Hiking Trails


History of hiking trails in the White Mountains, New Hampshire. The hiking trails in the White Mountains are known for being rugged and steep, but how they came to be is often overlooked. Trails that were built in the 1800s and early 1900s are still in use today; and the oldest continuously-used mountain trail in America, Crawford Path in the Presidential Range, is located in the White Mountains. With the use of photography, writing, and research, this work focuses on the White Mountains trail system.


An Evolving Landscape, White Mountains

Black Brook Footbridge - Pemigewasset Wilderness
An Evolving Landscape, White Mountains - It amazes me how much the landscape of the White Mountains changes over time. Many visitors to the White Mountains think of the area as being "stuck in time" because of its national forest designation. The reality is lots of change occurs naturally and by man. I thought it would be interesting to show scenes that no longer exist in the White Mountains. These scenes all disappeared over the last ten years....[Continue reading] ...

Mount Osceola Trail, White Mountains

Mount Osceola Trail on the summit of Mount Osceola in the White Mountains, New Hampshire USA during the winter months
Mount Osceola Trail, White Mountains - The New Hampshire White Mountains have been photographed inside and out and possibly from every vantage point. And it has become common to see identical shots of a location from two, three or four photographers. Some images are so identical it looks as if photographers set up their tripods in the same spot...[Continue reading] ...

Davis Path, AMC Trail Work

Davis Path in the White Mountains New Hampshire | ScenicNH Photography LLC
Davis Path, AMC Trail Work - In July 2012, I had the opportunity to hike into the Dry River Wilderness in the New Hampshire White Mountains to photograph stonework that is being built along the Davis Path. A professional AMC Trail crew, with the help of volunteers, is working on a trail project repairing heavy erosion damage along a section of Davis Path...[Continue reading] ...

November 2013, Pemi Wilderness Suspension Bridge Update

Pemigewasset Wilderness Bridge Removal
November 2013, Pemi Wilderness Suspension Bridge Removal Update - The remaining debris from the Pemi Wilderness suspension bridge removal project, along the East Branch of the Pemi, in the New Hampshire White Mountains appears to have been removed out of the designated wilderness area. The debris is now outside of the wilderness boundary along the Pemi East Side Trail. However, some debris does remain at the Black Brook bridge site, which was also removed during this project ...

Mittersill-Cannon Trail, Cannon Mountain

Mittensill-Cannon Trail - Cannon Mountain
Mittersill-Cannon Trail, Cannon Mountain - In 2012, Senate Bill 217 was introduced to the New Hampshire legislature. The main focus of the bill was the leasing of the Cannon Mountain Ski Area. It also proposed renaming Franconia Notch State Park to Franconia Notch Veterans' Memorial State Park, the building of a veterans memorial and the development of a hiking corridor on Mittersill Mountain...[Continue reading] ...

Repaired Trail Blazing, Trail Maintenance

Mount Tecumseh Trail - Waterville Valley, New Hampshire
Repaired Trail Blazing, Trail Maintenance - Some of the issues along the Mt Tecumseh Trail in Waterville Valley New Hampshire have been addressed and corrected by Forest Service. I commend Forest Service for correcting issues along this trail. And it is satisfying to know they are taking the needed steps to improve the White Mountains trail system...[Continue reading] ...

Mt Tecumseh Trail, New Hampshire

Mount Tecumseh Trail - White Mountains, New Hampshire
Mt Tecumseh Trail, New Hampshire - Today I hiked the Mt Tecumseh Trail in Waterville Valley to photograph a section of fairly new stonework. In October of 2011 I was asked to photograph this work, and at the time I questioned the quality of work, so I have continued to photograph it. The included photos show that the hillside is collapsing, and the steps are not holding up....[Continue reading] ...

Shoal Pond, Pemigewasset Wilderness

Shoal Pond - Pemigewasset Wilderness, New Hampshire
Shoal Pond, Pemigewasset Wilderness - Shoal Pond is a secluded 5-acre pond in the Pemigewasset Wilderness in the New Hampshire White Mountains. The average depth is one foot with a max depth of three feet (source, NH Fish & Game). The definition of “Shoal” is an area of shallow water, so this is likely why the pond was given this name....[Continue reading] ...

December 2011, Pemi Wilderness Steel Bridge Update

Pemi Wilderness - Steel Bridge Update
December 2011, Pemi Wilderness Steel Bridge Removal Update - Along with the removal of the suspension bridge that crossed the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River along the Wilderness Trail in the Pemigewasset Wilderness, New Hampshire, a steel beam footbridge along the Wilderness Trail that crossed Black Brook was also removed ...

August 2011, Pemi Wilderness Suspension Bridge Update

Pemi Wilderness- Suspension Bridge Update
August 2011, Pemi Wilderness Suspension Bridge Removal Update - Since the last update in April 2011, a couple more volunteer groups supervised by Forest Service have ventured into the Pemigewasset Wilderness of New Hampshire to remove bridge debris from the 180 foot suspension bridge. Located along the Wilderness Trail, this bridge was dismantled in late 2009 because of safety issues and to date debris remains at the site ...