Pine Mountain is one of those small peaks with huge payoffs. On the northeast boundary of the Presidential Range in the White Mountains, the 2,410-foot mountain is a sublime vantage point for vistas through Pinkham Notch from nearby Gorham to the Carter-Moriah Range and robust presidentials.
There are also a myriad of surprises on a leisurely, moderate 3.5-plus mile loop circuit that combines a winding dirt road through a hardwood forest that leads to a 100-acre mountaintop Christian summer camp called the Horton Center and a short but steep pitch with some scrambling.
A nice trek for those staying in nearby campgrounds like the White Mountain National Forest’s Dolly Copp (undergoing a multi-year renovation project) and Barnes Field, and Moose Brook State Park in Gorham, lots of promising blueberry bushes, hand-painted signs indicating vantage points and seemingly parallel striped etched rock make the hike that much more attractive.
One way to get to Pine Mountain is from Gorham’s Promenade Street, taking an approach from the north on the Pine Mountain Trail. That’s a 2.7-mile one-way undertaking.
The more well-traveled route is to do a loop trek using Pine Mountain Road, the Ledge Trail and a short piece of the Pine Mountain Trail all starting from the seasonal and gravel Pinkham B (Dolly Copp) Road. The road connects Route 16 through Pinkham Notch with Route 2 in Gorham. The trailhead is about 2½ miles up the road from Route 16.
Pine Mountain Road is a pleasant unpaved ramble leading up to the center so be cognizant of the occasional vehicle. But hikers leave it at about nine-tenths of a mile for the Ledge Trail and its glorious looks at the Androscoggin River Valley, Mount Washington and beyond from Pine Mountain’s south cliffs.
The pathway steepens quickly. In no time, there’s plenty of rock scrambling with easy-to-find hand and foot holds.
Each time bursting out on the ledges new views are found of the Peabody River Valley and more. The uppermost cliff contains a marvelous 180-degree panorama with some fine examples of glacial striation – marks left behind when glaciers dragged rocks. There’s also a bench on the south shoulder of the mountain carved into the stone, a memorial to Carol Williams Horton, the first wife of center founder Douglas Horton. The bench was preceded by a marble bench erected in 1948 that was destroyed by lightening a few years later.
The trail continues – though the steeps don’t – to the top of Pine Mountain.
The wooded summit was once home to a fire tower, actually three of them. All that remains are the four concrete blocks and stanchions that formed the foundation of the structure. The Forest Fire Lookout Association says the tower – funded by the New Hampshire Timberland Owners with help from the New Hampshire Forestry Commission – first operated in 1910. A new tower was built in 1916 and another in 1939. That 40-foot tower, constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps, stayed in service until 1967 and was razed in 1975 with dynamite.
As the path descended by wildflowers like trillium, there were a number of signs to spur trails that provided excellent vistas – Angel View, Gorham View and Chapel View. Chapel View looks out upon nubby Chapel Rock, which is Pine’s northern summit. There was also a lean-to Adirondack shelter, built in September of 1996.
A short trek down the Pine Mountain Trail over some blowdowns led to an enchanting boardwalk area with utility poles and some rock climbing opportunities. Taking that boardwalk leads to Chapel Rock, a spot where the center holds services. There are steps, a railing and a sign indicating the area is closed to the public during those services.
Sticking with the group’s religious affiliation, a cross holds court from the massive ledges part of the stunning landscape near the top of the small mountain. Climbing to the top of the ledges affords views to Pine Mountain, taller surrounding peaks and communications towers, which accounted for excellent summit cell service. It’s best to double back on the Pine Mountain Trail so as not to disturb the campers at the center. Stairs and blank bridges are used and crossed to return to Pine Mountain Road to close the loop. Looking up during the initial descent on the road – there are smile-inducing views of the northern presidentials before they’re swallowed by the foliage near a small mountain with lots to see.