The Heart of The Kilkenny

The quiet Kilkenny region in the northern reaches of the White Mountain National Forest has long been a favorite haunt of mine. In fact, the Kilkenny Ridge Trail, with its miles of ridgeline walking, beautiful forests, two high country ponds, and several viewpoints might be my favorite trail in all the Whites. Although I had climbed Mt. Cabot last winter, it had been several years since I'd visited the more remote reaches of The Kilkenny on less-traveled trails. On this partly sunny early summer day I opted for an 11-mile loop that included both Kilback and Unknown Ponds and a side trip to an off-trail viewpoint, with a two-mile road walk linking trailheads at the end.

 

I started from the trailhead for Mill Brook Trail at the Berlin Fish Hatchery.

 

This is a beautiful, mellow approach into The Kilkenny, and the trail is in tip-top shape thanks to the hard work of its adopters, Jennifer and Kevin Stetson. They also maintain the Kilkenny Ridge Trail from Rogers Ledge to Unknown Pond. Thank you!!

In its first two miles Mill Brook Trail follows the rushing waters of Cold Brook. The trail used to be a through route to the Mill Brook valley and Mill Brook Rd. on the NW side of the ridge, but the section of trail on that side has been closed for many years. It really should be renamed Cold Brook Trail but the Mill Brook Trail name endures. 

 

Some parts of the valley have luxuriant undergrowth.

 

 

One of many beautiful scenes along the brook.

The trail leaves the brook and climbs onto a lush plateau of hardwood and birch.

 

 At 3.6 miles, after a gentle descent, Mill Brook Trail meets Kilkenny Ridge Trail deep in the Kilkenny wilds.

I made a short side trip to the north to check out Rogers Ledge Tentsite, which has four tents pads.

 

A wonderfully secluded place to camp.

 

 

Just south of the Mill Brook Trail junction, Kilkenny Ridge Trail crosses this small brook, which is the water source for the tentsite. 

This high plateau, at ~2,500 ft., has a supreme feeling of remoteness.

 

 

Kilkenny Ridge Trail passes by some wild spruce wetlands. 

 

 

 

 

Over the past several years, the trails folks from the Androscoggin Ranger District and volunteers from the Cohos Trail Association have been working on replacing the old, rotted bog bridges in this wet area. Much appreciated! 

 

A half-mile from the Mill Brook Trail junction I had my first glimpse of Kilback Pond, one of my favorite spots in The Kilkenny.

This small but picturesque pond enjoys a serene setting on the plateau between Unknown Pond Ridge (seen in this view) and Rogers Ledge. Birds were singing as I sat on a rock for lunch: Swamp Sparrows, Common Yellowthroats and White-throated Sparrows.

More bog bridges.

Another angle on the pond.

During the week after my hike, more bog bridges were added here to complete this crossing alongside a beaver dam.

 

 

 

A peek back at the granite face of Rogers Ledge.

 

 

 

 

This set of old bog bridges across a flooded area just west of Kilback Pond will be replaced later this season.

 

The crossing of the single log portion was slow and sketchy for me while carrying a big pack. It didn't help that the water was several feet deep on either side.

 

Gorgeous woods approaching the climb up to the crest of Unknown Pond Ridge.

The 700-ft. climb up Unknown Pond Ridge is a good workout, with abundant fern growth along the way.

This section of trail leads through a vast birch forest that seeded in after a big 1903 fire.

 

 

Nearing the crest of Unknown Pond Ridge.

 

 

 

After entering conifer woods on the crest, I bushwhacked to a northern spur of Unknown Pond Ridge. 

A ragged set of cliffs offers a wide view out to the Pliny, Presidential, Crescent and Carter Ranges.

Closer look at the Plinys and Presidentials.

Nearby, there is a lovely view of Unknown Pond resting peacefully at the base of The Horn.

Zoom on Unknown Pond.

The wild, trailless Pilot Range trails off to the NW.

 

 

 

Looking SE to other peaks on Unknown Pond Ridge. 

 

 

 

A birch dance troupe performs in a fern glade behind the cliffs. 

 

 

 

Another peek at Rogers Ledge.

 

Junction by Unknown Pond.

 

The iconic image of Unknown Pond and The Horn.

Unknown Pond's spruce-girt shores.

 

There are five tent pads at Unknown Pond Tentsite. The area along the shore is a revegetation area and is closed to camping,

Not far down from the campsite, Unknown Pond Trail passes through a meadow-like area with a view of the Presidentials.

 

 

An overgrown section of trail. Fern growth is prolific in The Kilkenny.

A lovely section of trail.

 

Unknown Pond Brook gains strength as it flows down the valley. In the span of 0.2 mile, the trail makes two crossings of this brook and one of a tributary.

 

 

 

The Androscoggin District trails folks have been working on improvements  along muddy sections of the trail.

 

Near the bottom of Unknown Pond Trail the Androscoggin District trails folks have also made a good relocation around a section of trail that had been flooded by a misbehaving brook.

 

A highlight of the two-mile walk on York Pond Rd. was this view of North Weeks across York Pond.

