Haystack Mountain Trail, Connecticut: Fire Tower Hike With Epic Views
Haystack Mountain State Park Trail Guide (Norfolk, CT)
Haystack Mountain State Park might be one of Connecticut's best "bang for your buck" hikes. Less than a mile round trip gets you to a stone fire tower with sweeping views across four states.
Haystack Mountain State Park in Norfolk, Connecticut is one of the best short hikes in New England. This quick out-and-back trail leads to a historic stone fire tower with sweeping 360-degree views into Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont.
At less than a mile round trip from the upper parking area, this is an excellent beginner-friendly hike with a huge scenic payoff. If you’re looking for an easy Connecticut hike with mountain views, this trail deserves a spot on your list.
Trail Description: Haystack Mountain Trail contains an impressive stone fire tower with stunning views of the mountains in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont.
Trail Info:
Location: Norfolk, CT (See link below)
Distance: 0.8 mile (30-45 min) Round Trip
Difficulty: Moderate
Trail Type: Out and Back
Highlights: Views, Mountains, Valley, Fire Tower, Panoramic Views
Dog Friendly: Yes
Best Season: Fall, Spring, Summer
How to get there:
Haystack Mountain State Park - On Rte. 272 Norfolk, CT 06058
Trailhead parking location here.
Easy to find off Route 272. The road goes halfway up Haystack Mountain to a parking lot, where the shortest trail starts. The parking lot can hold about 10 cars.
Hiking Tips
Download park map, click here.
Cell phone service is spotty. Hike carefully.
There can be seasonal closures of the park.
Nearby Things to Do:
Yellow Trail: Longer 1.8 Mile Hike (starts at the beginning of park road at the gate entrance)
Nearby Hikes: Litchfield County area has some great short hikes you could pair with this one.
Post Hike Brews: NorBrook Farm Local Brewery
Panoramic Views
Haystack Mountain Trail Guide
Haystack Mountain State Park in Norfolk, Connecticut is one of the best short hikes in New England.
At less than a mile round trip from the upper parking area, this is an excellent beginner-friendly hike with a huge scenic payoff. If you’re looking for an easy Connecticut hike with mountain views, this trail deserves a spot on your list.
This guide will be for the shortest trail route at 0.8 miles from the top parking lot of Haystack Mountain. These days my time is a bit limited and the best bang for your buck is what is more appealing. If you want to make it a longer hike, there is the Yellow Trail that starts near the beginning of park road at the gate entrance. This will be 1.8 miles, out and back. Both of these options will be great hikes to get to the main attraction, the amazing tower views.
Trail Overview
Haystack Mountain Trailhead
Parking Information
Once you have parked at the top parking, which is about a mile once you enter the park, the trail is to the left to begin the summit.
Haystack Mountain Trail
The Hike to the Fire Tower
This trail is fairly straightforward. It is well-maintained and clearly marked. The first 0.2 miles are flat and easy breezy. The next 0.2 miles will get your heart pumping as the trail bends to the left and starts a quick incline with 200 feet of elevation. Those quads might be on fire but it is all worth it once you see the bad ass tower at the top.
Check out my Instagram reel for a video walkthrough of the Haystack Mountain Trail and the fire tower views here.
Haystack Mountain Trail Incline
Now, it’s time to climb the 34 foot stone tower up to the top for the 360 views at 1,683 feet of elevation.
Tower Views and What You’ll See
Haystack Mountain Fire Tower
Best Time to Visit
Definitely some of the best views you will have in Connecticut. It was a bit overcast and cloudy for me, but still impressive views nonetheless. On a clear day, there is visibility of the Riga Plateau in Northwest Connecticut, the Berkshires in Massachusetts, the Catskills in New York, and the Green Mountains of Vermont. That is quite a combination of views.
View at the Top
Haystack Mountain Trail Views
Nearby Breweries and Things to Do
This would be great to pair with some other short hikes in the Litchfield County area. In addition, there are great local breweries as well such as NorBrook Farm for post hike brews.
Things to Do Nearby:
Yellow Trail: Longer 1.8 Mile Hike (starts at the beginning of park road at the gate entrance)
Nearby Hikes: Litchfield County area has some great short hikes you could pair with this one.
