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Route: Hale Brook Trail, out and back
Distance: 4.4 mi / 7.1km
Elevation Gain: 2300 ft / 700m
Weather: Hot & Humid low on trail; pleasant & breezy at summit; light rain on last half mile of descent
Conditions: Zealand Road is in excellent condition all the way to the Zealand trailhead; all potholes have been filled with dirt and gravel. All water crossings on Hale Brook Trail were easily passable by stepping from rock to rock. Gentle grade for first half of trail with good footing; moderate grade with rocky footing in the last mile.
Notes: Trailhead parking was pretty packed both at Hale Brook & Zealand trailheads when we arrived at 10:30, with many cars parked along Zealand Road. We passed surprisingly few people during our hike, though we did see a man carrying a very large pack while guiding his young children over some rocks high on the trail. From our brief exchange we gathered that they were just out for the day, and so I was impressed by his preparedness. It's always nice to see kids out on the trails, especially when their parents seem adequately prepared.
There were a few decent views high on the trail, but they were limited by the visibility on Saturday (hazy, overcast). There are really no views from the summit itself due to dense tree cover surrounding the small grassy summit area. However, there's a narrow path directly across from where Hale Brook Trail enters the summit area, and I followed that for a bit for a couple decent views. I'm not sure how far it goes; I turned back after about 150 yards but the path kept going. If anybody reading this knows more about that path, I'd be interested in hearing about it.
We originally considered returning by Lend-A-Hand Trail to Zealand Trail, followed by a short walk up Zealand Road to our car at the Hale Brook trailhead. We haven't been on Lend-A-Hand before, but I think Zealand Trail is one of the most beautiful low elevation trails we've been on in the Whites. Unfortunately my hiking partner was feeling a bit under the weather, so we opted for the out & back instead.
-- Joe
P.S. - I've been reading & enjoying posts here for a few months, but this is my first post of my own. So, Hello! And, thanks everybody for all the entertainment and information. I'm looking forward to sharing more of my own experiences and continuing to enjoy yours.
Distance: 4.4 mi / 7.1km
Elevation Gain: 2300 ft / 700m
Weather: Hot & Humid low on trail; pleasant & breezy at summit; light rain on last half mile of descent
Conditions: Zealand Road is in excellent condition all the way to the Zealand trailhead; all potholes have been filled with dirt and gravel. All water crossings on Hale Brook Trail were easily passable by stepping from rock to rock. Gentle grade for first half of trail with good footing; moderate grade with rocky footing in the last mile.
Notes: Trailhead parking was pretty packed both at Hale Brook & Zealand trailheads when we arrived at 10:30, with many cars parked along Zealand Road. We passed surprisingly few people during our hike, though we did see a man carrying a very large pack while guiding his young children over some rocks high on the trail. From our brief exchange we gathered that they were just out for the day, and so I was impressed by his preparedness. It's always nice to see kids out on the trails, especially when their parents seem adequately prepared.
There were a few decent views high on the trail, but they were limited by the visibility on Saturday (hazy, overcast). There are really no views from the summit itself due to dense tree cover surrounding the small grassy summit area. However, there's a narrow path directly across from where Hale Brook Trail enters the summit area, and I followed that for a bit for a couple decent views. I'm not sure how far it goes; I turned back after about 150 yards but the path kept going. If anybody reading this knows more about that path, I'd be interested in hearing about it.
We originally considered returning by Lend-A-Hand Trail to Zealand Trail, followed by a short walk up Zealand Road to our car at the Hale Brook trailhead. We haven't been on Lend-A-Hand before, but I think Zealand Trail is one of the most beautiful low elevation trails we've been on in the Whites. Unfortunately my hiking partner was feeling a bit under the weather, so we opted for the out & back instead.
-- Joe
P.S. - I've been reading & enjoying posts here for a few months, but this is my first post of my own. So, Hello! And, thanks everybody for all the entertainment and information.
I'm looking forward to sharing more of my own experiences and continuing to enjoy yours.
