Lake Willoughby Region Mountain . NOTE: All three trails on Bald cross przvat l l'i'h e ands before th e state-owned summit parcel ese routes . reaching . h h . . b are available to he public t roug varzous, long-standing ver al and . h t Pub/' rzg t-of-way h owever access in not guaranteed agreements, a d . . . zc access has threatened on a number of occasions been Pleasn lt zs imperative that use goodjudgment on these trails · hl.kers · e respect private lands no trace and clean un ,ri and landowners,· leave r a.l'er1 others• di0 no ov . h , not ds road s, gates or driveways. t camnin block woo , ermg r g or h to be respectful as w ll ,.,,'h. . encourage ot ers i j zs wzll not on! res,· and • e . Y fi 'k l ,,.J now but . l goo d h 1 er- anuowner relations 11 ensure future. ' wz a so keep Bald Mountain open to the public in the

Trail (also kn h TELEGRAPH TRAIL- The Telegraph own as t e , T ·1) b · of Tower Lane, a small rat egms at the gated terminus Lookout s It can b h d located off of Cole Road in Westmore. e reac e Class 4 road h H. . . ( sometimes referred to as westmore b~ fo 11 owmg t e . mton Hill Charleston. While not formall Road from either Westmore or Hill) on the left, provide~ small signed par~ing area, located maintained, a the Tele­ of vehicles. Please be advised that room for a small number prop­ . Hikers should respect private graph Trail crosses private land good landowner relations. erty and make every effort to ensure on Bald Trail is the least maintained route NOTE: The Telegraph that terrain and quality. Be advised Mountain and varies greatly in to follow. the route can be rugged and difficult area (0.0 mi.), the trail route, marked From the road gate and parking blue blazes, proceeds on the gravel infrequently with signs and light turns left at an intersection. The timber road and almost immediately Bald Mountain Brook easterly, crossing a branch of trail continues Here, the trail overgrown log landing (0.1 mi.). before reaching an haul for some time on the wide-open turns south and climbs steadily log landing (1. 1 mi.) with local road until reaching a second, larger Lakes to the north a~d Mountain, Echo and Seymour views of Blan . A heavdy Goodwin Mountains to the south the backside of Bald and eaSt Little Black Knob, looms to the wooded prominence, known as landing ( 1.2 mi.), the trail fol­ the southeast corner of the log Leaving and climbs unevenl~ littered with slash and debris lows a skid path Knob an h the saddle between Little Black south and east towards sout saddle (1 .4 mi.), the trail turns Bald Mountain. Just below the 39 Lake Willoughby Region streams before rea h'mg a crossing several slash-filled seasonal , c aga l·n , . . . elevation ~nd1catmg the approximate 2500-foot distinct woods edge junc­ at a poorly defined but flagged line (1.5 mi.). The tratl bears left through an opening in the forest. tion and climbs away from the cut to , the old trail immediately begins Entering the more mature woods before stabilizing somewhat and climb steeply up an eroded gully Forest (1.7 mi.). Occasional evidence crossing into Willoughby State logs- can be recognized use- steps,_ markings, c~rduroy of past trail the lower trail whtle almost enttrely absent from along the path and, large; system are still visible on the remnants of the telegraph line trees found on the upper trail. up into the montane spruce-fir Continuing onward, the trail continues following short sections that blankets the summit. Occasionally forest steeply away on the winds upward as the land falls of sidehill, the trail that into a small, wet 'mountain meadow' right. Eventually emerging and (2.1 mi.), the trail turns south offers limited views to the north summit clearing (2.2 mi.). makes a final climb towards the tower is straight cabin and recently restored fire The former ranger's metal and of the former lookout station- wood, ahead while remnants Pond the summit forest. The Long debris-are scattered throughout on the right (west) while the Mad Trail leaves the summit clearing ( east). Brook Trail descends on the left mi., elevation gain: 1575 ft. Total distance: approximately 2.2 Brook Trail accesses the summit MAD BROOK TRAIL- The Mad and northeast, beginning on a gated of Bald Mountain from the north into a grassy lane and, finally, graveled drive that gradually fades and have been cleared trail. The trail is rumored to the wooded access The and is still quite wide in places. with a bulldozer many years ago ridgeline that gradually gains the route follows a prominent northern are present as it climbs the however, several steep pitches summit; wide trail corridor, The gradual pitch and relatively upper mountain. A ~V use lax enforcement, has led to increased coupled with relatively the efforts to block access. Still, on. t~e trail in recent years, despite well-maintained. tratl ts an excellent hike and is relatively th of the Mad Brook Road near e The trail begins at the gated terminus l 41 Lake Willoughby Region

