Bald Peak (Kinsman)

• Start at the new Mount Kinsman Trailhead located off of Route 116 in Easton. All but the last 0.2 mile of the hike up will be via Mount Kinsman Trail.
• The first 0.5 mile of the trail has been newly relocated and follows a narrow trail uphill, then downhill, and then uphill again, passing through pretty woods with ferns and hemlocks. The path is easy to follow and is occasionaly marked with survey ribbon. Near the end of this section, another narrow trail crosses Mount Kinsman Trail; keep going straight until reaching a signed T-junction with a wide trail.

• This wide trail is the original route of Mount Kinsman Trail. To the left, blocked off with logs across the trail, is the old route that is no longer in use. Turn right and after just 0.1 mile, you will pass by an old sugar house on the left. The remainder of Mount Kinsman Trail is blazed in blue.
• Continue on easy grades for 0.5 mile which will bring you to a junction.
• A woods road will continue straight/left while Mount Kinsman Trail veers right and enters the White Mountain National Forest at a double blue blaze and at a yellow sign marking the WMNF boundary. Bear right to stay on Mount Kinsman Trail, then 30 yards later turn left, still following the blue blazes for Mount Kinsman Trail.
• Climb for 0.4 mile then cross a brook (the first stream crossing). If you wish to make a trailless detour, turn left and follow the brook upstream for less than 0.1 mile. You will find a pretty waterfall dropping over a bouldery cliff.
• Continue on Mount Kinsman Trail for another 0.6 mile and cross Flume Brook, which is the third stream crossing since entering the White Mountain National Forest.
• If you wish to take a detour, turn right on a side path (small sign) immediately after the brook crossing and follow the rough, narrow, spur almost 0.1 mile to where it ends at the very edge of Kinsman flume. Looking down you can view the very narrow flume. It's a fascinating formation and worth the detour yet it's a bit frustrating to try to get a good view without falling in since you are looking at it from above.
• On the main trail, continue climbing for less than 0.1 mile where you will find a junction. Mount Kinsman Trail curves to the left while Bald Peak Spur turns right. Turn right and follow the spur trail through small ups and downs for 0.2 mile which will bring you to the open Bald Peak.
• When you are done enjoying the summit, retrace your steps to return to your vehicle. After 0.2 mile on Bald Peak Spur, turn left and head downhill on Mount Kinsman Trail. After 1.0 mile on Mount Kinsman Trail, turn left and continue descending on Mount Kinsman Trail another 0.6 mile, then at the point where logs block the wide trail, turn left at the sign for the final 0.5 mile hike to the parking lot.

• Take Exit 38 off of I-93. The exit is signed "18, 116, 117, 142, Franconia, Sugar Hill".
• Turn west which will be towards Routes 18, 116, and 117.
• After barely 0.1 mile you will reach a flashing traffic light in downtown Franconia which is the junction of Routes 18 and 116.

• Go straight through the intersection onto Rt. 116 and follow that road for 4.4 miles, then turn left into a signed (the sign is small) parking area which is next to and across from a tennis camp. The turn is 0.2 mile after the Franconia/Easton town line. You will see tennis courts on both sides of the street and a very small pond on the left – turn left immediately after the pond.

• From the junction of Routes 112 and 116 in Easton, head north on Rt. 116.
• Travel for 1.7 miles beyond the town hall in Easton center which will be on the left.
• Turn right into a signed (the sign is small) parking area which is next to and across from a tennis camp. The turn is across the road from a tennis court, just before a very small pond and another tennis court.

• There is ample parking in the parking lot.
• The trailhead is at the far end of the parking area, opposite the entrance. There is a sign at the trailhead.

• North Kinsman via Mount Kinsman Trail on 1/10/2009

Spring wildflowers in bloom during a hike to Bald Peak on May 10th.
Wild Oats - Red Trillium - Trout Lily (from left to right)

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