Post Hike Brews: NorBrook Farm Local Brewery
Other Connecticut Hikes Nearby
Looking for more scenic Connecticut hikes? Check out these links to other trail guides for hikes in Litchfield County:
Follow Hiking For Donuts on Instagram for more New England hiking adventures.
HIKING FOR DONUTS
Hi, I’m Mark. I live in Connecticut. I take new trips every chance I get. A good trip has a great hike, great food, and something fun to do. My goal is to search out new trips and share them to inspire others to try something new and exciting.
If you are looking for posts in a particular place, search City or State here.
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Horse Guard State Park, Avon, CT
Trail Description: Horse Guard State Park has one trail that is relatively quick to hike that is easy for the most part until the climb up the side of rocks that leads to stunning views of mostly trees and the Northwest hills. Fall offers a spectacular colorful viewpoint.
Trail Info:
Where: Avon, CT Distance: 1.2 miles (1 hour) Difficulty: Moderate Trail Type: Out & Back Features: Views, Mountains, Valley, Rock Scramble
How to get there:
245 W Avon Rd, Avon, CT 06001
Drive slow as you approach, the lot will come up suddenly. Depending what route you are taking, you will see a big red house, the Derrin House, right before the parking lot. The parking lot can fit maybe 8-10 cars.
Hiking Tips
I would suggest hiking boots due to the muddy section and rock scramble climb. Maybe some hiking poles for the way down if not comfortable going down on the rocks.
Follow the white trail. If you see two trail markers, one slightly higher on the left it means make a left turn. If you see two trail markers, one slightly higher on the right, it means make a right turn.
It is a small park, there are no bathrooms. Close by to popular areas for post hike activities such as food and drink.
Trail Map here.
The Hike
There is only one way to go so this guide will be a quick one. The white marked trail is the only trail at Horse Guard State Park.
Once parked, it is pretty clear where to hop on the trail and there is a trail map right before the trail begins.
The white trail is well-marked and easy to identify. Also, the trails are very wide.
It is an easy hike up until the rock scramble. There is a section that will be quite muddy but you can go around it if you choose wisely. I did not the first time and my foot definitely submerged into the mud.
This is such a beautiful park in the fall just walking through the forest.
At about 0.4 miles, you will start approaching the rock scramble portion of the hike. This will be 0.2 miles of about 500 feet elevation. This is what makes the hike a moderate one to me. The rock scramble is short, but like a straight up ascent. It definitely gets the blood going and is not easy. Coming down was way harder. There may be markings for the proper direction to go up but I just went for it.
At the top of the rock scramble, there will be a small narrow trail to the left to take. After a short walk, you reach two lookouts. The first one is an appetizer.
The next lookout is literally a few steps over and that is just….boom. Fall colors to the face! Just an unbelievable view of the open forest covered by trees everywhere and rolling hills in the background.
Most people stop here but I saw some hikers continue on a very narrow and not clear trail. This short walk actually led to another view where you can see the Heublein Tower on Talcott Mountain in the distance. Also, it appears you are on a cliff above someone’s house. I prefer the other views but this was a bonus. From here, just return the way you came and down the rock scramble to the parking lot.
As mentioned above, this is close to a popular area in Avon, CT. There is a brewery about 5 min or so close by, Hopmeadow Brewing Company. My wife and I stopped there for some post hike beers and there was a delicious food truck there as well. The beers were great, I highly recommend visiting.
HIKING FOR DONUTS
Hi, I’m Mark. I live in Connecticut. I take new trips every chance I get. A good trip has a great hike, great food, and something fun to do. My goal is to search out new trips and share them to inspire others to try something new and exciting.
If you are looking for posts in a particular place, search City or State here.
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Meeker Trail, Macricostas Preserve, New Preston, CT
Trail Description: The Meeker Trail is the most popular hiking trail in the Macricostas Preserve that includes views from the Macricostas Lookout and eventually stunning vistas at Waramaug’s Rock summit.
Trail Info:
Where: New Preston, CT Distance: 3.2m (2 hours) Difficulty: Moderate Trail Type: Out & Back Features: Views, Mountains, Valley, Lake, Water
How to get there:
124 Christian St, New Preston, CT 06777
https://goo.gl/maps/bL3cHowWumEohJn26
Once you get to Christian Street, look for the red house and the trailhead is behind this house. There are markers and the lot is visible from the street.
