For those who have, or are in the the process of visiting all the fire towers in New Hampshire (including ones that aren't maintained by the state) are probably aware, one of the most elusive fire towers still standing in the state is the one on Whitcomb Mountain, since it's not depicted on the topo maps and it's difficult to find any trip reports from people who've been there. Over this past weekend, I was finally able to find this fire tower, and, as it turns out, it is on the 2510' eastern peak on Whitcomb. Here are directions on how to reach it:
1. Get on Dummer Ponds/Phillips Brook Road at Route 16 in Dummer, and follow it north 7.5 miles to Trio Ponds Road (which was well marked when I was there, and this is 0.6 miles north of the intersection with Paris Road) (I last drove on Paris Road this past October, and that point, it had some really rough spots. These might have since been smoothed out, but because of them, I hesitate to drive very far on this road, even though it is more scenic than Phillips Brook Road).
2. Turn left onto Trio Ponds Road, and follow it 1.2 miles, to a T-ish intersection. This is a good place to park.
3. At this intersection, for the logging road on the right, you'll see next to it is an ATV trail/minor logging road, which sort of parallels the road, but also heads uphill. Follow this lesser logging road/ATV path for 0.31 miles, and it will ascend to a clearing/overgrown intersection.
4. Turn left at this intersection, and follow the overgrown logging road uphill for 0.49 miles.
5. At this point, an ATV trail will come in on the right, which you want to turn onto and follow uphill. This intersection is at 44 degrees 43.568N 71 degrees 20.163W
6. This ATV trail will soon bring you to a four-way intersection at 44 degrees 43.647N 71 degrees 20.235W. Turn right here.
7. At 44 degrees 43.660N 71 degrees 20.219W bear to the left and continue uphill.
8. At 44 degrees 43.685N 71 degrees 20.217W bear to the right at this minor fork. From this point on, at first the trail will seem more faint and overgrown lower down, but will become more defined as it climbs up to the peak.
Definitely visit this fire tower on a clear day, since it not only has great views of the rest of the Whitcomb Peaks and the Longs, as well as the other peaks and ridges that surround the Phillips Brook Basin, but there are also good views of the Mahoosucs to the east and the Carters, Wildcats, and Presis to the south.
1. Get on Dummer Ponds/Phillips Brook Road at Route 16 in Dummer, and follow it north 7.5 miles to Trio Ponds Road (which was well marked when I was there, and this is 0.6 miles north of the intersection with Paris Road) (I last drove on Paris Road this past October, and that point, it had some really rough spots. These might have since been smoothed out, but because of them, I hesitate to drive very far on this road, even though it is more scenic than Phillips Brook Road).
2. Turn left onto Trio Ponds Road, and follow it 1.2 miles, to a T-ish intersection. This is a good place to park.
3. At this intersection, for the logging road on the right, you'll see next to it is an ATV trail/minor logging road, which sort of parallels the road, but also heads uphill. Follow this lesser logging road/ATV path for 0.31 miles, and it will ascend to a clearing/overgrown intersection.
4. Turn left at this intersection, and follow the overgrown logging road uphill for 0.49 miles.
5. At this point, an ATV trail will come in on the right, which you want to turn onto and follow uphill. This intersection is at 44 degrees 43.568N 71 degrees 20.163W
6. This ATV trail will soon bring you to a four-way intersection at 44 degrees 43.647N 71 degrees 20.235W. Turn right here.
7. At 44 degrees 43.660N 71 degrees 20.219W bear to the left and continue uphill.
8. At 44 degrees 43.685N 71 degrees 20.217W bear to the right at this minor fork. From this point on, at first the trail will seem more faint and overgrown lower down, but will become more defined as it climbs up to the peak.
Definitely visit this fire tower on a clear day, since it not only has great views of the rest of the Whitcomb Peaks and the Longs, as well as the other peaks and ridges that surround the Phillips Brook Basin, but there are also good views of the Mahoosucs to the east and the Carters, Wildcats, and Presis to the south.
