Mittersill-Cannon Trail, Cannon Mountain – I apologize for the politics, but it will help in understanding how this trail came to be. In 2012, Senate Bill 217 was introduced to the New Hampshire legislature. The main focus of the bill was the leasing of the Cannon Mountain Ski Area. It also proposed renaming Franconia Notch State Park to Franconia Notch Veterans' Memorial State Park, the building of a veterans memorial and the development of a hiking corridor on Mittersill Mountain.
The bill became a circus when claims of environmental damage on Mittersill was posted online. The claims were put to rest after Mittersill was inspected by the state Department of Environmental Services, and it was determined there were no erosion issues. The ending result of SB217 was the development of a hiking corridor on Mittersill being approved. More than likely the Cannon Mountain Ski Area will be the focus of leasing again so stay tuned.
The Mittersill-Cannon Trail starts at the base of Mittersill Mountain (park in lot 1 on Mittersill Road off of Rt. 18). It follows ski trails and access roads up and over Mittersill to the summit of Cannon Mountain where it connects with the Kinsman Ridge Trail. The ski trail sections are wide and easy to follow.
Now that there is a legal hiking trail, I recommend visiting the summit of Mittersill at least once. At this point, the Cannon Mountain side of the Mittersill-Cannon Trail is the better route. The Mittersill Mountain side of the trail has areas of tall grass some hikers will not like.
The summit of Mittersill offers excellent views and is a great spot to take in some mountain air. Skiers should consider hiking to the summit just to see how different the landscape looks during the summer months.
I do not know many, if any, hikers who enjoy hiking ski trails. Most seem to avoid ski trails. It will be interesting to see how much foot traffic the trail gets. Only time will tell if the Mittersill-Cannon Trail is a success or political blunder. You can view more images of Mittersill Mountain here.
If you are interested in the history of Mittersill Ski Area or are trying to find out the status of the hiking trail, your best resource, with the most accurate information, can be found at Cannon Mountain's website.
Happy image making..
Updates:
2022 – Because of washouts and trail damage, this hiking trail is currently closed. Contact Cannon Mountain (see their website) for the most reliable trail status.
2021 – This hiking trail may be closed. And for the most reliable information on the current status of the trail, contact Cannon Mountain directly or view their website.
2019 – This hiking trail may be closed. And for the most reliable information on the current status of the trail, contact Cannon Mountain directly or view their website.
2015-2016 – With the Mittersill Improvement Project going on, your best option is to call Cannon direct to find out if the Mittersill – Cannon hiking trail is open or closed.
September 2014 – The Mittersill-Cannon Trail is closed to foot traffic because of improvements being done on Mittersill Mountain. Cannon Mountain staff verified this information in a phone conversation. It is unknown when the trail will reopen so plan accordingly. Read the press release here.
August 16, 2013 – Recently hikers traversed the Mitersill-Cannon Trail with their dog. They consider the trail to be dog friendly. This is good information for dog owners.
Owner of ScenicNH Photography LLC
Erin Paul is a professional photographer, writer, and author who specializes in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the New Hampshire White Mountains. His work is published worldwide, and publication credits include: Appalachian Mountain Club, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Backpacker Magazine, and The Wilderness Society.
I liked the trail in the sense that it provided for a more mellow assent(less steep) then going up the Kinsman Ridge Trail from the tram parking lot. The views from the trail are nice but the trails themselves aren’t all that scenic. Especially on the decent all the loose gravel, dirt, and small rocks makes it a bit annoying as you have to be so careful with your footing. With a wet trail athe llloose dirt, gravel and rocks would be especially dangerous.
Thanks for commenting Dave! I feel the same way about the loose gravel. You have to be careful on the descent. It is a cool alternative to hiking Cannon.