Hiking Tips
Bring bug spray!
Download a copy of the trail map here. Cell service can be spotty or non-existent.
There are multiple trail options at this preserve. This guide is for the out & back using the yellow trail. You can add the orange trail to make it a loop.
One of the better marked trails in CT but keep an eye out to make sure to follow the color markers.
The Hike
From the parking lot, the Kiosk for the start of the trail is visible past the boardwalk. Follow the yellow trail on the right. The Meeker Trail is 1.6 miles to Waramaug’s Rock summit.
The trail starts easily crossing a bridge and footbridge through the meadow (pretty buggy here).
This will lead to the trail marker to take a left onto yellow and continue walking along the hayfield.
Proceed to follow the yellow trail markers as the Meeker Trail turns left through Meeker Swamp on wooden planks crossing another bridge and continues along the planks.
In roughly 0.2 miles, the trail comes to an intersection with the orange marked Ridgeline Trail. Stick to the right to resume on the Meeker Trail following the yellow trail.
At this point, the trail ascends gradually then becomes steeper along some switchbacks. There is a junction that passes the white trail but continue to follow the yellow trail.
The first viewpoint will be the Macricrostas Lookout at 1,092 feet elevation with views of the hayfield below and surrounding area.
From here, continue on the yellow trail as the ascend to Waramaug’s Rock becomes much steeper.
After about 0.4 miles, the trail reaches a rock slab to climb to the summit of Waramaug’s Rock.
Waramaug’s Rock reaches an elevation of 1,280 feet with an amazing panoramic view of Lake Waramaug and the surrounding valley. There is the one dead on center view but do some exploring at the summit to see all the views to the left (southwest) as well.
After all the views are soaked in, head back the same way down the yellow trail. At 0.4 miles, there is a junction to continue on the yellow trail going the same way or hop on the orange trail to do a loop back down to the parking lot. This will add 0.7 miles to the hike. It was pretty hot and beers were calling my name at Kent Falls Brewing so I decided to just do an out and back.
HIKING FOR DONUTS
Hi, I’m Mark. I live in Connecticut. I take new trips every chance I get. A good trip has a great hike, great food, and something fun to do. My goal is to search out new trips and share them to inspire others to try something new and exciting.
If you are looking for posts in a particular place, search City or State here.
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Zealand Falls Hut to Zeacliffs, New Hampshire
Zealand Hut Trail to Zeacliffs Trail Guide (Bethelum, NH)
Check out the new blog post an epic day hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. This hike follows the Zealand Trail to the Zealand Fall Hut, and eventually to the Zeacliffs overlook. From here, there are incredible views of Zealand Notch and the Pemigewasset Wilderness.
Trail Description: The Zealand Falls Hut Trail will lead you through the forest up to the AMC hut. Along the way you will pass various wetlands. Hiking beyond the hut to the Zeacliffs, there is a stunning view of the Pemigewasset Wilderness.
Trail Info:
Where: Zealand Trail, Bethlehem, NH Distance: 8.2 miles (5-6 hours) Difficulty: Difficult Trail Type: Out and back Features: Wetlands, River, Brook, Pond, Waterfall, AMC Hut, Zeacliff Outlook, Mountain
How to get there:
Trailhead and parking area are located at the end of Zealand Road, Bethlehem, NH. That is what we put in the GPS. Zealand Road will be off Rt 302. Drive about 3.5 miles all way down the road until you see the parking area on the left. The parking lot is small but there is additional parking off to the right.
Hiking Tips
Be careful hiking on the rocks (may be wet)
Bring lots of water and lunch for the view at the top
The Hike
Hiking in New Hampshire is quite an experience. Every time I hike in or around the White Mountains, I never feel like I am in the northeast. The landscape is so unique and breathe taking. The views truly put you in a state of euphoria. I try to hike a few times a year in New Hampshire. One of best friends, Corey, has a place out there now, so that’s pretty convenient. On my last visit, Corey decided to lead a group of our friends on a day hike. Now, I’ve known Corey for almost 15 years. We have hiked all over together. I know when he says 3 miles it will NOT be 3 miles. While discussing our hike options, we decided for a longer hike in the 5-6 mile range. He mentioned reading about the Zealand Trail and how there are awesome views off cliffs right before Zealand Mountain. Although I was skeptical of his mileage number, I knew that Corey would lead us to some great views. Located in Bethlehem, NH, the hike follows the Zealand Trail to the Zealand Fall Hut, and eventually to the Zeacliffs overlook. From here, there are incredible views of Zealand Notch and the Pemigewasset Wilderness.
