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Mount Willard and Hitchcock Flume
Route Summary A relatively easy hike to Mount Willard rewards you with close-up views of Crawford Notch, rounded out with views of many more mountains farther in the distance. This hike also includes a detour to Hitchcock Flume on an easy-to-follow but grown-in spur path. The hike starts off in the White Mountain National Forest, and then enters Crawford Notch State Park. Ascent and Summit Spurs:
Hitchcock Flume:
Descent and Stream Spurs:
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Trail Guide The hike to Mount Willard is a popular one with a fair amount of friendly people on the trail and at the summit. The detour to Hitchcock Flume is lesser known and overgrown so I didn't run into anyone else during that segment of the hike. Since this is a long trip report, I've divided it into sections: Ascent and Summit Spurs Ascent and Summit Spurs The trail starts across the railroad tracks from the Crawford Notch Depot / Macomber Family Information Center. The combined Mount Willard and Avalon Trails run flat for 0.1 mile and then they split off. I took a left to follow Mount Willard Trail which was still level for the next 0.1 mile. I crossed a wide, shallow, slow-moving brook then after a bit the trail turns to the right and starts climbing. The trail climbed fairly easily and I soon found myself at the short spur for Centennial Pool on the right. I descended some rock steps and then went down a bit of ledge in order to reach the very edge of the stream. This gave me a good view of the pretty pool and the cascade spilling into it. The pool and waterfall were small; I was here one year in early May when both were much more substantial. Back on the main trail, I continued climbing, now at a more moderate rate. In the woods it was a refreshing 50 degrees so that made the hike more enjoyable. The trail was wide and often rocky but the footing was good. I passed through a mixture of hardwood and hemlock woods. As I got closer to the top, the grade eased and I was soon emerging onto open ledges with fantastic views. The only other time I was on the summit of Mount Willard was during haze so heavy that there wasn't even a hint of the nearby mountains. But today it was very clear with blue skies and it was a pleasant 70 degrees on the sunny ledges. The view showed Crawford Notch close up, with Webster Cliffs looming up to the left and Willey Cliffs to the right. Cradled in the U-shaped notch between these formations are Route 302 and a railroad. Willey Pond, opposite the Crawford Notch State Park Visitor Center (Willey House Historical Site) was easy to spot to the left of the road. Farther out was a beautiful array of mountains. The views were mostly to the south and southeast but by following the ledges around to the left (when coming off the trail), you could just see the top of Mount Washington (distinguished by its summit buildings) and get better views of a couple mountains on either side of it. Before I settled down for lunch, I went to the far right (when coming off the trail) of the ledges and found a trail entering the woods there. Following the path, I discovered that it quickly led to two more outlooks. These points didn't offer much room for lounging around and the views weren't as stunning as on the main ledges, but they did offer interesting perspectives that I thought were worth checking out. From the first one was a neat view of the cliffs of Mount Willard itself; and the second outlook showed mountains at the far end of Webster Cliffs that were obscured by that bulk from the main outlook. I returned to the roomy cliffs and sat to enjoy lunch where both people and chipmunks were milling about. I chatted with some friendly folks from Gorham, New Hampshire and Boston, Massachusetts. I eventually left the sunshine in pursuit of the deeply shaded Hitchcock Flume. Hitchcock Flume The last time I had visited the 0.2-mile spur to Hitchcock Flume – 11 years ago – the trail was somewhat rough. It is now totally obscured – unless you know what to look for. The spur leaves Mount Willard Trail just 0.1 mile down from the summit at a wide sandy area on the right. It's not a detour for everyone, but in spite of having to push through overgrowth and scoot under blowdowns, I think it was worth it. The spur is easy to follow if you remember this simple rule: Keep your eyes on the ground in order to determine the route. The footway is obvious but when you look up, you won't be finding any open-looking trails. I headed downhill, mostly walking crouched over in order to avoid some of the overgrowth. After 0.1 mile, I arrived at a small clearing with a big, neat-looking boulder. Ah, to stand up straight was nice. I then continued on the trail to the left, still descending. In a minor muddy spot, I was gratified to