New England Gems

[dug]

Roger's Ledge. Quiet, easy trail that is soft underfoot, rarely see any other people, but may see a moose or two, nice views from the top, and close to my camp.

Shoal Pond and Three Ponds are also nice hikes that keep you low.

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

OK, technically 5ks, but absolute must visits that are not on the 4k list are Mount Clay and Boott Spur. Surprised Acadia has not been mentioned, I love hiking anything there. Also Camden Hills... wow, my feet are itchin' to go after reading this thread! We have some more new ground to cover, Emma!

KDT

 

[roadtripper]

some more:

Table Rock, grafton notch state park (also visit Screw Auguer Falls and Step Falls while in that area
Bald Peak, Mt. Kinsman
Stowe Pinnacle
Mt. Will, Bethel/Newry Maine

 

[mhobbs]

Crawford and Chocorua

 

[kiteflyer]

Bald Mt. - Fairlee VT

 

[hiking lady]

Anything in the Evans Notch area, it is my all time favorite, Caribou, Blueberry, Baldfaces, Royce, West Royce, Eastman, etc. all good stuff. Magollaway, Mt. Forist in berlin. I've never been in the Mahoosics, but I bet hayes, Old Speck, Goosey Eye would be cool. Bald Ledge in New Hampton, an easy walk, with phenomenal views.

 

[jrgagne99]

Azicohos Mtn , 360 views of the Rangeley lakes and a great view south of the western side of the Maine AT.

+1 on Aziscohos Mtn. It's a family favorite since it has great views of Lake Umbagog where our family's camp is.

 

[max]

Mt Watatic in Ashby MA, along with the entire Wapack trail, and thence Pack Monadnock and North Pack Monadnock.

 

[Lost Dad]

The Traveler loop in Baxter State Park & Puzzle Mt lead my list of favorites. Traveler is certainly an all day affair, but Puzzle, on the Grafton Loop Trail (Newry, ME) makes a nice 1/2 day trip which you can add to by looping the summit area on the Woodsum Loop. Along with these, I am also a big fan of Evans Notch & the Mahoosucs.

 

[MikePS]

Agree with many great choices listed above-especially Crawford and Doubletop, also in Baxter consider Burnt, great short walk 3miRT, great for an "off" day in Baxter or when moving camps N-S or S-N, fire tower no gone. maybe overlooked, was Percival Morgan loop mentioned? Nice thread.

 

[WhiteMTHike]

Most of the folks on this website are hyper familiar with the 4000 footers. I was wondering what sub 4000 footers folks feel are absolute gems not to be missed. In that category myself I would put Chcorua, Major, Cardigan, the Baldfaces, Welsh and Dickey, Monadnock, South Kearsarge, and because of the tower North Kearsarge.

I was wondering what other gems you might have.

Quite a few actually.

Welch/Dickey
Avalon
Willard
Starr King
Magalloway <<--- My personal favorite for views.

 

[natron]

maine

puzzle
e.baldpate
s.r.w.c.
r.w.c.
goose eye
baldfaces
caribou
tumbledown
little jackson
bald (weld)

what makes these 10 gems so good to me? all around 1 hr from my house!

 

[roadtripper]

Quite a few actually.

Welch/Dickey
Avalon
Willard
Starr King
Magalloway <<--- My personal favorite for views.

Starr King? No views last time I was up there 2-3 years ago....

 

[Driver8]

Starr King? No views last time I was up there 2-3 years ago....

Sometimes you like a mountain even though it doesn't offer long views from its summit. Saddleball in the Greylock Range comes to mind - its forest is especially pretty.

PS, here are some photos from the New England (M-M) Trail along the Mt. Tom Range cliffline, taken April 2, 2011:

 

[peakbagger]

Starr King now has a great view, the trees that had grown up blocking the view werre cut down (although a few more deserve to be). YOu now can see an unbroken stretch from the Shelburn Moriah, the entire presidential ridge, the Willey range, the Twins, Garfield and with a bit of moving around the Lafayettes and Cannon. The Waumbek viewpoint is a very close second. Worth a revisit on a clear day.

 

[Driver8]

With due respect, I don't like the idea of any tree "deserving" to be cut down in favor of a view. I love a good view, but a tree is more important, cleansing the atmosphere and giving us oxygen, contributing to the community of life.

 

[Driver8]

The objection isn't to such practices - commonly done, I agree, and probably beneficial in some cases - but to the notion of a tree "deserving" to be cut down.

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

The objection isn't to such practices - commonly done, I agree, and probably beneficial in some cases - but to the notion of a tree "deserving" to be cut down.

I think it's just the choice of a word that is in question. I'm sure that in using the word "deserve" he wasn't referring to a tree as if it were a serial killer deserving of death he was simply saying that in order to have a really good view there are a few trees that are still in the way. I'd be willing to bet that right now you'd find him dressed in sack cloth and covered in ashes repenting over his choice of words.

 

[Stan]

The objection isn't to such practices - commonly done, I agree, and probably beneficial in some cases - but to the notion of a tree "deserving" to be cut down.

None of us deserves to be cut down. Aside from whatever arboreal benefits of thinning trees out, I do believe there are views that deserve to be exposed and, if that views stimulates the appreciation of our natural environment, then, after due reverence for the tree, let it go. (A Reverence for Wood is a book by Eric Sloane for those who would like an understanding of trees on another level which is why reverence comes to my mind.)

 

[WhiteMTHike]

Starr King? No views last time I was up there 2-3 years ago....

True. But I thought it was a gem of a hike because my young son loved the abandoned well and fire place. I guess an old Inn was there at one time. Plenty of gray jays as well which we enjoyed feeding. Sometimes you need to look beyond the views.