Elevation: 774 ft (overall) 1,768 ft (total)
Time: 0:53 (Mt. Prospect) 1:27 (Base of auto road) 3:08 (Total)
Trails: Around The Mountain Loop Trail, Old Carriage Road, Mt. Prospect Auto Road, Davidge Path
With a planned weekend up north helping my parents at their property up there, I thought today would be a great time to get some redlining done on some of the trails that are farther north. Basically, trails above the White Mountains. I looked at the areas I needed some miles in and decided on hitting the trails at Weeks State Park in Lancaster, NH. Weeks State Park is the home to Mount Prospect which can be accessed by both trail and an auto road to the summit. Since both of these are considered "trails" for redlining, I would need to come up with a route that got me up one and down the other, but still with completing the loop trail around the mountain and a couple other short sections of trail too.
For my reference, I used the map provided by the NH State parks website (see here). Instead of starting at the base of the auto road, I decided to park at the old ski tow instead. I headed left on the trail here starting the Around The Mountain Loop Trail clockwise. This first section was easy and wide except where it goes though a more recently logged section that has lots of tall grass and plants. I had to pay more attention here to follow the trail and I suspect this is probably where I picked up the first tick that I found on myself a little later. At the intersection with the Old Carriage Road trail, I headed downhill to the left in order to get the section between here and Reed Road. There is a sign where the trail starts on Reed Road, but no real parking except just along the side of the dirt road.
Around The Mountain Loop Trail
After reaching Reed Road, I turned around and headed up the trail towards the summit. I wanted to hike up the trail rather than the road, so early in the route is when I just to hike to the top. The Old Carriage Road goes mostly straight up until it reaches the auto road. It's not overly steep at any point and only one section was even close to being rocky. It did look like it could get a bit muddy in spring though or after some rain. Once to the auto road, I turned right and headed for the summit. At the top, I dropped my pack and headed up the stone tower with my camera for some views. I've been up here by car before, so I knew they were good. It was a bit humid and partly to mostly cloudy, but you could still see well in all directions.
Steepest section of the Old Carriage Road
Stone tower at the summit
View north over the Summit Lodge
View south into the White Mountains
After my time at the summit, I headed down, but started out on the nature trail that goes around the summit area. This short trail isn't needed for redlining, but I wanted to check it out and would rather walk in the woods than on a road anyways. Once back to the auto road near the parking lot, I headed right and descended all the way to Route 3. There was very little traffic today with only one car, one bicycle, and a few people. The road is narrow though, so if hiking when the park is busy, be careful and stay to the side, especially on the sharp corners. After reaching Route 3, I immediately turned around and walked the short distance back to the Around The Mountain Loop Trail.
Taking the loop trail in a counterclockwise loop now, I left the auto road to the right. The trail is wide and easy to follow at the start, but eventually follows and old woods/logging road through the woods. Here, the grass is tall and the trail isn't as defined as it seems to see very little traffic. You'll stay on this grassy road until the narrow trail turns off to the left where a small hard to see sign with a blue arrow points the way. Soon after this, the Davidge Path leads uphill to the left. I headed up this until it ends at the auto road, then immediately headed back down it. It's a bit more grown in than the rest of the trails, but still easy to follow. Coming down the auto road, I had thought about coming down this trail, hiking the loop trail to the auto road, then hiking up the auto road and coming down the Davidge Path again. That would have been a more gentle incline and easier, but I stuck to my original plan.
Keep left here. The sign is on the large tree in the middle of the split
Davidge Path
From here, I followed the Around The Mountain Loop Trail all the way around the mountain back to the ski tow again. It goes through some nice woods with all small brooks easily bridged and no real steep spots. Just some ups and downs along the way. There was one small bridge though that had a tree fall directly on it. The tree was easy to get over though. From the ski tow, I hiked the final section of the loop trail back to the auto road. I again then turned around and back tracked for the third time today. On the way back to the car, I took the small path on the map to the ski tow slope that wasn't needed for redlining. I took it partly to cover all the bases/trail, but also so I could check out the slope. I then walked down the slope and back out to the car.
Around The Mountain Loop Trail
Tree on the footbridge
View from the ski tow
In the end, it was a nice hike even with the higher humidity. I had one tick on me and noticed another on my pack before he found me. The hike ended up having more elevation gain than I expected and the back tracking of trail sections wasn't bad. It's nice to have all the trails here checked off, but I won't be surprised if I come back. I can see why it gets popular for snowshoeing in the winter.
Google Earth representation of the hike
State park sign
Historical information
For all the pictures from the hike, just go HERE
