Hiking in the White Mountains: Castellated Ridge & Castle Ravine Foliage Hike

Date of Hike: 9/21/17

Castle Trail: 5.0 miles / Mount Jefferson Loop: 0.4 miles / Gulfside Trail: 0.2 miles / Randolph Path: 0.1 miles / Castle Ravine Trail: 2.8 miles / Israel Ridge Path: 0.4 miles / Castle Trail: 1.3 miles
Total Miles: 10.2 miles (4,259 feet elevation gained) A.M.C. White Mountain Guide Online

Trip Report: in pictures! :)

A few tenths of a mile into the hike the Castle Trail crosses the Castle Brook

Over the first mile and a half, the Castle Trail has gentle grades with great footing, which is now blanketed in leaves.

The next mile becomes more rugged and steep before the grades ease again until it reached the junction where The Link crosses the Castle Trail

Heading up towards the first castle the trail is steep and rugged. Before reaching the first of two castles there is a good outlook with a view of the first castle and down into Castle Ravine

Looking up at the first Castle

View of the Castle Ravine Headwall

Looking back at the first castle and into the bottom of the ravine

Approaching the second Castle with the summit mass of Mount Jefferson about a mile off in the distance

Castle Ravine and Mount Jefferson

Castellated Ridge and Castle Ravine

Views from Mount Jefferson, Clay and Washington in top photo, Adams in bottom photo

Start of the Castle Ravine Trail, it heads through a nice little grassy alpine valley

Looking down into Castle Ravine from the top of the headwall

Pano of the Castle Ravine

The first half mile is a steep and loose boulder field, tough for descent. It's unique in that it has orange blazes in the shape of crosses, arrows, and long narrow lines