FranklinSites.com Hiking Guide
Home

States
 Colorado
 Connecticut
 Maine
 Massachusetts
 New Hampshire
 New York
 Rhode Island
 Utah
 Vermont

 View All

Lists
 NE 4,000 Footers
 NE 100 Highest
 NH 4,000 Footers
 NH 100 Highest
 NH 52 With A View
 NH Belknap Range
 NH Ossipee 10

Links

Trail Conditions

Trip Log
 Sunrises
 Sunsets


About


Black Mountain
Haverhill, NH, Benton, NH

Trailheads, measurements, times, distances, and maps are all approximate and relative to the hike(s) as shown below.

Looking up the flatter portion of the Chippewa Trail

Route: Chippewa Trail, (Black Mountain), Chippewa Trail, unknown logging roads, Lime Kiln, unknown logging roads

I had been interested in hiking Black Mountain ever since seeing it from South Kinsman Mountain a few months earlier. Thus, on a nice lazy Saturday day, I had my destination.

The Chippewa Trail drops almost immediately into a wet gully - flooded badly by beavers. The first pond is crossed by a huge log...the second one, not as easily (sticks, I had to do a Kerri Strug balancing act on one foot to hop across).

After passing this mess, the trail follows an old logging road, which climbs at a very gradual pace past an old foundation. Shortly after that, the trail heads into the woods for a sustained steep section. At the end of this section is the first of many view ledges.

The trail climbs a bit more gradually after this, with some ledge walking, views aplenty. Soon, it merges with the Black Mountain Trail and makes its final ascent to the summit ledges.

The views from these ledges are excellent - a front row seat for Mt. Moosilauke and a great view of the Kinsmans with Franconia Ridge popping up behind them. There is also a potential for great views into Vermont, however there was a haze of sorts preventing it from being as good as I imagine it would be.

I met up with a few hikers at the top who told me about an old Lime Kiln near the bottom. I took their advice and checked this out - it's easy accessed by going straight where the Chippewa Trail otherwise turns to enter Beaverland. An old logging road heads up the west side of a brook. The kiln is a bit larger than two stories in height and is quite a sight in the middle of the woods.

After checking this out, I decided to go straight across the field, rather than head back to Beaverland. This proved to be a much easier route, as the logging road climbed back up a few hundred feet past the Chippewa Trail trailhead.


Hike Ratings
Getting To Trailhead: Easy
Destination: Black Mountain
Length: Moderate
Steepness: Difficult
Navigation: Easy
Views: Excellent
Crowds: Minimal


Hike Stats
Date Hiked: November 10, 2007
Hike Commenced: 11:57 AM
Parking Elevation: 1,320'
Destination: Black Mountain
Ascent Commenced: 11:57 AM
Summit Reached: 12:51 PM
Time Elapsed: 00:54
Trailhead Elevation: 1,320'
Summit Elevation: 2,830'
Distance: 1.9 miles
Vertical Gain: 1,600'
Hike Ended: 2:22 PM
Hike Time Elapsed: 02:25
Hike Vertical Gain: 1,705'



The Chippewa Trail trailhead on Lime Kiln Road


Looking southwest at Mt. Moosilauke from the Black Mountain summit




Directions to trailhead: Take Route 25 West from I-93 for quite some time, then take a right onto Lime Kiln Road. Head down this road, bearing left at a fork in the road, thus staying on Lime Kiln Road. The small parking area and trail head are on the right during a somewhat sharp turn.

Back to Black Mountain Profile




Copyright 2002-2021, All Rights Reserved.
www.FranklinSites.com