Mt Cardigan, Grafton County NH

• 5-star hikes
• 3 to 5 mile options
• Moderate & Hard | Gain 1,180 to 1,880 feet
• Orange, NH | Sunapee Region
. NHFT 52WAV

a beautiful mountainous landscape with a clear blue sky and scattered clouds. In the foreground, there are rocky terrains with coniferous trees, and a prominent rounded mountain peak is visible in the middle ground. The background reveals rolling hills and dense forests stretching into the distance.

Mt Cardigan viewed from Firescrew on East Loop.

Although the New Hampshire timberline is over four thousand feet above sea level, there are several notable mountain summits below this height that are bereft of trees, affording spectacular views. Mount Cardigan is one of these summits, caused by a 1855 forest fire which burned off vegetation and topsoil resulting in a denuded and desolate peak. The mountain’s loss is our gain – at least in terms of the views available to us from the summit. This article explores the best ways for day hikers to reach the summit and find the best trails and views.

At the summit of Mount Cardigan you'll find a squat structure anchored to the rock; thoroughly refurbished in 2023 complete with a new cabin. This fire tower is one of around thirty standing fire towers in NH, and a target of the state's Fire Tower Quest. If you would like to locate and visit more of the Fire Towers of New England, check out Trailspotting's Fire Towers of New England article linked at the bottom of the page, which also leads to more trail reviews and maps like this.
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4★ West Ridge Trail 3.0 mi out & back, moderate, gain 1180 ft
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions

5★ West Loop 3.4 mi loop, moderate, gain 1250 ft
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions

5★ East Loop 5.3 mi loop, moderate, gain 1860 ft
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions

5★ Holt-Manning Loop 4.9 mi loop, hard, gain 1880 ft
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions

5★ Holt-Clark Loop 4.5 mi loop, hard, gain 1750 ft
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions

We've explored the popular routes to the summit of Mount Cardigan and we can recommend all of them, but which one is best for you will depend on your preference for mileage and difficulty of terrain.

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West Ridge Trail
Shortest route. Family friendly.
This is the shortest route from trailhead to summit, and suitable for hikers of all ages. After hiking through light forest across rocks and roots, the landscape changes to exposed granite slabs and squat evergreen trees. Continue up the slabs to reach the summit. The State Park trailhead is appointed with a picnic area and restrooms, though outside of peak season the restrooms are usually out of action.

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West Loop
More views. Additional Peak.
This route combines West Ridge Trail with South Ridge Trail for more views and trail variety. Begin at the state park trailhead and follow the West Ridge Trail through a forest of maple, birch and beech trees for two-thirds of a mile to the junction that marks the start of the South Ridge Trail. Choosing a counter-clockwise loop, continue through the forest on the South Ridge Trail until the tree line recedes around 1 mile into your hike. The forest trail involves some level sections, but also rocky steps and some roots with occasional mud in places. The return trip on the clockwise route proceeds down the West Ridge Trail all the way back to the trailhead and parking lot, for a total length of 3.4 miles.

The image shows a person walking on a forest trail, surrounded by tall trees with green and yellow leaves, suggesting it’s autumn. The ground is covered with fallen leaves, and the path appears to be ascending with rocks and roots forming natural steps.

Forest of maple, birch and beech on the West Loop.

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East Loop
Great views. More challenging terrain.
Bridging the Clark Trail and the Manning Trail with the Mowglis Trail to Firescrew Mountain serves as an excellent moderate loop on Cardigan's eastern flanks. This route offers a variety of terrain, includes the second peak of Firescrew Mountain and has excellent views of Cardigan's summit from the North. Both trails feature some steep granite slabs and the Manning Trail includes a few rock scrambles too. The jury is out on whether a clockwise or counter-clockwise route is best. If you seek the shortest moderate eastern route, do an out-and-back of Clark for 4.8 miles and 1,730 feet of elevation gain, though you do miss out on some of the best views.

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Holt Trail
Hard. Attempt only in ideal conditions.
This trail isn't for the faint of heart, but it is our personal favorite way up the mountain. Described by AMC as "one of the most difficult trails in New England" due mostly to a couple of particular patches of steep granite, experienced hikers should enjoy this route providing they tackle it in perfect conditions and with high-friction footwear. Though pitched at a steep gradient at these two locations, the terrain was rough enough to get plenty of purchase with hands and feet, and at no point was our mild fear of heights triggered.

The image shows a caution sign posted in a forested area with trees visible in the background. The sign is in Comic Sans font for some reason, and reads: 'Caution This is the shortest, but most difficult route to the summit of Mt Cardigan. The upper ledges are steep and the scramble up the ledges is much more difficult than on any other trail in this section, and one of the most difficult in New England. It may not be dangerous in usual dry conditions but should extreme wet and icy conditions allow extra time for this challenging and strenuous climb. You will not be able to bushwhack across to this trail from another trail and will have to return to not recommended for descents to another trail junction.'

A Comic-Sans warning to those setting out on the Holt Trail.

We've provided links to two looping routes that return to the east trailhead, so when you ascend Holt Trail, you can choose whether to return on the Clark or Manning Trail. Clark is the shorter route, but Manning will provide you with more varied and additional mountain views. We advise against trying to hike the Holt Trail during wet or icy weather, and recommend against trying to descend using the Holt Trail.

Mount Cardigan is featured as part of the New Hampshire 52 With A View hiking list, which showcases peaks with some the best scenic views in the state. The link at the foot of this article takes you to Trailspotting's map of the peaks on the full list and shows all of the trails on which to reach them. Follow us as we explore all the peaks on this list and publish trail reviews featuring descriptions, photography and downloadable maps.

The image shows a fire lookout tower on top of a large, smooth rock surface, likely a mountain or hill. The sky is clear and blue, indicating good weather. The tower has a sturdy metal framework with stairs leading up to an enclosed observation room at the top. Two individuals are in the image; one is standing near the base of the tower, while the other is seated further away on the rock surface, enjoying the view.

Mount Cardigan's refurbished fire tower (before).

The image shows a wooden signpost with directional arrows, mounted on a pile of rocks, against a backdrop of a forested landscape with low-lying clouds or fog in the valleys. The signpost indicates “Skyland Trail” to the left and “West Peak Trail” to the right.

Views on the descent of the West Ridge Trail.

The image shows a split view with two different scenes. On the left side, there is a view of a forest canopy with sunlight filtering through the leaves, which are showing autumnal colors. The right side of the image shows a large white building with multiple windows and a grey roof, identified as “Cardigan Lodge” by the sign in front. The building appears to be in a rural or natural setting with trees around it and clear blue skies above.

Fall colors on the West trails. | East trailhead at the AMC Lodge.

Tangents:
• Official: NH State Parks
• Public Maps at AllTrails: West Loop, East Loop, Holt
• Facebook Group: Comment on this article

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