summit Trail. Did the Theresa's Trail loop first. Back on Elijah's Epic Summit Trail, I went up to the summit. This is a short, steep little climb, but you are rewarded with 3 benches and a cleared view across to Mt Monadnock. It was a bit hazy today with residual wildfire smoke from Canada. The true summit is just beyond the benches, and houses yet another bench as well as a communications tower. There is a newer network of mountain bike trails on the back side of the mountain now, so it could be a bit confusing, but I suppose they all get you to the bottom! I went down Tower Trail, which is much less steep and more of an old road rather than true trail. Back at the lower end of the Theresa's Trail loop, I went back in and took Quarry Trail back to the cemetery.

Strava Activity

I went left on Elijah's Epic Summit Trail

Theresa's Trail off Elijah's Epic Summit Trail

where Theresa's Trail and Tower Trail merge

lower end of Theresa's Trail off Tower Trail

now up to the summit on Elijah's Epic Summit Trail

bench 1

bench 2

bench 3

summit bench

down Tower Trail

Quarry Trail off Theresa's Trail

Sunday, July 5, 2026

Parker Mountain

I used to hike Parker Mountain multiple times a week, almost every week while my kids were in middle school. I haven't been up there in over 10 years. They have developed 2 new trails off the backside of the mountain connecting to Evans Mountain. Laura and I decided to explore those today. It was still warm after a heatwave we just had, so we didn't want to do anything too strenuous. We parked at the cemetery on Evans Mountain Road. There is only snow mobile signage, so this one is helpful to have a map. There are no digital footprints that I could find yet, but there is a map on the town of Strafford page and some of the trails show up as they are snowmobile corridors. The trail starts on the continuation of Evans Mountain Road, alongside Evans Mountain Farm (a gorgeous property). We felt like we must have missed it because it felt like we were going too far, but we hadn't. This road descends and was a bit wet and muddy in places, but we were able to navigate around easily enough. Passes a few ponds and intersections. I had seen a picture from a previous hiker, so I knew what we were looking for. A blue sign set back a little indicating the start of the hiking trail part of Whippoorwill Trail. Turn left here and start to ascend up to the ledges overlooking Bow Lake. This section was really nice. A mix of climbing through boulders, ferns, and blueberries. I don't eat blueberries, but Laura enjoyed some. The trail was a bit of a rolling up and down and in just under a mile we reached the first of 3 ledges with views. Each one becoming slightly more open but all gorgeous views over Bow Low. Would be great to be up there for the 4th of July fireworks, I imagine. We continued the second ledge, which was off an unmarked, but easily seen spur from the main trail. Whippoorwill Trail ends at the 3rd set of ledges, where the old Spencer Smith Trail (blazed red, Whippoorwill Trail is blazed blue) picks up. We sat and enjoyed the view for quite a while before backtracking to the first of the ledges and picking up the newest trail, Partridge Trail, which is blazed orange. While easy to follow, you can definitely tell it's still in the development phase, although I know it has existed for at least 6 months. There were blazes and flagging tape and even some stumps in the ground painted orange. The trail used a combination of trail and snowmobile corridor at the end and wound around and up and down the slopes of Parker and then Evans Mountain before popping out right opposite the parking area. The worst part was it was up to return. And that section being snowmobile trail was some longer grassy areas. We each picked up a couple ticks in that area. Overall, I was reminded what a wonderful little gem this mountain is, right in my hometown!

Strava Activity