Red Rock Mountain Loop

The loop over Red Rock Mountain, one of the best hikes in the Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness, is little-known to most hikers. Though it never rises above 2,240 ft., this 10.3 mile trek packs a punch with 2,900 ft. of elevation gain accomplished with many ups and downs. The centerpiece is the airy viewpoint atop the great south-facing cliff of Red Rock Mountain. Along the way there is a traverse through the wild terrain of Miles Notch, two miles of ridge walking through varied forest, additional views at the ledgy summit of Red Rock, and a steep descent through the valley of Great Brook. Solitude is likely in this remote country; I saw no one on the entire full day hike. My last trip over this loop was on a glorious spring day 15 years ago, in the good company of John Gutowski and John "1HappyHiker" Compton. I was overdue for a re-visit, and I also needed to check out a report on newenglandtrailconditions.com of difficult trail-finding on Miles Notch Trail due to recent logging.

 

Starting on the south end of Miles Notch Trail from the "out there" trailhead on Hut Rd. 

 

The area affected by last winter's logging is where the trail descends 400 ft. into the Beaver Brook valley after a 500-ft. ascent over a ridge. (Talk about a PUD!) The trail is indeed hard to follow here as it crosses and recrosses a skid road in the logged area. This section is about 0.1 mile long. A few new blazes will help greatly. (Overall, the trail is very well blazed up to the Wilderness boundary on the north side of Miles Notch.)

 

 

Nice easy climb up the lower part of Beaver Brook valley.

Beautiful mature hardwood forest, higher in the valley.

 

 

The trail runs under the impressive cliffs on the west side of Miles Notch. In summer you get only veiled glimpses of them. Much better looks when the leaves are down.

The floor of Miles Notch is a wild place.

 

Another peek at the cliffs.

 Boulder with a ferny coat.

 

 

 

A gorgeous hardwood glade on the north side of the notch. 

 

 

Into the Wilderness. Oddly, while the ridge on the west side of Miles Notch is within the Wilderness boundary, the cliffs and floor are not.

Onto the Red Rock Trail, a longtime favorite.

 

 

Crossing a headwater of Miles Brook.

Ascending the north slope of Miles Knob through more nice hardwood forest

On to the crest of the ridge in wild spruce woods.

 

A very steep little drop to the Miles Knob-Red Rock Mountain col.

Climbing to the east knob of Red Rock Mountain and the hike's biggest reward.

Since I was last here 15 years ago, the side path down to the perch atop the Red Rock cliffs has become much more obvious.

This big sloping ledge is an airy perch with huge dropoffs on the west and south sides. Probably not ideal for those who don't like heights. On a nice day the rock is dry and very grippy, but you do need to pay attention as you descend over a couple of small ledge steps. Best to avoid if wet.

 

When you get lower down on the ledge, there's an amazing close-up of the cliff that gives the mountain its name.

Looking back up the ledge.

 

A pretty fine view to the south, looking down the valley of Red Rock Brook. Kezar Lake sprawls in the distance, with Pleasant Mountain on the left.

Looking SW to Durgin and Speckled Mountains. The Red Rock Trail passes over Durgin and ends at Speckled.

 

 

A zoomed view in this direction of Carter Dome, Mt. Hight, Mt. Washington and the Royces.

A more southerly zoomed view to Kearsarge North, Chocorua, North Moat, Big Attitash, Passaconaway, Bear, the Sleepers and the Doubleheads.

 

 

Looking SE to Miles Knob, which has its own set of south-facing cliffs (off-trail).

 

Hanging out on a gorgeous early summer day.

A last look down before heading out.

 

 

From the side path to the cliff, the Red Rock Trail makes a short down-and-up to the ledgy true summit of Red Rock Mountain (2,143 ft.)

The views here are not panoramic, but there are partial northward vistas, including this look at Caribou Mountain.

 

A more distant view to peaks in the eastern Mahoosucs and Puzzle Mountain. Tyler Mountain in the foreground.

 

 

More ledges while descending to the west.

Butters Mountain looms ahead.

An old USFS metal arrow sign in the Red Rock-Butters col.

 

 

Spruce ridgerunning across the long, flat crest of Butters.

Near the summit of Butters Mountain (2,249 ft.) I bushwhacked across the broad ridgecrest to visit a longtime favorite view ledge.

Tucked in amidst scrubby spruces, this ledgy opening offers a unique view across the valley to Caribou Mountain and the Haystack Notch area.

The full spread of Caribou, measuring nearly three miles from stem to stern.

Wheeler Mountain in the eastern Mahoosucs looms through Tyler Notch.

 

A distant western view takes in North Carter, Adams and Madison, the three Moriah summits, North Weeks, Black Crescent, Cabot/Bulge/Horn, and Unknown Pond Peak.

 

Back on the trail, more nice ridge walking.

A beautiful fern glade by the Great Brook Trail junction.

 

New signage.

Jointed ledges near the top of Great Brook Trail.

 

The upper part of Great Brook Trail descends steeply with poor footing.

Below the steeps there's a nice cascade beside the trail.

 

The lower section of the trail follows old woods roads, passing the cellar hole of the mid-1800s Butters family homestead. The mountain along the Red Rock Trail was named for this family.

 

Grave site in front of the cellar hole.

Where the Great Brook Trail begins on a brushy woods road.

 

Ledgy cascade on Great Brook by the trailhead. From here it was an easy 0.8 mile walk along Hut Rd. to complete the loop.