Mount Cabot via the York Pond, Bunnell Notch, Kilkenny Ridge and Mount Cabot Trails

This day hike involved going along the York Pond Trail to the Bunnell Notch Trail to the Kilkenny Ridge Trail and finally to the Mount Cabot Trail and returning the same way.

York Pond trailhead parking - 1600' Junction with Bunnell Notch Trail - 0.3 miles - 1,640' Bunnell Notch, Kilkenny Ridge Trail - 2.8 miles - 3,010' Junction with Mount Cabot Trail - 3.3 miles - 2,920' Mount Cabot - 4.5 miles - 4,180' Junction with Kilkenny Ridge Trail - 5.7 miles - 2,920' Bunnell Notch, Bunnell Notch Trail - 6.2 miles - 3,010' Junction with York Pond Trail - 8.7 miles - 1,640' York Pond trailhead parking - 9.0 miles - 1600' Total distance round-trip - 9.0 miles Total elevation change - 2,580' Trail map - 900 x 489 -347K Trail map - 1446 x 786 - 918K

The starting point for this hike was the parking area at York Pond trailhead inside the Berlin Fish Hatchery on York Pond Road. This rather convoluted route was necessary because of a duspute between the White Mountain National Forest and one of the property owners along the lower section of the Mount Cabot Trail. The lower portion of the Mount Cabot Trail is technically closed although some hikers do apparently continue to use it. I started this hike later than I would normally because I was not sure whether the gate to the fish hatchery would be open not. If it is not open yet and you park outside the gate it adds a couple of miles each way to the trip. The gate is supposed to be open from 8am to 4pm though by some accounts it is always open.

I was up and out of the house around 5 for this one. I stopped in Lincoln for breakfast and then also made a short stop in Franconia Notch for some photos. I arrived at the trailhead and started hiking around 8:15.

600 x 4000   1024 x 683 Clouds in Franconia Notch 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Clouds in Franconia Notch 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Raspberries in Franconia Notch 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Purple flowers in Franconia Notch

The lower portion of the route along the York Pond Trail and the first half mile or so of the Bunnell Notch Trail was very easy and there was not much in the way at all of elevation change. The trail left the more open bed and entered the forest shortly after crossing the brook that comes down from Bunnell Notch. The trail then followed along the north side of this brook until just before it reached Bunnell Notch.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Starting on the trail to Cabot Mountain 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Bunnell Notch Trail 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Bunnell Notch Trail 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Bunnell Notch Trail climbing through the forest 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Bunnell Notch Trail, small stream and steps

A sign post marked the junction with the Kilkenny Ridge Trail at the top of the notch.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Bunnell Notch Trail, junction with Kilkenny Ridge Trail 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Bunnell Notch Trail, junction with Kilkenny Ridge Trail 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Bunnell Notch Trail, junction with Kilkenny Ridge Trail

After about a half of a mile on the Kilkenny Ridge Trail I came to another sign post and a cairn that marked the junction with the Mount Cabot Trail.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Leaves and rain drops 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Fern forest 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Sign post 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Kilkenny Ridge Trail, junction with Mount Cabot Trail

The day had started off cloudy but then the Sun had been out for a little while along the lower portion of the route. It seemed as I climbed higher though I entered the domain of the clouds and there was not much to see. There were not any good view points along the trail anyway and the clouds kept things cooler so it was not a big deal.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Climbing into the clouds

It would have been nice to see the view from the cabin and/or old lookout tower site but the summit was completely socked in with clouds. I took some photos but did not stay long.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mount Cabot summit cairn 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mount Cabot summit 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mount Cabot summit signage 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Data for the trip up

I went back and had my lunch inside the cabin as it has started to rain a little as I began the descent.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Where the old lookout tower used to be 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mount Cabot cabin 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mount Cabot cabin, view from the porch 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mount Cabot cabin, view inside

I stopped at another view point on the way down just to get a photo of the ledge and the clouds and while I was there the clouds thinned out and lifted breifly and there was a little bit of a view.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Nothing but clouds 600 x 400   1024 x 683 But wait! 600 x 400   1024 x 683 A little gap in the clouds! 600 x 400   1024 x 683 A little gap in the clouds!

Lower down I passed a little waterfall caused by log jam across a little stream. I had stopped there for some photos on the way up but the light was better on the way down so I stopped again. The Sun was back out again when I left the forest and started on the more open sections along the lower portion of the route. I started seeing some butterflies along this section and got slowed down by stopping to try and get photos of them. I still made pretty good time and arrived back at the car right around 3pm.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Small waterfall 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Butterfly and flower 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Butterfly and flower 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Data at the end of the trip

On the way out I stopped to get some photos of one of the fish ponds, of York Pond and Mount Cabot and also of some of the covered tanks used to raise the baby fish. I found some sign boards explaining how the fish hatchery worked and what types of fish were raised and found it all quite interesting.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Pond at Berlin Fish Hatchery 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Fish pond, bird house 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mount Cabot, York Pond 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Interpretive signs, Berlin FIsh Hatchery 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Hatching pools, Berlin FIsh Hatchery 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Hatching pools, Berlin FIsh Hatchery

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