From the parked area, we saw the Zealand Falls Hut sign and began our way up the Zealand Trail using the blue-blazed trail. The trail starts off easy with good footing as it follows an old rail road bed. Soon after, we were thrown into the forest and the terrain became extremely rocky. Ah, those New Hampshire trails.
The first mile or so offers a few brooks and streams to cross leading up to the Zealand River. The trail is a gradual climb from the woods to a beaver pond and marsh area. This where we reached a sturdy wooded boardwalk (formerly known as the Z-bridge) crossing the wetland area.
A half-mile after this section, the trail veers to the left; continuing on the Zealand Trail. The trail flattens out and we crossed another footbridge over Zealand Pond. After a few paces, the trail brought us to the shoreline of the pond at a small opening in the trees.
I lost my friends as I typically do to stop for pictures. I was marching along by myself and I saw a white creature appear from the grassy meadow. Of course, my only reaction was that’s definitely a dire wolf from Game of Thrones. Unfortunately, I was incorrect. Two big dogs were ahead of their group. I was like “Cool dogs” and they were “Hey, cool shirt. We love donuts.” This was the first hike I wore my Hiking for Donuts shirt and I got a lot of reactions to it. The shirt is a great conversation starter. Lots of fun banter. My friends actually had a pretty serious donut debate for 30 minutes at one point in the hike. If you see my shirt on the trails, say hello!
tell me you don’t think that’s ghost from Game of thrones at a quick glance!
Hiking further just beyond this point, the Zealand Trail ends as it becomes the Twinway Trail (part of the Appalachian Trail). This was around 2.5 miles into the hike. And, now the really tough stuff begins. The ascent is real. The terrain will kick it up a notch. It was a pretty hot day and I haven’t hiked in this terrain in a while. I was struggling a bit. However, I like the challenge. And, I had goals of amazing views so I pushed ahead slow and steady. I could hear the falls. Five minutes later, I saw the sign for the Zealand Falls. This detour will be on your left and I highly suggest taking a view of the 25 foot falls. Given this was during the summer, the falls didn’t have much water but still impressive.
Not long after, I followed main path up the stone steps and caught up with my group at the hut. The hut is hidden by the woods. Once I reached the top, the hut just appeared. I can see my friends sitting on steps. I turned around and was welcomed with panoramic views. As with most AMC huts, this one is pretty cool. This hut sits hillside with a medium size stream bedside it that flows down to the falls. The inside is nice and can accommodate 36 people year round. This was a nice little break to enjoy the views from all angles.
here is a sign by the stream that shows another 1.3 miles to the Zeacliffs. And, accordingly to my calculations, the hike will be 8.2 miles long. I was duped again by Corey. Heading away from the hut, turn left when arriving at the Lend-A-Hand Trail junction to stay on the Twinway Trail. The steep ascend continues from the Zealand Hut. We heard some odd noise ahead about 100 yards from the hut. We discovered the noise was from a water pump that drew water from the Whitewall Brook down to the hut.
As the 1.3 mileage got closer, we all were urgently asking, “Are we there yet?” Finally, the trail leveled off and we saw a small sign on the left labeled , “View”. We made it! And, boy was it completely worth it. The sweeping vista over the Pemigewasset Wilderness was spectacular. The area was pretty crowded but we waited out for the prime spot to take pictures and take a lunch break. I was truly in awe and the skies were clear as day.
The Zeacliffs are the best views I have seen in the White Mountains to date. After soaking in all the views, it was time to go. We had another 4.1 miles to get back to the cars. If you wanted to reach the summit of Zealand Mountain, that would be another 1.6 miles from this spot. I read the views there are not as good but it would count towards the 48 4K footers. We were all ready to head back.
