Tunk Mountain

Tunk Mountain is a beautiful mountain nestled within thousands of acres of preserved land. The 1,157-foot summit has views in all directions from many viewpoints. Part of its southern flank lies within state land, and its northern side is protected by The Nature Conservancy’s vast Spring River-Narraguagus Forest.

Hikers have a choice of four paths to summit Tunk, although only one of the trails is on any official map that I can see.

The most popular way to hike up is via the Tunk Mountain Trail and included on the state map of the amazing Donnell Pond Public Reserved Land. (It’s marked in blue on the Google map above.) This wonderful path is 1.8 miles one way, with an elevation gain of 930 feet. At about 0.5 miles, it passes a side trail that promises “hidden ponds.” Don’t miss this 0.8-mile loop spur! The ponds are beautiful, and there are boats — perhaps not quite seaworthy? — and paddles. Several spots looked like great places to jump in for a swim.

The rest of the hike up Tunk Mountain Trail is moderately challenging, with a few steep sections and scrambles up boulders. There is also a short rung ladder. A side trail close to the southern face takes you to a view and a plaque commemorating the family who donated the land. Another scramble with a rope will take you to the communication tower and the summit. If you continue hiking along the western trail (in pink on the Google map) you’ll reach more views along the ridge line.

Loop Trail: An additional trail on the mountain (marked in pink the Google map above) lets you make a 5.0-mile loop back to the main parking lot and includes more viewpoints. The gradually descending path, marked with faded blazes, brings you through stands of black spruce and past outcrops of vertical rocks, a pretty stream, and a notch in the steep ridge line. Just before the parking lot, the trail swings through a hardwood and hemlock forest.

Tunk Mountain west approach: For those wanting to summit Tunk Mountain along a gentler gradient, this trail will work well. Slightly longer than the other three trails that reach Tunk’s summit, this 3-mile (one-way) trail starts on Myrick Pond Road. In 0.5 mile, where the road meets Mynda Pond Road, the trail turns up a logging road to the right. In roughly a mile, the trail forks again. Taking a right, the old logging road turns into a jeep trail. The trail is readily apparent as it gains elevation. Near the summit, in a heavy forest of spruce, the trail merges onto Tunk Mountain Loop Trail to the summit.

Tunk Mountain North Trail: Warning — this is a difficult trail, not to be attempted on icy or wet days or by those afraid of heights! The trail starts on the Myrick Pond Road. In 0.5 miles, the road forks. Continue on Mynda Pond Road straight ahead. Here, the road changes to a footpath. In 1.8 miles, look for blue flagging tape to follow a side path to Mynda Pond, only a few hundred feet to the left and visible from the trail. Returning to the trail, just past Mynda Pond, at 2.1 miles from where you left your vehicle, a hiking trail marked with flagging tape and yellow blazes turns to the right. Almost immediately, this trail becomes steep, getting steeper toward the top. In 0.75 miles the trail meets the North Overlook. 

Directions: The trailhead for Tunk Mountain Trail is on the north side of Route 182, a little less than 1 mile from Fox Pond to the west and a bit more than 2 miles from Tunk Lake to the east. To find the parking area and trailhead for the western and northern approaches, turn onto a dirt road marked with a sign for Myrick Pond Road just west of Fox Pond, on the north side of Route 182. Go 0.4 miles, and take a right on Myrick Pond Road at the fork in the road (called Mynda Pond Road on Google maps). A single grassy parking spot for one car is located just after the sharp turn. The road deteriorates from here. For those with lower-clearance cars, numerous parking areas can be found on the road in from Route 182. Pickups can travel another half mile where there is space for several trucks at the point Myrick Road and Mynda Pond Road split.

Trail info and photos contributed by Travis Chandler.