Top 25 "Scenic Hikes" in New England?

[wb671987]

If the list is for natural features and not just summits (as Arethusa Falls seems to suggest) then two of my all time favorite places are the Knife Edge (Katahdin obviously, but not necessarily traversed en route to the summit with Katahdin being listed) and Castlellated Ridge (Mt. Jefferson). I am probably biased towards knife edge type ridges though, as I love hiking/scrambling along ridgelines.

 

[Quietman]

If the list is for natural features and not just summits (as Arethusa Falls seems to suggest) then two of my all time favorite places are the Knife Edge (Katahdin obviously, but not necessarily traversed en route to the summit with Katahdin being listed) and Castlellated Ridge (Mt. Jefferson). I am probably biased towards knife edge type ridges though, as I love hiking/scrambling along ridgelines.

You must also like the Caps Ridge Trail, correct?

 

[TJsName]

You must also like the Caps Ridge Trail, correct?

I sure do. If that stretch of 'The Link' wasn't so awful it would be one of the nicest short-stemmed lollipop loops in the Whites.

 

[Scubahhh]

Abraham in VT?

 

[wb671987]

You must also like the Caps Ridge Trail, correct?

Yes, Caps Ridge Trail is also great but I don't know if id put it in the top 25..

 

[Mike P.]

Don't think you can limit to 25 or even 50. I'd say the list was intended to hit at least one peak in every state other than RI. As nice as Bear is in CT, in that area, I prefer Race in MA & Brace in NY both on the South Taconic plateau with Bear. (the "New England" criteria takes Brace off, although you start in New England easily enough & go over Round, Frissell, see CT's actual highpoint, the tri-state marker & then Brace.)

Washington? If you ding Greylock for having a road, doesn't Washington get dinged too? The ravines and views going up may be nicer.... (Like Gothics in NY, does your scenic view in NH have to include Washington which you can't see from Washington, unless doing Monroe or Jeffereson with it, or both)

Greylock allows for views of many ranges, a big steep drop into Adams on one side, windmills looking in two different directions (which some of us don't like but other's would find neat, I've been up twice this fall with kids & they and their families found them neat, they may not buy a WMG, but would be more prone to buy a 50 hikes book)

For one's you missed & other comments:

South Turner, seeing Moose in Sandy Stream Pond is almost a guarentee, and the view of Katahdin's bowls from the summit area is incredible. The view from any peak on the Brother's loop is amazing too, South Brother & Coe may be even be nicer than North Brother. (is there a bad view in Baxter? - other than the line at the gate if you are day-hiking....)

Monadnock on a clear winter day allows you to see see snow covered whites in the distance, so it's probably a runner up

Was Kearsarge North on your list?
On my list Saddleback (ME) would be higher than Bigelow
Were any of the Mahoosuc's included?
When there is snow on Carter Dome, you get to look over some of those short trees.

Maybe in order to get more in you do a 50 list & then a top 20 short hike list & then on the short hike list put ones like Willard, Bear, Monadnock, Tom (MA), Middle Sugarloaf, Black Cap (or Bald Cap, near Cranmore), Potash & then include just the trip to Zealand Falls hut & Wachusett on teh short list. (Then you'd have room for Moriah from Stony Brook with or without Sherbourne Moriah on the big list)

 

[Grey J]

If we can include segments of trails, I think the upper Randolph Path from Lowes Path to Gulfside is one of the prettiest narrow green tunnels I've ever seen. It then opens up to magnificent views of Jefferson Ravine and the afore-mentioned Castellated Ridge.

 

[jrbren]

Here is my list as of today, Ask me next week and many would be different. Not necessarily in this order ...

ascent of Mt Washington via Huntington Ravine and Boot Spur descent.
Mt Adams and/or Madison ascent via King Ravine with Howker Ridge descent,
Mt Adams and/or Madison ascent via Airline with Howker Ridge or Valley Way descent
Mt Adams and/or Madison ascent via Madison headwall
classic Franconia Ridge ascent of the Falling waters trail and Bridal path descent (crowded for good reason, CW or CCW).
Mt Adams via Lowes path, with a stop off at Crag camp, perhaps the best view in the Whites IMHO)
Bigelow, Maine, via Fire warden & Horn's pond trails (loop)
Mt Mansfield ascent via Sunset Ridge trail, traverse, and descend Maple Ridge trial, parking at Stevensville TH (CW or CCW).
Mt Mansfield via long trail from the south up the forehead, loop back with Maple ridge trail (Steveneville TH)
Camel's Hump via Forest City & long trail loop
Camel's Hump via Bamforth ridge trail
Camel's Hump via Monroe/Dean/Long trail loop
Mt Abraham (Vt) via Battell Trail
My Hunger via Waterbury Trail, include White Rock peak
Mt Mooselauke via Beaver Brook trail (cascades)
Mt Jefferson via Ridge of the caps ridge trail
Mt Jefferson via Castle Ravine trail, return castle tr
"The Bonds" - via the Bondcliff & Twinway Trails
The Twins (N & S) via Gale River Trail
North & South Kinsman from Lonesome Lake
Colchester causeway bike path, Colchester Vt.
Snake Mt, Addison, Vt
Mt Height-Carter Notch loop, NH
Mt Washington/Monroe via Ammunusuc Ravine Tr, return Jewell trail or reverse
Anything involving Mt Clay, the best vantage point of the Presi's IMHO

Glaring omissions from list are hikes in the great gulf, and in Maine, because I have spent little time in either. At this point I have never been to Acadia or Katahdin, but I have to believe those 2 alone would take up several spots in my list. Other Maine peaks I have never been to likely would knock a few of the above off. Obviously one could go on and on with the various permutations of trail combos on the northern slopes of the northern presi's, I quit at 5.

