Before setting off on Tunnel Brook Trail, I chatted with a fellow who was planning to spend the day gold panning along Tunnel Brook.
A washed out bank along the trail.
The 0.7 mile section of trail that follows the abandoned part of Tunnel Brook Road (severely damaged by Tropical Storm Irene in 2011) is very brushy in places, and hikers should expect wet feet from morning dew or after rain.
Yikes!
My boots after walking through that section.
Bottle Gentian along the still-maintained (for logging access only) section of Tunnel Brook Road
A small brook caused this big washout.
The north ridge of Mt. Clough rises behind an old logging yard.
The Benton Trail diverges left at 1.5 miles. This is an old trail, dating back to its days as a bridle path starting in 1859. It is one of the less-used approaches to Mt. Moosilauke, the more so with the extra walking needed to access it.
A sign not often seen on a hiking trail. It must have been placed last winter when the road by the start of the trail was used as a logging yard.
As expected, the water level in Tunnel Brook was very low, making for an easy crossing.
The Benton Trail is admirably-maintained by adopter Per Frost. The drainages were well-cleared.
The lower part of the trail ascends through a fine hardwood forest, though logging is scheduled for this area in the near future.
The rest of the trail climbs moderately through wild conifer forests.
I've always liked the outlook perched on the edge of Little Tunnel Ravine, with a view north to the Kinsmans and the distant Pilot Range.
Zoom on the Kinsmans.
The wild view into Little Tunnel Ravine, with a great rock slab - presumably the remnant of an old slide - adorning the east wall. I relaxed here for an hour, enjoying the sun and wild vibe.
The day was too nice to head down in early afternoon, so instead I headed up. A bit farther up the trail a short bushwhack revealed an even better view into the ravine.
Some stretches of the trail have wonderfully good footing.
Another short bushwhack provided a window view of the Kinsmans from a higher angle.
What a fine trail.
Around 3600 ft. I headed off-trail for the fir waves. I've explored these several times in the past, but since this was an impromptu extension of the hike, I hadn't done any "research" on the exact location of the best views. As I remembered from previous bushwhacks, the woods in this area were generally good.
Wild country up here.
A few blowdowns, but I could see daylight ahead.
Approaching a fern-filled fir wave.
This natural opening provided a nice view to the west, out to the Green Mountains in Vermont.
Ledgy Black Mountain in the Benton Range dominates the foreground.
I quickly pressed on, as I wanted to find a view into Tunnel Ravine (aka Benton Ravine) and the big slide that scarred it during Tropical Storm Irene. I had to descend steeply to get to the edge of the ridge.
Farther down I wallowed through some scrub.
I had to work for it, but eventually I found a framed look at the slide and the Tunnel Ravine headwall.
Zoomed.
Revegetation is farther along on the lower part of the slide than it was when Daniel Newton, his canine companion, Friday, and I climbed it in 2020.
It's an impressive slide, up close.
I climbed back to the fir wave with the western view and hung out for an hour amidst the ferns, soaking up the afternoon sun.
Parting shot looking back at Mt. Clough.
Whacking back to the trail.
Thought this might be a moose scrape, signifying the start of the rutting season.
There are moose in the area.
The spring beside the trail at 3700 ft. was bone dry.
One of the more pleasant 4000-footer trails for descent.
Evening shadows creeping into Little Tunnel Ravine.
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