Robertson Bridge, Webster Cliff Trail
Robertson Bridge, Webster Cliff Trail - Built in 2008, the 56-foot-long Robertson Bridge is dedicated to the memory of Albert Sargent Robertson and his wife, Priscilla. Albert and Priscilla volunteered their time to the AMC Four Thousand Footer Club, and Albert was one of the founding members. After Albert passed away, Priscilla remained involved with the club...[Continue reading] ...
Bridges, Pemigewasset Wilderness
Bridges, Pemigewasset Wilderness - Since 2009, three bridges have been removed from the Pemigewasset Wilderness. At 45,000 acres, the Pemigewasset Wilderness is New Hampshire’s largest federally designated wilderness. For one reason or another, outdoor enthusiasts not familiar with the Pemigewasset Wilderness confuse these bridges. Two of the removed bridges crossed the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River, and one crossed ...
Black Brook Bridge, Wilderness Trail
Black Brook Bridge, Wilderness Trail - Built in the late 20th-century, this steel beam footbridge was located along the Wilderness Trail, just beyond the former junction of the Wilderness Trail and the Bondcliff Trail, in New Hampshire’s 45,000-acre federally designated Pemigewasset Wilderness. It crossed Black Brook (also called Bear Brook) just above the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad’s legendary trestle ...
Suspension Bridge, Wilderness Trail
Suspension Bridge, Wilderness Trail - Built in 1959-1960 (completed September 1960), the 180-foot long suspension bridge along the Wilderness Trail crossed the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River in New Hampshire's 45,000-acre federally designated Pemigewasset Wilderness. The Wilderness Trail utilizes the railroad bed of the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad (1893-1948), and after railroad operations came to an end, the ...
Home Comfort Stove, Wilderness Trail
Home Comfort Stove, Wilderness Trail - Seen above in 2009 is an old Home Comfort Stove made by the Wrought Iron Range Company in St. Louis, Missouri. This protected artifact remains along the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad (1893-1948) at the sight of logging Camp 18 in New Hampshire's Pemigewasset Wilderness. Today’s Wilderness Trail passes by this historic site...[Continue reading] ...
Redrock Brook, Franconia Brook Trail
Redrock Brook, Franconia Brook Trail - At the Redrock Brook crossing (above), along today’s Franconia Brook Trail in the Pemigewasset Wilderness, remnants of a bridge from the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad (1893-1948) remained for many years. Active during the early 1900s, this branch of the railroad began at trestle No. 7 and ended at logging Camp 13. A few ...
Cedar Brook Spur Line, Bondcliff Trail
Cedar Brook Spur Line, Bondcliff Trail - Located along the Bondcliff Trail (formerly the Wilderness Trail) in the Pemigewasset Wilderness are the remnants of an old spur line of the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad (1893-1948). Most of the spur lines along the mainlines of the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad are easy to locate, but a few, such as ...
Dry Trestle, Wilderness Trail
Dry Trestle, Wilderness Trail - Located along the Wilderness Trail in the Pemigewasset Wilderness is an interesting artifact of the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad (1893-1948). Like most of the trails in this federally designated wilderness, the Wilderness Trail utilizes the old railroad bed right-of-way of the railroad. This dry trestle (or hillside trestle), between North Fork Junction and logging ...
North Fork Junction, Thoreau Falls Trail
North Fork Junction, Thoreau Falls Trail - Seen here in 2017 is the trail junction of the Thoreau Falls Trail (left) and Wilderness Trail (right) in New Hampshire's Pemigewasset Wilderness during the winter months. While the White Mountains trail system has become overrun, during the dead of winter, solitude can still be found deep in the 45,000-acre Pemigewasset Wilderness. Both ...
North Fork Spur Line, Thoreau Falls Trail
North Fork Spur Line, Thoreau Falls Trail - Located along the Thoreau Falls Trail, deep in New Hampshire’s 45,000-acre Pemigewasset Wilderness, is an interesting piece of East Branch & Lincoln Railroad history. In operation from 1893-1948 and originally owned by James E. Henry, this was a logging railroad in the towns of Lincoln and Franconia. Just before the North Fork ...
Camp 9 Spur Line, Franconia Brook Trail
Camp 9 Spur Line, Franconia Brook Trail - When the Franconia Brook Branch of the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad (1893-1948) was in operation, a spur line traveled through this wetlands area along today's Franconia Brook Trail in the Pemigewasset Wilderness; it was not always wetlands. Beavers have been active over the years. The Franconia Brook Branch of the railroad ...