Since the question was for New England and not NY, I don't include the Adirondacks, which would likely take at least 5-10 spots in the list.

 

[Quietman]

Here is my list as of today, Ask me next week and many would be different. Not necessarily in this order ...

Mt Jefferson via Jefferson ravine, return castle tr

Did you mean to write Mt Jefferson via Castle Ravine? Or have you actually bushwacked up through Jefferson ravine?

 

[jrbren]

Did you mean to write Mt Jefferson via Castle Ravine? Or have you actually bushwacked up through Jefferson ravine?

Castle Ravine, good catch, thanks. I edited my list.

 

[tomcat32]

An area often overlooked is Moosehead Lake region in Maine. There a lots of hike though many are fairly short in duration. Several of these are on the Prominence Fifty List. The best in my opinion for scenery is Little Spencer Mountain at 3000'+ with 360 views encompassing entire Moosehead Lake south to Bigleows, north to Katahdin, looking into 100 Mile Wilderness mountains to the Canadian border and the Great North Woods. Along the way a narrow chimney is traversed with a fixed rope in place to aid in climbing.
Another overlooked beauty is Eagle Rock on the northern end of the Big Moose (Squaw) Ridge. 360 views that are very far reaching an it sits at a just above 2000' so it is often overlooked. It's summit is a giant slab of bare exposed rock.
I would surely put these in at the very least in my honorable mention category for New England and easily on my Maine top 20 list.

 

[Hammerdee]

I was really surprised and impressed with the views from Mt. Shaw in the Ossipees. I also like the views from Mt. Potash, which I believe someone already mentioned. And the views from the Moats, too.

 

[roadtripper]

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

Here is the final list I came up with:
Top 25 Hikes (plus runner-ups)

Obviously everyone will have their own favorites, and those favorites may or may not have made my (opinionated) list. I just wanted to put together list of the general favorites.

- roadtripper

 

[KV]

Here is the final list I came up with:
Top 25 Hikes (plus runner-ups)

Nicely done.

 

[Driver8]

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

Here is the final list I came up with:
Top 25 Hikes (plus runner-ups)

Obviously everyone will have their own favorites, and those favorites may or may not have made my (opinionated) list. I just wanted to put together list of the general favorites.

- roadtripper

Excellent stuff. I might quibble here and there (combine Adams and Madison into one, say, like Lincoln/Lafayette and the Bigelows), but solid. I'd also submit for consideration Eisenhower and Monroe, combined, as an extraordinarily scenic hike. Maybe combining Adams/Madison would permit adding their southern Presi brethren. One last thing - a few of the shorties on the top 25 list, are they really superior for views to Carter Dome and Hight or the Moosilauke/South Peak combo? Subjective, of course, and maybe there's a desire to include some shorter peaks for broader accessibility, but superior views to those, or to Flume/Liberty or the Kinsmans? Not so sure. /Quibbling.

 

[natron]

nh lopsided? I like mine maine lopsided! IMO saddleback/horn, tumbledown/little jackson, abraham (me), baldpates, s.r.w.c, puzzle, goose eye > middle sugarloaf, carrigain, garfield, zeacliff. (i've never hiked major, monadnock, west rattlesnake, hunger, willard or cardigan, not sure which hill(s) would be top 25, sounds like cardigan prolly is. also imo percys are in the top 25.

 

[Mike P.]

Here you would expect the list to be mountain biased as we climb/hike traverse, scale.... mountains. Could a scenic hike in New England be a short walk that overlooks a tidal swamp, the National Seashore, the Newport Cliff Walk or a walk near Champlain, on the VT side that allows a clear view of the lake from shore and the Adirondacks in the background.

One of the most scenic places I've been in New England wasn't even a hike, a friend's family had a 2nd house in Maine, in Georgetown Maine, in the Bay Point area I believe. (maybe Bay Point is separate) The area is up on a hill overlooking where the Kennebec meets the ocean. If there is any hiking at Popham Beach or Reid State Parks, people who enjoy the ocean would likely question why you need mountains to qualify as a hike.

On VFTT, they do, but if I'm hoping to sell a book, I'm trying to get as many sales as I can. Most others who don't seek views from the top, might seek other types of scenery.

Okay heading back into the box.....

 

[bryan]

An area often overlooked is Moosehead Lake region in Maine. There a lots of hike though many are fairly short in duration. Several of these are on the Prominence Fifty List.

good call. visited that area for the first time this summer and was floored by how nice it is.

bryan

 

[BobC]

I sure do. If that stretch of 'The Link' wasn't so awful it would be one of the nicest short-stemmed lollipop loops in the Whites.

TJsName - so true! I did that loop last year with JustJoe, and it was one of those trails that made me temporarily hate hiking.

Roadtripper - great list, thanks for posting