Bethel Community Forest and Bingham Forest

Bethel Community Forest trails in red; Sunday River hiking trails in blue.

Together, Bethel Community Forest and Bingham Forest encompass thousands of acres, views, streams with pools and cascades, mountain biking trails, and great hiking trails to gorgeous views. There are also two trailheads: One for the large network of mountain biking and hiking trails at Bethel Community Forest, and one for the smaller network of hiking trails at Bethel Community Forest West, just down the road.

To access the larger of the two trail systems, drive up Locke Mountain Road (a bit dicey for low-clearance vehicles, but it’s not too long, to the large gravel parking lot.) As soon as you step out of your car, you’re treated to a view. There’s also a set of bike tools and tire pumps anyone is free to use!

If you’re here to hike, you should turn away from the view and head off into the trail system created by Inland Woods + Trails. The trails are well made and well marked; some signs might be charmingly handmade, all of them are beautifully crafted. While I stuck mainly to the hiking trails, the few bike trails I did check out seemed fun, smooth, and windy.

I recommend two fantastic hikes here:

1) Summit Ridge Trail to Whitecap Cliffs Trail (connecting to Sunday River’s hiking trails): This is an enjoyable but strenuous hike, about 3.8 miles one way, that follows the 1.7-mile Summit Ridge Trail from the parking lot on Locke Mountain Road to the 2.1-mile Whitecap Cliffs Trail. (Whitecap Trail was completed in June, 2026.)

The destination is the open peak of White Cap (2,473 feet), part of the Sunday River ski resort complex, which has panoramic views and a beautiful granite-topped bench. If you have the time and energy, you can walk along the ridge west to Barker Mountain and more views.

You can start your hike on Summit Ridge Trail, which, while mostly a hiking trail, occasionally interlaces with the wider Community Access Trail. But it is well marked and well signed the whole way. At 0.9 miles, you’ll reach a colorful picnic bench at Picnic Knoll. 1.7 miles, you’ll reach the view from West Ledge (1,565 feet). From this spot, the trail skirts Locke Mountain and then descends into Bingham Forest. The trail crosses two logging roads and passes areas of logging.

At about 2.6 miles, you’ll begin climbing again, hitting a slightly flatter section for a bit of a reprieve before commencing the most difficult part of the hike around 3.1 miles. The trail climbs steeply up the mountain, gaining 664 feet in 0.7 miles. On this ascent, there are occasional rungs to assist your clamber over boulders. While young dogs can handle this, it might be challenging for older ones. At the top is a well-situated granite-topped bench, a well-earned resting place to admire the stunning views all around, including of Sunday River’s lodge.

On your descent, you might take the Summit Access Road for a quicker return.

For the future: Inland Woods + Trails is working to create a dramatic 9-mile loop that will connect Summit Ridge Trail to the Bingham Cascades trail via the Whitecap Cliffs Trail and the yet-to-be-completed Lichen Ledge Trail.

2) Bingham Cascades Trail: The other long hiking trail that leaves from the Locke Mountain Road trailhead offers you a waterfall junket (of sorts)! If you take the Summit Ridge Trail 0.9 miles to the intersection with the 1.7-mile Bingham Cascade Trail west, you’ll eventually reach three side paths that will allow you to explore three waterfalls: Chapman, Upper, and Library Cascades. Bring your suit, you might be tempted to swim in Chapman’s pools, or in the pool below Upper Cascades. The 0.5-mile trail to Upper Cascades is incredibly steep, with some views through trees on the descent. The waterfall right below the final one on this trail is the best one. The tour of waterfalls is a fairly long undertaking — from the main trailhead, be ready to walk eight miles or so if you check out all the cascades.

A few miles down North Road, you can reach the second trail head for Bethel Community Forest West, which is open just to hikers. Here, you start out on an easy, grassy track before turning into the forest, where the trail gets quite a bit steeper. The Red Pine Ridge Trail has switchbacks to its high point, Ellingood Ledges, where there’s a view. Two other nice viewpoints have been noted on the trail system: Porcupine Panorama and the Prow — all are marked with signs so you know you’ve arrived at the right spot! The Prow, a high open ledge, is lovely — a great place to see the changing foliage, I imagine.

Directions: There are two trailheads. You can access the majority of trails from Locke Mountain Road, which has a large parking area. The turn onto this road from Daisy Bryant Road is marked with a small sign for Bethel Community Forest. If you want to hike at Bethel Community Forest West, continue on North Road for about 1.6 miles after the intersection with Daisy Bryant Road. The access into the large parking area is marked by a couple of signs.

Photos, mapping info, and trail descriptions contributed by Michaela Goldfine.