The descent on the way down was difficult until the path evened out. I took a tumble myself, fell right on my right buttocks, and my camera went flying. No one happened to catch that Kodak moment. Some rocks were very slippery. Always be cautious with a rocky environment. I would bring hiking poles for this hike and wear your best boots. And, keep a mental note of your surroundings. I was in the back of the group mostly on this hike by myself. A few times I came across some decisions that were questionable, but here I am writing this post today. Toward the very end, you will need to decide between two paths. I did not remember which one we took going up. Fortunately, they both take you to the parking lot.
The Zealand Trail to the Zeacliffs offers many types of scenery such as brooks, ponds, waterfalls, AMC hut, marshes, and some outstanding mountain views. Definitely one of my favorite New Hampshire hikes. The round trip took us about 6 hours. The trail was definitely crowded. But, the trails were wide enough where you wouldn’t be on top of other hikers. As I mentioned, this particular hike is 7.8 miles. Corey hoodwinked us yet again on the mileage but he did not disappoint with the hike. I would do it over again in a heartbeat. The challenging hikes stand out more and offer the best memories.
HIKING FOR DONUTS
A blog for the outdoors foodie enthusiast
Hi, I’m Mark. I live in Connecticut. I take new trips every chance I get. A good trip has a great hike, great food, and something fun to do. My goal is to search out new trips and share them to inspire others to try something new and exciting.
If you are looking for posts in a particular place, search by city or state here.
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Rattlesnake Mountain to Pinnacle Rock via Metacomet Trail, Farmington, CT
We headed on the trail to our left toward the Rattlesnake Cliffs. The trail starts out flat then begins to switchback up the side of the mountain. After a half mile in, the trail will ascend uphill and the terrain is rockier. We passed lots of large rock boulders as we got closer to the cliffs. This particular trail was very well-marked. We eventually came across the boulder rock cave known as Will Warren’s Den, which I later found out was a historical site.
Looking for a good hike in Connecticut? Well, I stumbled upon a hidden gem right under my nose. Rattlesnake Mountain to Pinnacle Rock trails are located in Farmington, CT and crosses over to Plainville, CT. This is part of the New England/Metacomet Trail. Finding the parking area can be tricky. There are 2 areas where you could start. Blue trail markers can be accessed from Pinnacle Street in Plainville. The GPS wasn’t picking this option up so my girlfriend and I chose to drive on RT 6 in Farmington. There is a small parking area on your right where the trail starts. If you GPS 200 Colt Hwy Farmington, CT 06032, that should find it.
Parking area off route 6.
From here, you can hike to the Rattlesnake Cliffs, which is a 2.6m out and back loop. Or you can continue to hike another 2 miles out and back to Pinnacle Rock. Thus, it will be 4.6m total for this hike.
HIKING FOR DONUTS
A blog for the outdoors foodie enthusiast
Hi, I’m Mark. I live in Connecticut. I take new trips every chance I get. A good trip has a great hike, great food, and something fun to do. My goal is to search new trips and share them to inspire others to try something new and exciting.
If you are looking for posts in a particular place, search by City or State here.
Explore other posts in the archive.
Start of trail
Once parked, we headed on the trail to our left toward the Rattlesnake Cliffs. The trail starts out flat then begins to switchback up the side of the mountain. After a half mile in, the trail will ascend uphill and the terrain is rockier. We passed lots of large rock boulders as we got closer to the cliffs. This particular trail was very well-marked. We eventually came across the boulder rock cave known as Will Warren’s Den, which I later found out was a historical site.
Not long after this, we reached the Rattlesnake Cliffs. Wow, what a spectacular view. I was absolutely stunned. On our left, we could see as far as the city of Hartford. And the sky was clear, so we could visibly see the biggest buildings in downtown Hartford. On our right, we could see the East and West Peak at Hubbard Park in Meriden and the Pinnacle Rock in Plainville. Great views all around. How did I not know this view existed? If this was all we did, I would have still ranked this hike very high on my list of CT hikes.
Views from Rattlesnake Cliffs.
hartford views to the left from the cliffs.
On your RIght from the cliffs.....
PANO VIEW FROM RATTLESNAKE MOUNTAIN CLIFFS.
