White Mt. NF--Wildcat Ridge Trail, Pinkham's Grant/Bean's Purchase

White Mt. NF--Wildcat Ridge Trail, Pinkham's Grant/Bean's Purchase

Jackson, New Hampshire 03846

White Mountain National Forest Official Website

About this Location

The Wildcat Ridge Trail is a challenging 8.4-mile out-and-back hike in the White Mountain National Forest. The trail offers views of Mount Washington and the Presidential Range, as well as opportunities to see wildflowers and wildlife. The trail starts near the Ellis River and climbs steeply through mixed forests, with some sections requiring scrambling over exposed rock slabs. The trail reaches the summit of Wildcat Mountain, where there is a ski patrol hut, and then descends to a junction with the Lost Pond Trail. The trail is open year-round, but hikers should be prepared for muddy conditions and bring traction devices and poles for winter hiking. Dogs are allowed on the trail but must be leashed.

About White Mountain National Forest

See all hotspots at White Mountain National Forest

In the decades prior to 1911, the unregulated logging practices of private timber companies in the White Mountains had resulted in a damaged landscape susceptible to both fire and flood. Fires had burned thousands of acres, and flash floods affected the water power necessary to the mills of major industrial centers downstream, such as Manchester, New Hampshire, and Lowell, Massachusetts. Concerns over losses to industry, business, and tourism, and the growing conservation movement led to citizen action. The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) and Society for Protection of New Hampshire Forests (SPNHF) spearheaded an effort to ensure the permanent protection of the White Mountains from further depredation. After years of lobbying and intense public pressure, Senator John Weeks of Massachusetts, a native of Lancaster, New Hampshire, introduced legislation that became known as the Weeks Act. The Weeks Act was passed by Congress in 1911, appropriating 9 million dollars to purchase 6 million acres of land in the Eastern U.S. In turn, this led to the creation of the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) in 1918, and twenty-one other national forests throughout the north and southeast. Many of the groups who were instrumental in the passage of the Weeks Act, including the SPNHF and the AMC, are still active today, and the WMNF has grown from 7,000 acres to almost 800,000. Today, the reforested mountains and hillsides supply forest products and provide magnificent recreational opportunities while maintaining healthy watersheds and ecosystems.

Notable Trails

The AllTrails website has a description and map of a hike on the Wildcat Ridge Trail.

Features

  • Restrooms on site

  • Wheelchair accessible trail

  • Entrance fee

Content from White Mountain National Forest Official Website

Last updated November 22, 2023