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The Carrigain Notch Trail runs from the Signal Ridge Trail in the Saco River watershed through Carrigain Notch to connect with the Wilderness Trail and Shoal Pond Trail in the Pemigewasset River watershed. It mostly follows old woods roads and logging railroads except where it has been relocated around muddy or eroded sections. Grades are mostly gradual, but it is often overgrown and there are some rough eroded spots. Views of the impressive cliffs in the notch are poor due to vegetation along the trail.
Distance: Signal Ridge Trail to Wilderness Trail, about 5.7 miles one-way
Elevation gain: About 900 feet Northbound, about 1000 feet Southbound
Maps:
USGS Mount Carrigain
AMC Franconia-Pemigewasset or Crawford Notch-Sandwich Range
Location: White Mountains Region
NH 2003-2004 map H-7
DeLorme NHA&G 44-H4 to G2 - Livermore/Lincoln
The trail is located SW of US Route 302, between Twin Mountain and Conway
South End: Signal Ridge Trail about 1.7 miles from Sawyer River Road, elevation about 1900 feet
North End: Wilderness Trail and Shoal Pond Trail at Stillwater Junction, elevation about 2040 feet
Owner: White Mountain National Forest
Maintainer: AMC
Special regulations: Pemigewasset Wilderness W of Carrigain Notch
From the junction with the Signal Ridge Trail, the Carrigain Notch Trail follows a woods road a short distance to a crossing of Carrigain Brook. This is the only major brook crossing on the trail and a number of alternate crossing points are available upstream and downstream. The Carrigain Notch Trail continues to ascend mostly on old woods roads, crossing several minor brooks and eroded woods roads which can be hard to tell apart. The trail climbs on sidehill on the W side of the notch, reaching its highest point at about 2.3 miles. The boundary of the Pemigewasset Wilderness is located at the height of land.
The trail descends the N side of the notch, nominally on an old woods road but many of the muddiest sections have been bypassed. After passing through a meadow with many deadfalls, at 4.1 miles it turns L on an old logging railroad grade which the Nancy Pond Trail follows to the R. This section of railroad was only a spur and is becoming quite overgrown. At 4.9 miles, the Desolation Trail continues ahead on the railroad grade while the Carrigain Notch Trail turns R and descends past the former site of Desolation Shelter. This area is being revegetated and no camping is allowed within 1/4 mile. The Carrigain Notch Trail ends at Stillwater Junction at 5.7 miles, where the Wilderness Trail goes L and the Shoal Pond Trail crosses the East Branch.
NA
Map Notes: The USGS 7.5' map shows the junctions with the Signal Ridge Trail and the Desolation Trail on the wrong side of their brooks, and incorrectly shows the Carrigain Notch Trail in the center of the notch instead of up on the W side. The AMC map has similar errors, so presumably it was copied from the USGS map rather than made from field data.
Carrigain Notch from Signal Ridge
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