It's been 10 or so years since I've hiked in the Belknaps. There have been so many other places to explores, once I completed my patches for that area, I moved on.. however a few new trails have formally been added, so I figured today was a good day to go back and explore. I chose the trails on Mt Rowe. I parked at the pullout at the gate on Area Road. It was hot today and humid, so I really just took my time. My route was only about 3 miles, but 700ft of gain. To get to the trails, go through the gate and down the road a few hundred feet. There a sign here for the trails, turn right and up into a lot that has some materials dumped and a small sign points you up Rowe's Revenge. This is a ski trail, so nothing technical about it. Just a lot of up. In some areas the grass was a bit longer, but for the most part it was either gravelly or just grass. At one point it skirted close to some mountainside homes, otherwise felt far away from the bustle of this region. Just before the end of the trail there is an umarked spur out to the site of an old warming hut with some views over the lake. The trees are starting to grow up and it was very hazy today in the heat, but I could still see a bit and enjoyed a nice breather. I continued to the end of the trail, which is just below the actual summit of Mt Rowe. I opted not to revisit as I've been there several times already and it's essentially just a communications tower. I decided to take what the Guide has called BTTR - Better Than the Road, but the signage onsite called it Cutoff Trail and I've also seen it on some maps referred to as Bypass Trail. Either way, it was a nice quick descent marked with white and green blazes that was definitely a nicer alternative than the gravel road. It popped out at the top of the Mountain Coaster. I followed a short extension before ending on the road just above the main resort area and just had to walk back through the campground to complete my loop.

parked here

start of Rowe's Revenge

looks flat.. it wasn't

former warming hut site

heading down the BTTR Trail

Mountain Coaster

popped out looking over the resort

an old ski jump seen while walking through the campground

I didn't catch this sign on the way up, but turn for Rowe's Revenge off the road

looking back up at Mt Rowe

Saturday, August 1, 2026

Big Island Trail - Pawtuckaway State Park

Afternoon commitments had me in need of something quick and local. I chose Big Island Trail in Pawtuckaway, as it was only just under 2 miles total. There really is nothing of note along this trail, but it was nice to be back out after a couple weeks off. Parking is at the beach parking area and I got there early enough there was plenty of space still, though it was already quickly filling. The trailhead is a couple tenths up the road at a pull off for a dumping station for the nearby campground. Well marked and well maintained. Not really an island, but this area is called Big Island. Unfortunately it was extremely buggy, so I didn't really even stop to take anything in. It was a get in, get out, get on with your life situation. But it's done and I can check it off the list!

Strava Activity

Saturday, July 18, 2026

Porcupine Falls

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!

Strava Activity

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