line. A small signed p ki Jeston/W estmore town :rea, located parking and is used in :~t:; Ch~~e right, offers limited _Y the snow­ respect the property a d on as a turnaround. Please of the gate, road or drivewayn pnbvacy ploWby home· do not block the near y. near ' u the mi.), the un-blazed trail leads from the parking area (0.0 you) pd gated or be sure to close behind an ' after a l road (go around Id W grav e h d . secon pnvate home at the 0 estmore walk soon reac es a . of h rt ' · ) Th building, and an assembly s o 9 (0.5 Illl. . e mam Town lot. No. be occupied A • ease as a retreat and may . · gam, p1 ...,all cabms, serves . private Su• . . relations by respecting help to mamta1~ good hiker-landowner to landowners and guests. property and bemg courteous an old meadow a d around the housesite has restored Recent clearing obscured the route :f apple trees but it has also released several old trail continues left at the main building. the the trail. Bearing slightly an opening at ~dd_le of the meadow towards southeast, through the of the meadow sign, located on the far side the far woods edge. A tratl the begin­ to a grassy woods road and (0.6 mi.), marks the entrance through mixed hardwoods. ning of a gradual ascent leading crosses a red-blazed prop­ meadow behind, the trail soon Leaving the mi.) and, skirting the edge near an old piped spring (1.0 erty boundary ( 1.3 mi). From here, area, crests a height of land of a recently logged crossings and the state to the first of two low stream the trail descends notice the eroded mi.). Observant hikers may forest boundary (1.5 south (left) a trail approaching from the signs of a 'bootleg' ATV crossings. short distance before the stream mi.), the trail and forest boundary (1.5 From the stream crossing winds uphill then, at more moderate grades, quickly climbs uphill and barricade in­ turn before reaching a boulder on a large switchback here, the trail de­ motorized use (1.8 mi.). From stalled to discourage up a steep, rocky slope before turning left and climbing nd scends briefly trail continue~ on a north ridge (2.0 mi.). The t ont~ the mountain's mountam foreS enters the higher elevation nd begms to narrow as it maple a fir, white birch, mountain where, increasingly, balsam a~d check number of sturdy waterbars mountain ash dominate. A c~ews, Stewardship Center trntl steps, constructed by North Woods cent environ- . and reverse re . serve to d tvert· runoff, reduce eros10n of trail leading up to the summit. mental damage on the section 43 Northeast Kingdom Mountain Trail Guide

As the trail continues upward, it passes over a number of g . crops, . h 1 t I . I ran1te carved smooth durmg t e as g acia advance, and 0ut~ glimpses of local views northward towards Echo and Seymo LOffers (2.2 mi.). Approaching th~ summi~, the surrounding spruce-~: ri~es opens up and the path _widens sl~ghtly before, rounding a be d ~t reaches a split in the trail that enctrcles a small dense island ofnt ' it · I . I d. 1 h d just east of the summit c earmg. ~e iate Y a ea , the trail gainsrees the summit and reaches a small clearing marked by the summit fire tow and forester's cabin (2.8 mi.). er

Total distance: approximately 2.8 mi., elevation gain: 1495 ft.

