The Cohos Trail runs the length of Coos County in northern New Hampshire, from Notchland (near North Conway) to the Canadian border. Born in 1996 and raised since then largely by one man, Kim Robert Nilsen, the trail is still in its infancy. It threads its way for 162 miles through remote parts of the White Mountain National Forest and the Great North Woods of New Hampshire, following existing trails, snowmobile routes, moose tracks, and back roads. The trail is incomplete – there is a 12- mile road section towards the north end. Facilities of any kind are few and far between – most of the trail is in true wilderness.

Beginning at South End – Jefferson

We planned a through-hike of the Cohos Trail heading north from its south end, starting on 31 July 2004. Leaving the car at Applebrook B&B in Jefferson, we arranged a ride to the trailhead and hiked up the Davis Path to Resolution Shelter, taking in a side trip to Mt. Crawford. An easy day; 3.5 hours. Heavy rain overnight left the rocky trail very wet and muddy, so it was slow going – 8 hours – the next day to reach a campsite at the Dry River. On the way we visited the summit of Mt. Isolation as the weather improved.

The next morning the trail crossing at Dry River was still unsafe, but we were able to cross upstream. Sometimes the water flow makes an extra 3-hour detour necessary. Reaching the Crawford Path via the Eisenhower Trail, we saw other people for the first time in a day-and-a-half. We ascended Mt. Eisenhower, then descended on the Edmands Path and proceeded via the Upper Falls of the Ammonoosuc River out to the grounds of the Mt. Washington Hotel. On roads, after a supper stop at Fabyan's Restaurant to rest our blistered feet and burning soles, we reached a campsite on Cherry Mountain Road at the end of a 12-hour day. We met a south-bound Cohos Trail hiker who told us of very wet and muddy trail conditions to come.

On our 4th day, we reached the first sign for the Cohos Trail. Raspberries were plentiful, but so were the brambles.

Weather Dictates Day's Plan

The next morning we continued up the road, with a view of Mt. Deception, and then hiked over Mt. Martha and Owls Head, the latter having good views. After passing the Owls Head trailhead, we reached the first sign since the beginning of the trip identifying this as the Cohos Trail. We had intended to hike via Cherry Pond to reach Applebrook, but our sore feet and a deluge convinced us otherwise – 3 miles along the road took us there more directly, for a total of 8.5 hours this day. The following day we took it easy, hiking the Trail around Cherry Pond in a loop, but it was still more than 4.5 hours. The trail in some of these areas was a challenge – ploughing through extensive raspberry tangles in shorts is not to be recommended, but at least the raspberries were plentiful and ripe.

Trail! What Trail?

While enjoying Sandra Conley's muffins at Applebrook, we considered the merits of this trail, and what constitutes a trail. So far, our efforts had far outweighed the rewards, and it seemed likely that this trend would continue. Our through-hike of the Cohos Trail appeared to mean slopping along muddy and overgrown routes or rough trail in dense forest that afforded few if any views. Long days on the main path also meant little time to enjoy side trails to interesting viewpoints. So we changed our plans, deciding instead to do day hikes and short backpacks to enjoy highlights of the remainder of the Trail.

Day Hikes Order of the Day

The next day we hiked on the Cohos Trail over Mt. Starr-King to Mt. Waumbek, and returned the same way. This gave us our only sighting of a moose while on the Trail. After a final night at Applebrook, we backpacked to Unknown Pond and camped there for two nights, hiking north and south on the Kilkenny Ridge Trail to enjoy extensive views from Roger's Ledge, The Horn, and Mt. Cabot. A young deer, waist-high and hardly afraid at all, overtook us on the trail, too quickly to take a picture, but leaving a lasting memory. The second night was another one of heavy rain and spattered mud, but after hiking out to the car and visiting Pond Brook Falls in the Nash Stream Forest, we drove to a launderette.

From North Percy, Victor Head is just in front Christine Lake. This was our best-weather day, but distance views were still lost in the mist.

That night we stayed at the Stark Village Inn, recommended by another south-bound Cohos Trail hiker we had met. Then we finally had a day of perfect weather, and hiked from Christine Lake to Victor Head, with superb views, and North Percy Peak, giving blueberries as well as a 360-degree panorama. The steep and exposed rock of North Percy requires care and dry conditions – the Trail guide refers to two people and one moose who have slid to their deaths here.

Our final two nights were at Coleman State Park, on Little Diamond Pond, in the remote upland plateau of northern New Hampshire – we picked a campsite alongside the Cohos Trail where it enters the campground. A short drive took us to the Balsams Grand Resort Hotel at Dixville Notch, from where alternative "low" and "high" routes of the Trail provided a convenient loop hike via Mud Pond (much prettier than its name) and Sanguinary Mountain, on which the Trail has its Panorama Shelter (which falls short of its name). At Panorama Shelter we again encountered a north-bound Cohos Trail hiker who we had met at Resolution Shelter and not seen since, as he had bypassed and hitch-hiked some parts of the trail. He considered that our change of plans had been a better choice, offering more pleasure than through-hiking on the Trail.

Learning that rain was forecast for the next four days, we decided to hike another loop the same day in favourable weather. We ascended the very steep Table Rock Trail and descended via the Three Brothers Trail and Huntington Falls. The trails at Dixville Notch provide some picture-postcard views.

Driving further north on our last day, we stopped at First, Second, and Third Connecticut Lakes, all points on the Cohos Trail that seem better suited for visits by car than by foot. We also drove to and hiked up Mt. Magalloway, on a possible future route of the Trail, but visibility was too poor for the views to be fully appreciated. Crossing the border into Canada gave the best view on this day, looking north on Highway 257 towards Chartierville and Mont Mégantic in Québec. One day, the Cohos Trail may link up with the Sentiers Frontaliers trail system leading to Mont Mégantic.

On Reflection...

On returning home, e-mails included the monthly "Cohos Trekker" newsletter, from which we quote: "Coos County is underwater. Repeated heavy rains have made trails wet and some streams impassable at times. Particularly dangerous have been the crossings at Dry River on the Eisenhower Trail, and Cascade Brook near Huntington Falls in Dixville, along the Three Brothers Trail. Upper Falls on the Ammonoosuc River near Bretton Woods has claimed a young life."

As noted above, the Cohos Trail is still in its infancy, and is best through-hiked only by those who feel a need to do this for its own sake. When the Trail has matured, it may be more pleasant for through-hiking, but this is likely to take a few years. Even then, it will probably remain a route for those wanting an adventure in the wilderness rather than spectacular daily views.

...Our Recommendation

Meanwhile, there are places along the Cohos Trail that deserve to be better known. We would recommend Mt. Crawford, Owls Head, Roger's Ledge, Victor Head, North Percy Peak, and Dixville Notch for day hikes, and Mt. Isolation and The Horn for short backpacking trips. Combine these with good weather, sunrise over Little Diamond Pond while staying at Coleman State Park, muffins and the view of Owls Head at Applebrook B&B in Jefferson, and raspberries & blueberries in August, and you will be well satisfied.

Click on the photographs to view them in large format. You will be linked to album of all the photographs. [Album will open in separate browser window.]

Update (2009-03-14) : The Cohos Trail is almost complete and will shortly connect with the Sentiers Frontaliers trail system in Quebec.

This article first appeared in the Ottawa Rambling Club newsletter, the Rambler, Autumn 2004 (Vol. 11 No. 3).