Cable Car, Wilderness Trail
Cable Car, Wilderness Trail - During the mid-1900s, the Wilderness Trail in New Hampshire's Pemigewasset Wilderness began on the southern side of trestle No. 17, along the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad, near logging Camp 17. The Cedar Brook Branch of the railroad also began at this location. With the exception of the Cedar Brook Branch operation, which ended in ...
Ice Pond, Black Pond Trail
Ice Pond, Black Pond Trail - Located at the abandoned site of logging Camp 7 of the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad (1893-1948), near the junction of today's Lincoln Brook Trail and Black Pond Trail in Lincoln, New Hampshire, is a pond known as “Ice Pond”. Many hikers pass by this pond on the side of Black Pond Trail without ...
Split Rock, Boott Spur Trail
Split Rock, Boott Spur Trail - Pictured here along Boott Spur Trail is Split Rock; this interesting glacial erratic is split in half. The scenic Boott Spur Trail begins off of the busy Tuckerman Ravine Trail and ends at Davis Path. If you are hiking Mount Washington and want extensive alpine zone exposure and breathtaking views, this trail is a ...
Madison Boulder, New Hampshire
Madison Boulder, New Hampshire - Considered to be one of the largest known glacial erratics in North America, Madison Boulder weighs roughly 4,662 tons. It is 87 feet long, 23 feet wide, and an impressive 37 feet high. It's worth mentioning that the size of the boulder ranges from source to source. If you enjoy the geology of New Hampshire, ...
Shelter Rock, Old Osseo Trail
Shelter Rock, Old Osseo Trail - Shelter rock is a large boulder on the side of the old Osseo Trail in Lincoln, New Hampshire. Cut in the early 1900s, this section of the Osseo Trail began near the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad’s logging Camp 3. It traveled up through the Clear Brook drainage to Osseo Peak (Whaleback Mountain) and ...
Jewell Trail, White Mountains
Jewell Trail, White Mountains - Established in 1934, the roughly 3.7 mile long Jewell Trail begins at a trailhead on Base Station Road in Chandler's Purchase, New Hampshire. It travels up an unnamed ridge of Mount Clay and eventually ends at the Gulfside Trail; the Gulfside Trail is a segment of the scenic Appalachian Trail. Upon reaching the junction with ...
Picking Up Trash, White Mountains
Picking Up Trash, White Mountains - During this covid pandemic, many hikers have been picking up trash along the trail system here in the White Mountains. And there also has been an increase in hiker organized clean-up days, which is awesome. The easiest way for hikers to “give back” is to pick up trash along the trails...[Continue reading] ...
Sanders Bridge, Randolph Path
Sanders Bridge, Randolph Path - Originally built in 1976, the Sanders Bridge crosses Cold Brook along the Randolph Path in Low and Burbank's Grant, New Hampshire. It is a memorial to Miriam Sanders, who was a long-time resident of Randolph and treasurer of the Randolph Mountain Club (RMC) for many years...[Continue reading] ...
Trailside History, White Mountains
Trailside History, White Mountains - The history of the trail system in the New Hampshire White Mountains is amazing; early 19th-century trail builders are true legends of the White Mountains, and they are forever implanted into the history books. Trails built in the 1800s, such as Crawford Path, Davis Path, and Lowe’s Path, are still in use today. And while ...
Memorial Bridge, Randolph
Memorial Bridge, Randolph - Built in 1923-1924, Memorial Bridge crosses Cold Brook along “The Link” trail in Randolph, New Hampshire. The bridge was dedicated as a memorial to Randolph's early pathmakers (19th-century trail builders) on August 23, 1924. These early pathmakers are responsible for cutting many of the trails in the Northern Presidential Range....[Continue reading] ...
Lincoln Woods Trail, White Mountains
Lincoln Woods Trail, White Mountains - There isn’t a grand story about how the Lincoln Woods Trail came to be, and the trail isn’t named for any famous person. However, this trail is the direct result of J.E. Henry’s historic East Branch & Lincoln Railroad, and that is what makes it so unique....[Continue reading] ...
Six Husbands Trail, Presidential Range
Six Husbands Trail, Presidential Range - When it comes to rugged mountain trails in the New Hampshire White Mountains, the Six Husbands Trail is at the top of the list. This trail dates back to the early 1900s when the legendary AMC Trail-builder Warren W. Hart was cutting trails in the Great Gulf. From 1908-1910, Hart was AMC’s councilor of ...