We hopped back on the blue trail down Pinnacle Rock and started making a steep descent. We witnessed other hikers take a wrong turn here by going straight down. We were able to stay on track. We continued hiking along the bottom of Rattlesnake Mountain and noticed a small tunnel formed by the rocks. We decided to climb through and found ourselves blue markers on the other side. Note, this is how you to get to Pinnacle Rock. There is a quite a bit of climbing on and over rocks for this section.
And, this trail is not as well-marked. There were areas we lost the blue markers. Sometimes the blue marker was faded on rocks and we didn’t notice until we got closer. If you do not come across blue after 5 min or so, I suggest turning around.
If you can't find blue markers, they may be on the rocks.
We reached the bottom and crossed an area under power lines that led us climbing up to the other side. We reached a dirt paved road and we saw a tree marked with blue and red. This took us to the final section before we reached Pinnacle Rock. You will be going uphill and start climbing the rock on your right to the peak of Pinnacle Rock.
The view of Pinnacle Rock is nice. But Rattlesnake Mountain has a higher wow factor. The view from Pinnacle Rock is not as appealing as you will see mostly homes. This is a big rock climber’s paradise and I did see a few people doing so. I will hike all day. But climbing isn’t for me.
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Crazy guy climbing up pinnacle rock.
VIew from the pinnacle Rock summit.
Top of pinnacle Rock with railings and rock seating to enjoy the views.
We headed back the same way we came. Took another peek from the Rattlesnake Cliffs before we headed back to the car. Such a great view. That is one of best views in CT. I was very impressed by this hike. This is easily one of my favorites now. It is very challenging. I would say it’s a moderate hike. Lots of different terrain and some climbing. Round trip is 4.6 miles but I feel like it’s closer to 5 miles. Definitely suggest hiking boots and a pack for this one. This took us about 3 hours. This is one New Englanders should add to their hiking list!
The review:
Rattlesnake MT to Pinnancle rock (farmington, CT), ~4.6m: 4.5 out of 5.
Black Pond via Mattabesett Trail, Middlefield, CT
The Mattabesett Trail extends through the state of Connecticut. Along this trail, there are great views. Black Pond has an amazing view from Besek Mountain. Check out the blog for pics and helpful info!
The Mattabesett Trail extends over 50 miles throughout the state of Connecticut. The first half of this horseshoe like trail follows high trap rock ridges of the Metacomic Ridge, from Guilford south to Meriden. The second part extends extends north from Guilford to Middletown where it ends at the Connecticut River. There are multiple areas throughout the state to hop on the trails. You will find numerous picturesque views along the way. One of my favorites spots to check out is Black Pond in Middlefield. I came across this trail a few years ago and the views are spectacular.
For the directions, the trail starts on Baileyville Road (RT 147) that intersects Meriden Road (RT 66). I always gps the restaurant Guida’s across from the trail. I park there and cross the street or there is a little parking area off the side of the road, where you will find the Mattabesett Trail blue-blazed marker.
Once we saw the marker, we headed into the woods to begin the trail. The trail is well maintained and marked pretty well. Thus, just follow the blue markers on this one. Nothing too tricky on this trail. Due to the storms recently, we saw quite a bit of trees down throughout the hike. And there are areas of rock formations where snakes may be hiding. Be on the lookout, I almost stepped on one.
About three-quarters of a mile into the hike, we came out to an open field that led us under power lines. We could see Route 66 highway from here, as the trail runs parallel to the highway. We then passed a brick and stone chimney along the way.
From here, the trail will begin to ascend up the mountain.
Until I was researching the area, I wasn’t aware this was called Besek Mountain. And, there is a ski area next to it, Powder Ridge. Once you reach the cliffs, you see the stunning view of Black Pond and Mount Higby in the distance as well. You can continue the trail from here and follow the blue-blazed trail further past the ski area chair lifts and the true summit of Besek Mountain. And you can go all the way to Guilford. However, this is where we stopped and turned around. We had our fun taking pics and checking out the view.
The loop was roughly 2.8 miles. The hike was moderate difficulty. The terrain was easy in the beginning but had some up and down sections. The hardest part may be finding the trail. This is a great morning weekend type hike with a rewarding view. Be sure to add this to your list, especially if you are local.
