Route: Twins, Zealand, Hale Loop (NH)

Location
New Hampshire, US
Distance
16.5 mi
Description

Adam Wilcox proposed the route:

This has been a staple training route of mine for years that I've done variations of numerous times. It's a logical way to link up four 4,000 foot peaks with one car, clocks in at about 17 miles and 5,520' feet of gain, and has a good variety of trails; steep rocky climbs, flowy singletrack, and viewpoints. I have enough experience here that I'd like to think I picked the most sensible and aesthetic variation.

It goes like this:
-Park at the North Twin Trailhead outside the town of Twin Mountain, New Hampshire.
- Run up the North Twin Trail over the summit of North Twin to South Twin. Down low the trail follows an old logging road that crosses the Little River three times. You can bypass the first two crossings by taking a herd path and staying on the east bank of the river, which I did and I'd recommend you do as well.
- Take the Twinway (Appalachian Trail) over Mount Guyot (making the short side trips to the summit of Zealand and the Zeacliff viewpoint) almost to Zealand Hut. Water is available here. I had enough water on me that I didn't bother with the short side trip to the hut.
- Just before the hut, take the Lend-a-hand Trail to the summit of Mount Hale.
- Locate and take the abandoned Fire Warden's Trail (best to research this elsewhere, lots of info available) from the summit clearing down through beautiful birch glades to the North Twin Trail. You'll come out on the river-bypass mentioned above.
- Descend NWT back to the trailhead.

GPS Track