Random Trail History, White Mountains
Random Trail History, White Mountains - Think about these White Mountains history facts for a minute. Crawford Path is the oldest continuously-used mountain trail in America. Trail maker Charles E. Lowe and Dr. William G. Nowell built Lowe’s Path in 1875-1876. Nathaniel Davis, son-in-law of Abel and Hannah Crawford, built Davis Path in 1845. Nathaniel L. Goodrich (1880-1957) is considered ...
Trail Construction, White Mountains
Trail Construction, White Mountains - In 2011, Tropical Storm Irene caused massive destruction along the East coast of the United States. The White Mountain National Forest was officially closed during the storm. Many trails in the White Mountains were damaged. And this series of photos shows how one trail that suffered storm damaged has changed since Tropical Storm Irene....[Continue reading] ...
Trail Blazing, Trail Stewardship
Trail Blazing, Trail Stewardship - Painted trail blazing (paint marks on trees that mark the path of a trail) along the White Mountains trail system is an endless complaint among outdoor enthusiasts. Either the trail is excessively blazed or not blazed enough. I don’t mind the trails that have little trail blazing, but I'm not a fan of the excessive ...
Interesting Finds, White Mountains
Interesting Finds, White Mountains - My documentary work of historic sites takes me to many areas of the White Mountain National Forest. And I have to admit I have come across many things that I just can’t explain. And today I want to share a few of these interesting finds with you.....[Continue reading] ...
Mt Tecumseh Trail, New Hampshire
Mt. Tecumseh Trail, New Hampshire - This photography focuses on trail work. Since 2011, there has been an excessive amount of stonework done on the Mt. Tecumseh Trail. Sections of trail where four or five stone steps would have done the job have been transformed into one hundred foot long elaborate, unnatural looking, staircases. Trail stewardship groups preach that low-impact ...
Scree Walls, Trail Stewardship
Scree Walls, Trail Stewardship - Today’s blog article focuses on a keyword search term. I chose one search term in this case “scree wall” and searched my image archive to see what imagery I have available that represents this area of trail stewardship. As photographer, these keyword searches help me determine what subject matter I need more coverage of. The ...
Trails of the Pemigewasset Wilderness
Trails of the Pemigewasset Wilderness - At 45,000-acres, the Pemigewasset Wilderness is one of six designated wilderness areas in the White Mountain National Forest. Wilderness areas are governed under the National Wilderness Preservation System and the Wilderness Act of 1964. They are managed much differently than other parts of the National Forest....[Continue reading] ...
Thoreau Falls Trail Bridge, My Viewpoint
Thoreau Falls Trail Bridge, My Viewpoint - Like many in the New England outdoor community, I have been closely following the Thoreau Falls Trail bridge removal project. I have had interesting conversations as to why the bridge should be replaced, but nothing yet has changed my position, I fully support removing this bridge from the Pemigewasset Wilderness. I wrote about ...
Rock Cairns, Trail Stewardship
Rock Cairns, Trail Stewardship: A rock cairn is a man-made pile of rocks that marks a landmark or the route of a hiking trail above tree line. They have been used for many centuries and vary in size from one foot to massive piles of rocks. The word “cairn” is Scottish and means a “heap of stones”. Cairns are found ...
Sustainable Trail Work, White Mountains
Sustainable Trail Work, White Mountains - Here in New Hampshire, all we hear about is environmental friendly and sustainable trail work. And how important it is to conserve the trails for future generations. As an environmental photographer, I support this approach to preserving the trail system. And up until a few years ago, I have always believed that the organizations ...
Thoreau Falls Trail Bridge Removal
Thoreau Falls Trail, Bridge Removal - In August of 2011, Tropical Storm Irene caused massive erosion damage to the White Mountains trail system in New Hampshire. Some trails were damaged so badly that they have been permanently closed. And to this day trail crews are still repairing Irene damaged trails...[Continue reading] ...
Trail Work, Poor Trail Blaze Removal Practices
Trail Work, Poor Trail Blaze Removal Practices - In October 2011, Erin Paul photographed newly painted trail blazing along the Mt. Tecumseh Trail in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire. And sometime in the spring 2012, poor trail stewardship practices were used to remove one of the trail blazes. The bark where the blaze was had been cut and peeled away from ...