The Review
Black Pond via Mattabesett, 2.8M (Middlefield, CT) - 4 out of 5
HIKING FOR DONUTS
A blog for the outdoors foodie enthusiast
Hi, I’m Mark. I live in Connecticut. I take new trips every chance I get. A good trip has a great hike, great food, and something fun to do. My goal is to search out new trips and share them to inspire others to try something new and exciting.
If you are looking for posts in a particular place, search by city or state here.
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Artists Bluff Trail, Franconia Notch State Park
Artists Bluff is one of my favorite trails in the White Mountains of New Hampshire located in Franconia Notch State Park. This trail checks off all boxes for a great hike. The views are spectacular. Check it out!
Trail Description: The Artists Bluff Trail is a short hike that offers some of the best views of Cannon Mountain and Franconia Notch.
Trail Info:
Where: Franconia Notch State Park, Franconia, NH Distance: 1.5 miles (1-1.5 hrs) Difficulty: Easy to Moderate Trail Type: Out and Back Features: Views, Valley, Lake, Forest
How to get there:
From I-93 (Franconia Notch Parkway) get off on Exit 34C toward the Cannon Mountain Ski Resort and head west on NH 18. Go up roughly a half mile where you see a large parking area on your right. Walking across the empty lot in front of you will lead to the signs for the Artists Bluff and Bald Mountain.
Hiking Tips
Shortly along the trail, there’s a fork in the path that not clear which direction to go. Stay to your right to follow the Artist Bluff Trail. The other option will take you on the Bald Mountain Trail and will take you longer to get to Artists Bluff.
Great fall hike with amazing foliage.
The Hike
If you are looking for a great trail with amazing views that is relatively quick in New Hampshire, the Artists Bluff Trail in Franconia Notch State Park is exactly that. My friend owns a house close by and about 10 of us drove up for the weekend. After having too many beverages the night before, we wanted something relatively short on this morning. And, we wanted to beat the rain that was inevitable. We have hiked Artists Bluff in the past but it is a great hike and it is very satisfying. The loop is only 1.5 miles but it is challenging with steep sections. And, the trail will lead you to amazing views of Cannon Mountain and Franconia Notch.
Upon arriving we saw the parking lot off Route 18 on your right across from the Cannon Peabody slopes. We walked across the empty lot in front of us that led us to the signs of the start of trail for Artists Bluff and Bald Mountain.
We followed the Red marked trails to get to the bluffs. The trail starts off pretty easy then you have some steep inclines and declines as you get closer to the bluffs.
About .25 miles or so into the hike we saw split in the path to hike up to the summit of Bald Mountain on our left. This will add .5 miles to the hike. As we wanted to beat the rain, we stayed the course toward Artists Bluffs.
The trail eventually broke into the open and I saw views of Cannon Mountain. There was a storm recently in the Northeast and there were actually quite a bit of trees knocked down. I came across volunteers doing some maintenance to the trail and trying to clean up. After passing the volunteers, I came up to the rock that points to the direction of the bluffs.
Artists Bluff stands at 2,368 feet high. The views at the top are amazing. You get a great outlook of the Franconia Notch. We hung out for about a half hour at the top reminiscing and questioning prior nights beverage consumption. And, then we decided to head back. The initial descend was pretty tough and rocky but the trail got easier as the path took us along Route 18 across from Echo Lake. And, this took us to where we originally started.
I would do this hike again and likely many more times. Each season of the year I am sure you get different views. Fall foliage would be the best. The trail is well marked and the forest is beautiful. Even though this is close to the highway, it is still far enough away and quiet as you hike. For a hike in the White Mountains, I would say this was an easy level hike. However, I could see this trail being moderate for others due to some the steeper sections. The hike will only take about an hour. But you will always add 20-30 minutes at the top taking in the views. The only thing that would have made this better is if I had some donuts with me!
HIKING FOR DONUTS
A blog for the outdoors foodie enthusiast
Hi, I’m Mark. I live in Connecticut. I take new trips every chance I get. A good trip has a great hike, great food, and something fun to do. My goal is to search out new trips and share them to inspire others to try something new and exciting.
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Mount Lafayette, New Hampshire
The White Mountains in New Hampshire is one of my favorites areas to hike. On this day, I conquered Mount Lafayette. What a hike!
