View Full Version : Hiking Gorham, NH to Grafton Notch
I'm going to do a section between Gorham and Grafton Notch. I'm trying to figure out which direction to travel. Any suggestions? Biggest thing is parking a car at the end point - is one parking lot safer, more convenient, better than the other? Also to consider: ease of the hike. My dad's coming with and the 60 year-old would like me to take it easy on him. Yet he thinks Mahoosuc Notch will be fun...
Wherever you end up parking be safe and leave no belongings in the car, any trailhead lot can be the site of vandalism. That being said both lots see plenty of hiker traffic and are on moderately busy to busy roads. The lot in Grafton Notch is more remote but is in a popular Maine State Park. The lot on the southern end is on busy Route 2 just east of Gorham. It usually has fewer cars but is in plain site and during thru hiker season it sees many hikers coming and going to Gorham.
The Mahoosuc section is a very beautiful section, with ponds and smaller wooded peaks in the south and bigger peaks with great views from rocky peaks and ridge top bogs in the north (and the best pond of the range: Speck!). It is also very-very rugged in many places particularly in the north, starting with Mt Success. I would start from Gorham. From the Androscoggin River to Gentian Pond the trail is at its most easy going and the mountains are smaller. It would be a good way to ease into the hike. Its not unreasonable to expect on one mile per hour when hiking the Mahoosucs with limited experience hiking in the Whites. Even going from campsite to campsite might be a good idea. Of course I don't know your levels of experience so I'm being conservative, but even the strongest hikers can be slowed way down by the Mahooscus. The trail can be very rough every step of the way with steep climbs, rocks and ledges to climb or scramble over and numerous ups and downs. The joys and perils of Mahoosuc Notch are well documented so I won't say more except that it fits right in with the rest of the range. The best way to enjoy the Mahoosuc for the first time is to take your time and not expect to do too many miles per day.
Footslogger
07-02-2007, 23:07
I'm going to do a section between Gorham and Grafton Notch. I'm trying to figure out which direction to travel. Any suggestions? Biggest thing is parking a car at the end point - is one parking lot safer, more convenient, better than the other? Also to consider: ease of the hike. My dad's coming with and the 60 year-old would like me to take it easy on him. Yet he thinks Mahoosuc Notch will be fun...
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I've done it both ways. On my thru in 2003 I hiked it northbound. Last year my wife and I hiked that section southbound.
As far as which one is safer to park a car ??? I would tell you that Gorham is a town and there are hostels and hotels you could arrange with in terms of watching a car. I would imagine that you could get a shuttle easier from Gorham to Grafton Notch than vice versa. Grafton notch, on the other hand, is a parking lot out in the middle of nowhere. Over the past couple years there have been numerous reports of vehicle vandalism in trail head parking lots so I would have to say that relatively speaking it would be less safe.
Ease of hike-wise overall ...it's really sort of a toss up. But, all things considered (your Dad and all) I would tell you to hike it northbound, starting in Gorham. The hike begins at a more gradual grade and you end up doing Mahoosuc Notch downhill (well, sort of ...). If you start at Grafton Notch the initial hiking is pretty much ALL up hill.
It's a fun section but this time of year there haven't been enough hikers through that area to beat down the brush so be prepared for a lot of overgrowth along the trail in some areas. Also, last year at this time the rains had just let up. The trails were muddy and the bugs were out in force. Remember your DEET !!
Enjoy your hike ...
'Slogger
I'm going to do a section between Gorham and Grafton Notch. I'm trying to figure out which direction to travel. Any suggestions? Biggest thing is parking a car at the end point - is one parking lot safer, more convenient, better than the other? Also to consider: ease of the hike. My dad's coming with and the 60 year-old would like me to take it easy on him. Yet he thinks Mahoosuc Notch will be fun...
This is a beautiful section; NOBO or SOBO, you can't go wrong. Here's a smattering of worthless info that may help you plan your trip.
There is slightly less elevation gain hiking South
You will meet more hikers, if you hike South
The parking lot in Shelburne is small, less remote and near several homes
The parking lot in Grafton Notch is larger, paved, toilets, in a more remote area
The drive from Gorham to the Shelburne lot takes 10 minutes
The drive from Gorham to the Grafton Notch lot takes an hour
There are no recent trends of vadalism at either lot
Bugs will be friendly, regardless of the direction you hike
The Barn has a small driveway and won't allow you to leave your car there while you hike
Hiker's Paradise may allow you to leave a car and may provide a shuttle, if pre-arranged
Other motels in town provide better accommodations than either hostel mentioned above
Avoid the chinese buffet
Take it easy on the old man and have a great time!
Jim Bowie
07-03-2007, 09:08
Mahoosuc Notch is every bit as tough as you've heard.
HOWEVER, the climb up Mahoosuc Arm begins immediately afterwards for north bounders. It's 5.1 miles from Full Goose Shelter to Speck Pond campsite, so you can certainly stretch it out and make a day of it, but it certainly won't be easy. I would say that the notch + the arm could easily take 4-6 hours for even the most experienced hikers.
Southbound would make that particular section a little less daunting.