Less Rocky Trails in the Whites

[Trainwreck]

Ok. Stop laughing.

I know that most of our beloved routes to the views are not really trails but stone staircases.

I am interested in learning which trails are kinder to the feet. I understand that rocks are everpresent, but am interested in trails that might have less of the jagged slippery nasties.
Ladders are OK. Steepness is not an issue either.
Just prefer to not be rock hopping all the way up and down a summit.

Any ideas?
Thanks,
Sandy

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

Two trails that I often hike precisely for this reason are the Osseo Trail up Mt. Flume and Drake's Brook Trail up Sandwich Dome (or Jenning's Peak if you want a shorter hike).

 

[Stash]

Give it a couple months and they'll all be a lot less rocky. It's one of the reasons I wait 'till winter for most of my hiking.

 

[roadtripper]

Garfield except for the last section at the top is a good one.

If you want the easiest 18-miles in the Whites, do a day-hike to #13 Falls in the Pemi.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Rainbow Trail on east side of Carter Dome; the tread is like hiking back in time.

 

[nartreb]

Champney trail on Chocorua (except for the summit block itself)

I forget the name, but there's at least one carriage road up Moosilauke (and its South Peak)

Crawford Path is quite smooth almost all the way, a few steeps if you take the summit spurs to Eisenhower and Monroe. Definitely rock-hopping above the LotC hut.

Davis and Dry River trails are quite smooth too for most of their length (bar one river crossing)

West Ridge trail on Cardigan

 

[Peaks]

Edmonds Path

Several trails in Pemmi Wilderness

 

[TDawg]

Benton Trail, Mt. Moosilauke.

 

[SteveHiker]

Mt Langdon and Mt Parker Trails

 

[una_dogger]

Mt Tecumsah Trail from Tripoli Rd.
York Pond Trail, Kilkenny Ridge Trail over the Weeks; Unknown Pond Trail to Kilkenny Ridge Trail over Horn, Bulge, to Cabot.
Also I believe the Starr King Trail to Wambuek is quite gentle, IIRC.

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

Let's not forget the Amphibrach for a pleasant descent at the end of a long day. To quote the WMG:

It is, in fact, one of the kindest trails to the feet in this region.

Of course, before getting to it you will have been hiking on some of the roughest trails in the Whites

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

The Twin Brook trail from Galehead to 13 Falls has a gentle grade and is very smooth under foot.

 

[Quietman]

Benton Trail, Mt. Moosilauke.

I'll second that! The most pleasant trail to a NH 4k that I have experianced!

 

[peakbagger]

Abandoned Fire wardens trail up Hale.

 

[loanshark]

The Bennett Street Trail up Sandwich Mountain is a nice easy on the feet trail.

 

[Trainwreck]

Thanks for your suggestions!
My husband's feet and my new knee thank you!
Keep them coming!
Sandy

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

You got the name spot on: it's called The Carriage Road, and the trailhead is about 1.6 miles off NH Route 118, after it splits off of Route 25, in Warren.

It used to be the route for taking folks to the summit hotel via carriage.

The grade is relatively gentle, and I've never gone down below the Snapper trail, but that road is not one that I would consider to be smooth under foot. Not at least in comparison to the others being mentioned here.

 

[DougPaul]

I forget the name, but there's at least one carriage road up Moosilauke (and its South Peak)

You got the name spot on: it's called The Carriage Road, and the trailhead is about 1.6 miles off NH Route 118, after it splits off of Route 25, in Warren.

The name at the junction off 118 is Breezy Point Rd. It becomes the Carriage Rd. Follow the road up to the large clearing (site of an old hotel), park, and walk (the Carriage Rd) from here.

I've only walked the section above Snapper Tr--the surface is hard packed and has small rocks, but nothing too bad. The road was graded (for skiers and snowmobiles) a number of years ago.


In general, the lesser traveled trails in the Whites tend to be softer underfoot. Eg the trails in the Evans Notch area. (Avoid the more popular routes up the 4Ks and the AT...)

Doug

 

[Raven]

I am interested in learning which trails are kinder to the feet. I understand that rocks are everpresent, but am interested in trails that might have less of the jagged slippery nasties.
Ladders are OK. Steepness is not an issue either.
Just prefer to not be rock hopping all the way up and down a summit.

Any ideas?
Thanks,
Sandy

Sandy,

To echo an earlier post, if you don't mind coming to the North Country, much of the Kilkenny Ridge Trail is kind on the feet as are Bunnell Notch Trail on Cabot and Starr King Trail on Starr King/Waumbek.

Most of the steep stuff I can think of is also rocky (by nature of slides, more erosion, etc.) but the Willey Range Trail in Crawford Notch may offer something. It's VERY steep on the section up from Ethan Pond trail, but has a long stretch of steep, well-maintained ladders to get up the steepest parts. There are sections that are still rough without ladders but once on Willey, the treadway is pretty good (and mostly great) from the summit of Willey over Field and out to the A-to-Z/Avalon Trails. Tom spur is good treadway too. You can avoid the rough stuff south of Willey altogether by starting on Avalon Tr and backtracking...but then you miss the fun ladders...

Scott

 

[Jenifer]

The Hale Brook trail is fairly easy underfoot, at least on the lower stretches. We just took a blind hiker (Randy Pierce, mentioned here not long ago) up that trail a few weeks ago, and he and the guide dog rocked it -- some of us had trouble keeping up with them!

Keep the Moosilauke suggestions coming... I believe that's one of their next mountains to climb, and any advice on footing would be useful as they plan their routes.