see footprints – I wasn't the only one determined to get to Hitchcock Flume. I scooted under a final blowdown and was surprised to find myself just a few feet from the head of the flume. It would have been easy to keep going and slide on the loose rocks right into the flume! The gorge consists of two sheer walls of rock separated by only about four feet. I could look all the way through it and see Route 302 far below. It is perhaps only 250 feet long. The bottom was just damp but I imagine it sees water flowing through it after rain or during spring runoff. I walked on a path just to the right of the flume. Most of the edge was lined with bulky conifers but the path led me to a small overlook that let me look into what was probably the deepest part of the flume – I'm guessing about twenty feet down. It was hard to get photos because tree branches hung over the opening and I felt like I could easily tumble into the abyss. There were some obstructed mountain views towards Mount Jackson from this spot. Below this overlook, it looked like the path continued down more steeply and over a blowdown. I didn't continue down but now I wished I had. Perhaps the path led to the opening on the far end of the flume and then I could have walked into it from that end – the lower part of the flume looked like it had a fairly level, ledgy floor. Back at the head of the flume, it looked like there was faint trailway farther to the right of the path that paralleled the flume. I took the path of least resistance downhill and then veered off to the right and by barreling my way through brush and under and over blowdowns, found a small spot that had some decent views towards Mount Jackson. However, given the effort plus the wonderful views I had just left at the summit, this detour wasn't worth it even though it was only about 75 yards long. I returned to the head of the gorge, then easily made my way back up most of the spur. There was one tricky spot where a rotted log blocks the path at the top of a big-step-up and raspberry bushes (prickers!) block the route to the right with something more substantial blocking the left side. So, expect to get pricked at this spot. Or if your legs are long enough to step up and over the log, that's good, but don't count on the log to hold any weight. Descent and Stream Spurs Soon I was back on Mount Willard Trail which looked remarkably tame and easy compared to Hitchcock Flume Spur. The hike down was easy with scattered rock steps assisting. As I came close to Centennial Pool, I noticed a short unsigned spur on my left that led to the stream at a spot about 50 feet above the pool. This provided a nice view of the rock-filled waterway. Back on the main trail I went by the spur to the pool, passed by a couple overlooks down to the stream, and then saw another unsigned spur on the left. I descended down the short path to arrive at the edge of a different section of the brook. There was a big boulder in the middle that was easy to get to and gave me a great view of a couple mini cascades plus a tributary that joined in a bit upstream. The stream seemed to consist more of rocks than water. I climbed back up to the main trail and continued the descent on Mount Willard Trail. Soon I reached the level section, the brook crossing, and then the junction with Avalon Trail. It was a rewarding hike for not much effort. It makes a good half-day outing. |
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Driving Directions
The trailhead is behind the Crawford Notch Depot / Macomber Family Information Center (visitor center) which is located on Route 302 in Carroll (Twin Mountain), New Hampshire. From the West: From the junction of Routes 3 and 302 in Carroll (Twin Mountain), follow Rt. 302 East for 8.2 miles, then turn right into the parking lot for the Crawford Notch Depot / Macomber Family Information Center, which is immediately after the entrance to the parking lot for the AMC Highland Center. From the East: Follow Rt. 302 West. The Crawford Notch Depot / Macomber Family Information Center will be on the left about 3 miles west of the Willey House Historical Site. The parking lot is immediately before the entrance for the parking lot for the AMC Highland Center. Trailhead: To get to the trail, go behind the Crawford Notch Depot / Macomber Family Information Center (the gift shop building), cross the tracks and pick up the path on the other side. After a few yards you will see a trail sign. Facilities The Crawford Notch Depot / Macomber Family Information Center offers a small museum, gift shop, bathrooms, and coin-operated showers. It also has benches and picnic tables. Right next door, the AMC Highland Center offers bathrooms, meals, lodging, a small shop with books and maps, and evening programs. More Mt. Willard Trail Reports |
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