Trail Description: Mount Lafayette is the highest peak in the Franconia Ridge at 5,260 feet. The summit offers amazing 360 views of the Pemigewasset Wilderness Area.
Trail Info:
Where: Lincoln, NH Distance: 8.0 miles (7-8 hrs) Difficulty: Hard Trail Type: Out and Back Features: Views, Peaks, Mountains, Greenleaf Hut
How to get there:
The parking lot for this hike is located in Franconia Notch on I-93. You can park on either side of the Interstate. Traveling north, you can park in the trailhead lot for the Falling Waters and Old Bridle Path trails. Traveling south, take exit 34b at Lafayette Place Campground. Follow the foot tunnel that goes under I-93 to the parking lot the opposite side of the highway to start the trail.
Hiking Tips
Bring lots of water, wear your best boots, hiking poles, and pack snacks.
Suggest doing the loop version of this hike along the Franconia Ridge trail to see Mount Lincoln and Little Haystack for more views.
Due to the popularity, the trail can be very crowded.
The White Mountains in New Hampshire are one of my favorite areas to visit and go hiking. It is one of the coolest areas in the Northeast and makes me feel like I’m in a different part of Unites States. It has a pacific coast mountainous look. I try to do a few hikes a year in New Hampshire. A large group of my friends rent houses in the area a few times a year to hang out. Even better, my best friend recently purchased a vacation home close to this area, about 15 minutes from Franconia. I bought new hiking boots and figured I wanted to do a fun, difficult hike in the White Mountains. More specifically, a hike I have not done. The one hike I really wanted to do was the Mount Lafayette summit. My friend said it was “easier” than Mount Washington but still hard. Lies. It was really freakin’ difficult. And, a terrible decision to wear new boots.
By the time we got there, it was near 11am and my friend suggested shaving a mile off the hike by skipping the trails where you would see Mt Lincoln and Little Haystack. I was against this decision but I was overruled. Disclaimer: This is a very popular hike. One of the best New England has to offer. There were cars lined up the side of the roads and the lots were full. This created a very tight hiking path. There was a lot of stopping and waiting for other hikers as the paths can be very narrow. For a summer hike, the weather was perfect, mid-70s and the skies were sunny and clear. We made our way to the trail which begins to the right of the information sign (there are bathrooms as well). Most hikers choose to go up the Falling Waters Trail as it is recommended by the trail guides. Another reason we chose to go up the Old Bridle Path as this was less crowded. After a good 1.5 miles into the trail you will seeing some great scenic views.
This path is 2.9 miles that will lead you to the AMC Greenleaf Hut. The hut is where hikers can use the restroom, eat, and enjoy the views. The hut also has some lodging options for those hikers who choose to do so.
From here, you will begin the rocky assent for another 1.1 miles to the top of Mount Lafayette, about 5,260 feet above elevation. We came down the same way we went up. The total hike was 8 miles.
Unfortunately for myself, the trail down wasn’t too fun as I sprained my ankle pretty bad. This hike is no joke and I would recommend using caution. For the inexperienced, I would prepare for a 8-9 hour hike. With my ankle issue, the hike took us over 8 hours. I would suggest using hiking poles, good boots and bring lots of H2O. I saw a couple wearing sandals. I can’t tell you how bad an idea that is. You will keep asking yourself, this isn’t a mile, 2, 3, 4? Given the incline, the hike will feel a lot longer. It was well worth it. The views are awesome. It leaves a very good sense of accomplishment. I will definitely go back another year to complete the Franconia Ridge Trail.
Review:
Bridle Path to Mount Lafayette Summit Trail (Franconia, NH, 8 miles): 5 out of 5!!!
HIKING FOR DONUTS
A blog for the outdoors, foodie enthusiast
Hi, I’m Mark. I live In Connecticut. I take new trips every chance I get. A good trip has a great hike, great food, and something fun to do. My goal is to search out new trips and share them to inspire others to try something new and exciting.
If you are trying to find posts about a particular place, search by city or state here.
Explore other posts in the archive
RECOMMENDED POSTS
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See where I’ve been recently on Instagram. Follow @HIKINGFORDONUTS.