Grafton Loop Trail, East Side

Grafton Notch East in orange, Grafton Notch West in blue.

By Sam Shirley

With a length of almost 20 miles and 6,000 feet of elevation gain, the east side of the Grafton Loop Trail is a great backpacking trip or a long day hike through a remote part of the Mahoosucs. If doing this section by itself, as opposed to combining it with the other half of the Grafton Loop, I recommend hiking it north to south. This direction gets the biggest climb out of the way early on and has slightly less elevation gain overall.

Briefly, here are the highlights, besides giving yourself a challenge!: Views from Baldpate summit, Puzzle Mountain ledges, and Lightning Ledge. A beautiful waterfall and swimming hole on Wight Brook. (Check the official map for campsite and lean-to locations.)

From the large trailhead parking lot in Grafton Notch State Park (fee required), this hike starts by following the Appalachian Trail up Baldpate. After crossing bog bridging and passing the lower end of the Table Rock Trail, the trail starts a steep climb. At about a mile from the trailhead, it reaches the upper junction with the Table Rock Loop. After passing near the summit of Hedgehog Hill, the side trail to Baldpate Lean-To is reached at 2.2 miles. The trail breaks out into scrubby woodlands and reaches the West Peak of Baldpate Mountain at 2.8 miles, with views ahead towards East Peak. After passing through the boggy saddle between the peaks, the trail climbs across exposed ledge to reach the summit of East Peak at 3.8 miles. This section of trail has spectacular views in all directions from the alpine summit area.

From the East Peak of Baldpate Mountain, the Grafton Loop Trail leaves the Appalachian Trail and starts descending on a narrower footpath. It passes a viewpoint southeast towards Long Mountain and Puzzle Mountain as it descends — giving you a chance to see the many miles ahead of you still to hike! At 5.5 miles, it reaches the spur trail to East Baldpate Campsite near Wight Brook. After a short ascent, a semi-open knob above Lightning Ledge is reached. At 6.2 miles, a short unmarked spur to Lightning Ledge is reached. The clifftop viewpoint of the Bear River Valley and surrounding mountains from Lightning Ledge is spectacular, and it is definitely a hidden gem of the section of trail. 

After a gradual descent back to Wight Brook, the spur trail to Lane Campsite is reached at 7.2 miles. There are a number of crossings of Wight Brook in this section which may be difficult in times of higher water. Down a marked side path beyond Lane Campsite is a beautiful waterfall and swimming hole on Wight Brook. This is the same brook that eventually flows over Step Falls, and this waterfall is similar, although higher on the mountain and much more remote.

After the campsite spur, the trail follows a couple branches of Wight Brook as it begins a relatively gradual ascent of Long Mountain. At 9.8 miles, the trail passes a short spur to Town Corner Campsite. The trail then reaches an old wooden post, marking the town boundary tri-point between Andover, Andover West Surplus and Newry. For the next ~5 miles, the trail mostly follows the boundary between Andover and Newry. After ascending along the town boundary, the trail reaches a sign on the wooded summit of Long Mountain. A short distance beyond this sign, a signed spur trail leads northeast uphill to a restricted viewpoint to the south and west.

Beyond the viewpoint, the trail begins a long descent into the valley between Long and Puzzle Mountains. At the bottom of the valley, the trail follows a woods road for a short distance before crossing Chase Hill Brook, which can be difficult in times of high water. As it climbs Puzzle Mountain, the trail utilizes switchbacks to make the grade easier. At 14.6 miles, the trail passes a short spur to Stewart Campsite. It then continues to climb to open ledges near the summit of Puzzle Mountain. These ledges provide excellent views back over the mountains that the trail traversed up to this point. The upper junction with the Woodsum Spur is reached at 15.5 miles, near the summit of Puzzle Mountain. 

Past this junction, the trail starts to descend, crossing numerous areas of open ledges with beautiful views in multiple directions. At 16.3 miles, the lower junction with the Woodsum Spur is reached. After crossing a few more ledges, the trail makes a winding descent through the woods, reaching the southern trailhead at 18.8 miles.

Directions: The northern trailhead, located in Grafton Notch State Park, requires a fee for parking. It is located on Route 26, 12.1 miles north of Route 2 and 8.7 miles south of Upton. The southern trailhead, also on Route 26, is located 4.7 miles north of Route 2 and 16.1 miles south of Upton.