Mt. Cube Trail (AT), Orford

Mt. Cube Trail (AT), Orford

Orford, New Hampshire 03777

White Mountain National Forest Official Website

About this Location

Mount Cube is a mountain located on the Appalachian Trail. Mount Cube has two summits, the south peak and the north peak, both offering panoramic views of the surrounding area. The south peak is more popular and has a large rock formation called the Quartzite Ledges. The north peak is less visited but has a spur trail that leads to another viewpoint. 

About White Mountain National Forest

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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 at Mount Cube.

Mount Cube via the Appalachian Trail is a 6.8-mile out-and-back trail located near Orford, New Hampshire that offers the chance to see wildlife and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking, trail running, and nature trips and is best used from April until October.

Features

  • Restrooms on site

  • Wheelchair accessible trail

  • Entrance fee

Content from White Mountain National Forest Official Website

Last updated November 11, 2023