Baldpate Mountain

Appalachian Trail to Baldpate summit in blue; Cataracts Trail in orange.

My sister and I hiked this Mahoosuc trail (a section of the Appalachian Trail) on a beautiful holiday weekend in October, close to peak foliage, and we were surprised at how few people we saw after Table Rock! The lore of the trail, according to a fellow we met who hikes the mountain frequently, is that many hikers are drawn to the gigantic and impressive Old Speck Mountain across Route 26, leading to a quieter experience on the north side of Grafton Notch State Park and Mahoosuc Public Lands.

Whether or not you meet hikers along the way, including chatty AT thru hikers, this is a fabulous there-and-back trail, with views from two high points — West Peak (3,694 feet) and the final summit of East Peak, at 3,815 feet. The park says the total mileage of this hike is 7.6 miles. The good news is that while there are strenuous climbs, they are interspersed with mellower sections.

Additionally, for an even more remote backcountry experience, you can take the Cataracts Trail which leaves from Andover/East B Road, on the north side of the mountain. This approach offers two perks: You’ll get a beautiful approach to Baldpate on open ledge with expansive views east, west, and north from the subpeak (what AllTrails calls Little Baldpate), and you can cool off in the swimming holes and water slides at the Cataracts close to the end of your hike. This series of waterfalls is about 0.5 miles from the trailhead on Andover Road, and is a great place to visit on hot days.

Appalachian Trail: From Route 26, the hike starts relatively steeply, crossing and then following a stream. You’ll pass two intersections with trails to Table Rock, one close to the start of the hike, and the second at about 0.9 miles. The trail continues to climb for another mile, skirting a small mountain called Hedgehog Hill, before hitting a relatively level middle section. When you reach the junction to the 0.1-mile spur to the lean-to, at roughly 2.5 miles, get ready to start climbing again. You’ll head up a steep section for approximately 1.1 miles, with the conifers getting steadily shorter around you, to reach the first of the great views from an open patch of ledge on West Peak.

Take a breather, look at the route ahead — you have a very clear vision of your final 1.2 miles. It looks more intimidating than it actually is! From West Peak, descend a short steep leg (~240 feet), which includes a wooden ladder, to a beautiful boggy dip between the peaks. The final stretch includes a steep climb up exposed rock ledge to East Peak’s long, flat, open summit. We encountered high winds. Go the length of the summit, following the winding, stone-edged path and string of cairns to the summit cairn and intersection with the long-distance Grafton Notch Loop Trail.

Cataracts Trail: This 3.6-mile trail leaves from Andover/ East B Road and initially follows the 0.5-mile blue-blazed Cataracts Trail. At about 0.5 miles, you’ll pass an outhouse with a sign noting you’ve reached the end of the Cataracts Trail. If you continue from this point up Frye Brook, you’ll pass a wonderful gorge about a quarter mile from the outhouse. (Careful, these rocks can be very slippery!) The trail from this point is intermittently marked with faded blue blazes and some tags, but I found it easy to follow. It initially hugs the brook and is fairly flat, before starting to climb moderately at around 2 miles. Shortly after this point, you’ll start to climb more steeply up an old stream bed, which was dry when I hiked in the fall but could be wet in the springtime. The steepest part of this climb is the last push up to the subpeak Little Baldpate once you reach the Appalachian Trail, on rooty exposed bedrock. There’s a rung ladder and a wooden ladder to help out at two difficult places. Close to the summit of Little Baldpate, you’ll reach open ledge — the views are wonderful all around, as is the final 0.4 miles or so to the amazing summit of Baldpate.

Directions: The trailhead leaves from the western end of Grafton Notch State Park and Route 26. The parking area is very large, but if it is full, people appear to park with no problems along the wide shoulder of the road. To get to the trailhead from Route 2 in Newry, turn onto Route 26 and drive for about 12 miles to the Appalachian Trail crossing.