Greenleaf Trail, Mount Lafayette
Greenleaf Trail, Mount Lafayette - Greenleaf Trail is located in Franconia Notch in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The Greenleaf Trail is named for Colonel Charles Henry Greenleaf, once owner of the Profile House in Franconia Notch. The Greenleaf Hut, along Greenleaf Trail, is named in his honor so there appears to be a connection.....[Continue reading] ...
Crawford Path, White Mountains
Crawford Path, White Mountains - Crawford Path, located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, is the oldest continuously-used mountain trail in America, and for a period of time it was used as a horse trail to Mt Washington. This eight and half mile historical path came to be in 1819 when Abel Crawford and his son Ethan Allen began ...
Davis Path, White Mountains
Davis Path, White Mountains - Davis Path, built in 1845 by Nathaniel Davis, son-in-law of Abel and Hannah Crawford, was the third and longest bridle path built to the summit of Mount Washington. After being built the bridle path was neglected, and in 1910 it was reopened as a footpath...[Continue reading] ...
Boott Spur Trail, White Mountains
Boott Spur Trail, White Mountains - Boott Spur Trail begins off the Tuckerman Ravine Trail and ends at Davis Path, near the summit of Boott Spur Mountain. At 5500 feet, Boott Spur is named for Francis Boott; an botanist who took part in scientific expeditions to the Presidential Range during the early 1800s. The original route of the trail was ...
Trail Work Erosion, White Mountains
Trail Work Erosion, White Mountains - The included images show how a section of the Mt Tecumseh Trail in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire has elapsed over time. The first two images are from October of 2011 and the last image is from August of 2014. The intent of this visual journal is to record the progression of hillside erosion on ...
An Evolving Landscape, White Mountains
An Evolving Landscape, White Mountains - It amazes me how much the landscape of the White Mountains changes over time. Many visitors to the White Mountains think of the area as being "stuck in time" because of its national forest designation. The reality is lots of change occurs naturally and by man. I thought it would be interesting to show ...
Mount Osceola Trail, White Mountains
Mount Osceola Trail, White Mountains - The New Hampshire White Mountains have been photographed inside and out and possibly from every vantage point. And it has become common to see identical shots of a location from two, three or four photographers. Some images are so identical it looks as if photographers set up their tripods in the same spot...[Continue reading] ...
Davis Path, AMC Trail Work
Davis Path, AMC Trail Work - In July 2012, I had the opportunity to hike into the Dry River Wilderness in the New Hampshire White Mountains to photograph stonework that is being built along the Davis Path. A professional AMC Trail crew, with the help of volunteers, is working on a trail project repairing heavy erosion damage along a section ...
Mittersill-Cannon Trail, Cannon Mountain
Mittersill-Cannon Trail, Cannon Mountain - 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 ...
Repaired Trail Blazing, Trail Maintenance
Repaired Trail Blazing, Trail Maintenance - Some of the issues along the Mt Tecumseh Trail in Waterville Valley New Hampshire have been addressed and corrected by Forest Service. I commend Forest Service for correcting issues along this trail. And it is satisfying to know they are taking the needed steps to improve the White Mountains trail system...[Continue reading] ...
Shoal Pond, Pemigewasset Wilderness
Shoal Pond, Pemigewasset Wilderness - Shoal Pond is a secluded 5-acre pond in the Pemigewasset Wilderness in the New Hampshire White Mountains. The average depth is one foot with a max depth of three feet (source, NH Fish & Game). The definition of “Shoal” is an area of shallow water, so this is likely why the pond was given this ...
December 2011, Pemi Wilderness Steel Bridge Update
December 2011, Pemi Wilderness Steel Bridge Removal Update - Along with the removal of the suspension bridge that crossed the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River along the Wilderness Trail in the Pemigewasset Wilderness, New Hampshire, a steel beam footbridge along the Wilderness Trail that crossed Black Brook was also removed ...
Trail Rock Cairns
Trail Rock Cairns Images by ScenicNH Photography LLC Rock Cairns: A rock cairn is defined as a pile of rocks that marks the location of a hiking trail. They vary in size from one foot to massive piles of rocks. Many rock cairns in the alpine zone of the Presidential Range are impressive eye-catching pieces of art. They are found ...
ScenicNH Photography LLC
Specializing in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the White Mountains region of New Hampshire, Erin Paul’s photography and writing focuses on the history of the White Mountains, and telling the story of abandoned places and forgotten historical sites.