Along the Trail

The White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) comprises about 796,000 acres. Whichever way you look at it, that’s many trees.

The forest on the White Mountains has two major types: the northern hardwood forest (birch, beech, and maple) found at elevations of less than 3,000 feet, and the boreal forest (spruce, fir, and birch) found from about 3,000 feet to the timberline. The latter is typically between 4,000 and 4,500 feet.

Approximately 45% of WMNF is available for timber harvesting under strict regulations. Besides timber production, the forest management also addresses recreational activities such as hunting, fishing, and hiking, as well as watershed protection and wildlife management.

An extensive network of trails links trailheads with the 4,000-footers and lesser peaks. Generally, trails are well maintained and provide a clear pathway through the forest while protecting the environment by minimizing erosion and other damage. Many trails follow the routes of old logging tracks, and many still follow the line of trails cut in the 19th century by trail pioneers.

The White Mountains contain 48 mountains over 4,000 feet. At 6,288 feet, Washington is the highest summit of the Appalachian Mountain chain.

Keen hikers in the White Mountains are likely candidates to become members of the Four Thousand-Footer Club, sponsored by the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC). Trish and I haven’t quite qualified: on our numerous trips to the White Mountains, usually in September, we will hike a few times and bag at least one 4,000-footer on our trip. The current tally is 30. Favourites include Washington (though most tourists take the cog railway to the summit station rather than hike), Lafayette, and Moosilauke. Others, such as Cabot, Owl’s Head, and Isolation, will be unfamiliar unless you are a seasoned 4,000-footer bagger.

The Appalachian Trail, which traverses the Presidential Range, is a marked hiking trail in the Eastern United States extending from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. The trail, described by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy as the longest hiking-only trail in the world, is about 2,200 miles long. More than 2 million people are said to take a hike on part of the trail at least once a year.

Pippa and Steph’s day hike on the Hale Brook, Twinway, Zealand, and Lend-a-Hand trails provides a comfortable loop trail over Mt Hale and through the scenic Zealand River Valley with its beaver ponds. Pick the right time and day, and you might glimpse moose, black bear, or beavers. It is an interesting and varied hike, with perhaps the finest white birch woodlands in the Whites, and a great way to start your exploration of the White Mountains, one of the easier summits to bag, a 4.4-mile loop with an elevation gain of 2,300 feet. The broad flat summit is an open clearing where once stood a fire tower. At 4,054 feet, it is one of the lowest 4,000-footers, though surrounding tree growth has now obscured the view.

To find out more… Steven D. Smith and Mike Dickerman’s ‘The 4000-Footers of the White Mountains’ is the definitive guide.

Bondcliff Books - White Mountain Publishing and New England Guidebooks

The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) ‘White Mountain Guide’ includes detailed descriptions of all the trails in the White Mountains and three pull-out maps.

Books & Maps | Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC)

Founded in 1876, AMC is the oldest outdoor pursuits, recreation, and conservation organization in the United States. Over 16,000 volunteers and 450 full-time and seasonal staff care for trails, protect wild places, provide education and guiding services, and manage AMC lodges, huts, camps, and shelters. Zealand Falls Hut, built in 1932, is located at an elevation of 2,640 feet beside Zealand Falls on Whitewall Brook, at the north end of Zealand Notch, near Twinway and Zealand and Ethan Pond Trails. The approach walk from Zealand Road is 2.7 miles. The hut accommodates 36 guests in 4 bunkrooms. For the story, I altered the interior layout. Zealand Falls Hut is open to the public from early June to mid-October on a full-service basis, with meals available and a caretaker basis for the rest of the year. Supplies are carried in, as Sharon did to the Galehead Hut.

AMC Zealand Falls Hut