Homeward Bound Loop

Elevation over distance profile (Strava Link)

 

9/20/25

Road Walk & Logging Road: 1.0 miles  /  Stony Brook Trail: 2.8 miles  /  Carter Moriah Trail: 1.2 miles  /  Kenduskeag Trail: 1.4 miles  /  Rattle River Trail: 4.3 miles  /  Road Walk: 0.7 miles  /  Centennial Trail: 3.1 miles  /  Mahoosuc Trail: 3.8 miles  /  Road Walk: 0.5 miles  /  Coos Trail Network: 1.2 miles  /  Pine Mountain Trail: 2.4 miles  /  Ledge Trail: 0.6 miles  /  Pine Mountain Road: 0.8 miles  /  Pine Link : 2.4 miles  /  Watson Path: 0.3 miles  /  Osgood Trail: 0.5 miles  /  Daniel Webster Scout Trail: 3.3 miles  /  Hayes-Copp Ski Trail & Pinkham B Road: 1.5 miles  /  Snowmobile Trail & Bushwhack: 4.5 miles

Total Miles: 36.3 (11,700' elevation gained)

Trip Report:

- On the last full day of summer, I took advantage of the cool and crisp weather to do a loop that started and ended at my home.

- At first light, I walked out my front door, crossed NH16, and bypassed the first mile of the Stony Brook Trail by walking through the neighborhood and an old logging road, intersecting the trail after the first water crossing. 

Early morning walking through the Stony Brook neighborhood. Pine Mountain in view

- Stony Brook Trail is not exciting, it has no views, and takes its sweet time to gain the ridge where it comes to the junction with the Carter Moriah Trail. Once on the Carter Moriah Trail, it is 1.2 miles to the summit of Mount Moriah. Along the way, the trail ascends over a couple of open ledges with great views of the Carter Range to the south and the Northern Presidential Range to the west.

Mount Adams and Madison to the left and Pine Mountain, where I will be later in the day, on the right, looking like a small lump!

A.T. blaze cairn with the Presidential Range off in the distance

Mount Moriah summit. Carter Range and Presidential Range in view. Beautiful, crystal-clear day for views!

- From the summit of Mount Moriah, I descended Kenduskeag and Rattle River trails, both part of the Appalachian Trail. Kenduskeag has several bog bridges, which made for easy travel over the usual muddy sections that are bone dry because of the summer drought. Rattle River Trail drops steeply for 1.5 miles before a gradual, excellent footed descent over the final 2.5 miles. Along the way, it passes by the Rattle River shelter, which appeared to be empty. 

Well placed bog bridges on the Rattle River Trail

Nice and cushy descent of the lower half of the Rattle River Trail

Rattle River shelter

- Rattle River Trail ends on U.S. Route 2. From the trailhead I had a 0.75 mile road walk on Route 2, North Road, and Hogan Road. It's an easy road walk with a nice view from the hydro dam bridge over the Androscoggin River.

Mount Madison's Osgood Ridge (right), and Mount Washington (left) from the dam

- Part II of the day was to continue along the A.T. up to Mount Hayes before dropping down to Main Street in Gorham. The hike up to the junction with the Mahoosuc Trail is over gradual grades and decent footing. I passed a few Thru-Hikers along the way and wished them luck as they headed into Maine.

- At the junction, I parted ways with the A.T., headed over Mount Hayes, past the ledges, and quickly made my way down the mountain and into town.

- Originally, my plan was to head to Irving to stock up on water and some tasty treats, but they had just started renovations on the building, and the only items available to buy were beer, energy drinks, and scratch tickets. To make sure I had water, I stashed a gallon at the trailhead Friday evening. 

- Before I walked through town, I took a short break, refilled my water bladder, ate some snacks, and organized my pack.

Appalachian Trail marker on the Centennial Trail

Mahoosuc Trail junction at the north peak of Mount Hayes

Soft cushy trails along the summit of Mount Hayes

Town of Gorham as seen from Hayes ledges. Most of my route can be seen in this picture, Moriah to the left, Pine is the little lump on the right, with Madison rising high above it.

Hydro dam on the Androscoggin River located on Hogan Road

ATV/Bike/Pedestrian bridge over Route 16 in Gorham

- Part III; Up and over Pine Mountain. I made my way across the Gorham airfield, hooked onto the Coos Trail network, and intersected the Pine Mountain Trail. Pine Mountain Trail has good footing with easy grades, and I was able to quickly make my way to Chapel Rock, Horton Center, the summit, the ledges, and down to Pine Mountain Road on my way to Pinkham B Road and the Pine Link Trailhead.

- I started to feel a little wonky during the road walk, so when I reached the Pine Link trailhead, I took a short break to stuff my face with a cinnamon bun and chug some Gatorade, instantly feeling better.

Gorham Airfield

Coos Trail Network

Chapel Rock

Horton Center

Pine Mountain Ledges (Madison on the right, Carter/Cats on the left)

- Part IV: The crux of the loop, ascending the steep and rough Pine Link and Watson Path to Mount Madison's summit. I throttled down to conserve my energy as Pine Link Trail until the Howker Ridge Trail junction is a real slog. The two trails coincide for about a half mile and then Pine Link shoots straight for the west side of the summit cone, reaching treeline in short order and the junction with the Watson Path. 

- Once I hit treeline, I had a rush of energy as the breeze and cool temps made the hike much more enjoyable than it had been just moments before when I was in the trees.

- I carefully made my way up the final 0.3 miles to the summit on the Watson Path and reached the summit at 2PM. 

- At the top, I sat down and enjoyed the views of the Great Gulf, Mount Adams, Washington, etc, before a half-mile descent along the Osgood Trail followed by a steep drop down to Dolly Copp Campground via Daniel Webster Scout Trail.

- The DWS trail is rough and rugged for the first 1.5 miles, traversing well below Osgood Ridge at an odd angle on jumbled boulders before dropping below treeline, where mercifully the trail becomes much easier to navigate.

- When I got within 0.3 miles of the end of the trail and the campground, I banged a left onto the Hayes-Copp ski trail to Pinkham B Road for the last part of my Homeward Bound Loop along a snowmobile corridor

Heading up the Pine Link Trail to Mount Madison

Adams and Washington as seen from Mount Madison's summit

Osgood Ridge

Along the Daniel Webster Scout Trail looking back at where I came from. The Pine Link Trail travels up the ridge in the forefront, Pine Mountain below that in the middle right, and Mount Hayes at the top right

- Part V: Snowmobile & Bushwhack solitude. The final four miles were a relatively easy trek along the snowmobile trail that parallels the Peabody River about a quarter to half mile to the west of the river. 

- The snowmo trail has some small rolling hills to deal with, but the path is clear and only gets a little brushy right before I jumped off and started my bushwhack.

- The whack is relatively short-lived, 0.25 mile before steeply dropping down to the river, followed by 0.25 mile of easy river walking back to my home, arriving at 4PM, just under ten hours after I started.

- Starting and ending at my home made for a fun experience, and I'm looking forward to creating another home-to-home loop involving the Wild River Wilderness and the Carter Range next summer.

The snowmobile trail travels through a wide-open field with a unique view of Mount Madison

Junked truck from the 1950's along the snowmobile trail. Soon after this, I jumped off the trail and made my way to the river

Peabody River, a few minutes upstream from my home :)