LONG POND TRAIL- The Long Pond Trail is the most popular and well-used trail on Bald Mountain and one of the more popular trails in Westmore. It begins near Long Pond and approaches the summit from the southwest, crossing private land before reaching the Willoughby State Forest parcel at the summit. The trailhead is located on the Long Pond Road, approximately 2-miles southeast of Vermont Route SA and a short distance ( 100 yards) past the State-owned Long Pond Fishing Access Area. A large signed parking area, situated on the left, provides ample room for vehicles. Be careful not to block the gated access road.

From the parking area (0.0 mi.), the trail follows a large, graveled timber haul road and soon bears right at a forked junction (0.2 mi.). Climbing moderately, the woods road bends left and reaches an open but abandoned log landing (0.6 mi.). Across the clearing, Goodwin Mountain appears to the north and a faint logging road leads into the forest. Bearing right, the trail leaves the eastern comer of the log land­ ing and follows a woods road a very short distance before turning sharply left and entering the woods at a signed junction (0.7 mi.).

Once in the woods, the blue-blazed trail follows a series of old log­ ging traces and passes through open hardwoods. Remaining level at first, the trail narrows and begins to undulate, bearing right at a faint logging junction, crossing a rock waterbar and taking a moderate side­ hill route. Passing over several smaller drainages, the trail soon crosses a large stream (1.0 mi.), the last reliable source of water. Turning sharply right and climbing a series of crib steps, the trail soon enters a young hardwood forest where the trail turns to the east at the base of the mountain (1.3 mi.).

,1,1 Lake Willoughby Region a seasonal mount . stream now, the trail follows ' am . b·ng steeply . . bog bridge A . of chm l and crossmg a timber · senes i". turning left c. and rocks · steep pitch, where roots be1ore leads to the ioot of a t· climbing tums forest on the higher el eva tons. emergence of the spruce-fir. stands, Id the . . t~ough mature forest hera m earnest, the traII passes r k Now climbmg brrch trees, and several oc very large yellow . by ng them several Th . . kl elevation, scrambling amo . e tra1 1qmc y gams and boulder outcrops. rock clefts that harbor and a number of deep a rocky outcrop ( 1. 7 nu.) season. ice late into the summer winds through th_e trail moderates and the mountaintop, site of an Approaching the barely discernible softwoods before passmg (2.1 mi.). the dense the summit opening and,. sh_ortl~ thereafter, looms old outhouse the left and the frre tower cabm 1s situated on to the The lookout's Brook Trail descends the opening, the Mad con­ overhead. Across makes a much more the Telegraph Trail east and north while the forest on the north a narrow opening in cealed descent through side of the clearing. views of the surround­ spectacular 360 degree The fire tower provides mountains, over a dozen addition to many local ing landscape. In in the east, the backside be identified. Beginning lakes and ponds can the Seneca Range be­ in the foreground with of Job's Mountain sits and Packer mountain lower summits of Walker hind it and the slightly with its abandoned and south lie East Mountain to the south. Beyond and Umpire and Burke East Haven Mountain, Air Force Radar Base, with Newark Pond Pond sits in the foreground Mountains. Bald Hill and Haystack Moun­ and west are McSherry beyond it. To the south Mountains; Barton, Hor; Moose and Wheeler tain; Mounts Pisgah and the northern White Mountains. In the distance, Valley and May Pond Mountains- with Jay, east while the Green Mountains are to the in the West. Camel's Hump- extend Belvidere, Mansfield and Memphremagog is visible, the southern tip of Lake North and west, Clyde River Valley where foreground with the connecting across the Lake, Nort~n Pond, Echo Lake, Seymour Salem Pond, Pensioner northeast, Bluff Mountam are all visible. In the Pond, and Island Pond and the Notch Middle, Gore, Monadnock extends northward and River basin. adjacent to the Nulhegan Mountains are all visible ft. elevation gain: 1495 Total distance: 2.1 mi., 45