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The Chippewa Trail is the most popular approach to Black Mountain near Haverhill, which once had a fire-tower. It is scenic with many viewpoints and is well marked with yellow blazes, but has steep sections and some ledges.
Distance: About 1.9 miles one-way
Elevation gain: About 1600 feet, about 100 feet on return
Maps:
USGS East Haverhill
AMC Moosilauke-Kinsman
Location: White Mountains Region
NH 2003-2004 map H-5
DeLorme NHA&G 43-H5/6 - Haverhill/Benton
Haverhill is on the Connecticut River, W of Lincoln
Trailhead: Lime Kiln Road about 3.2 miles N of NH Route 25 near East Haverhill, elevation about 1320 feet
44.066°N, 71.946°W (WGS84)
This point can be reached by following NH Route 25 W from Exit 26 off I-93 about 30 miles to the hamlet of East Haverhill (about 9 miles past the junction with NH Route 118 in Warren). Turn R on Lime Kiln Road, angle L at 1.5 miles where Page Road goes straight, and look for dirt parking area on R about 3.2 miles from NH Route 25 with trail sign at the edge of the woods.
Upper End: Summit of Black Mountain, elevation about 2830 feet
Owner: private / state / U.S.Forest Service
Maintainer: U.S.Forest Service
Special regulations: NA
From the parking area, the Chippewa Trail starts as a wide path but soon narrows to a trail, descending into a ravine and crossing several tiny brooks. The trail then climbs over a small ridge and crosses a larger brook on steppingstones - ignore an unmarked path climbing the bank to the L. The trail now ascends to a woods road at .3 miles, turning R and in 50 yards turning L at a fork. The trail ascends moderately on the old woods road, crossing another woods road and passing an old cellar hole on the R. The trail now ascends more steeply in red pine woods with many waterbars and stone steps, passing a boundary marker and blue blazes for Black Mountain State Forest after about a mile. Where the marked trail switches back to the L, an obvious but unsigned dead-end path angles R to a viewpoint, then descends along the base of some cliffs to a boulder cave.
The main trail now ascends very steeply, sometimes with multiple paths in the open woods. It finally reaches an area of smaller softwoods, where an unmarked path R leads to a view ledge. The main trail continues uphill still in woods, less steeply but much rougher underfoot with rocks and small ledges to climb. After another path R to a more distinctive view ledge, the trail comes out more in the open with wide ledges and smaller trees. One large ledge offers a look at the summit cliffs ahead, then the trail dips into a muddy col at 1.8 miles. Here it picks up a woods road once used by the now-abandoned SE part of the Black Mountain Trail, which angles L moderately uphill. At 1.9 miles, the junction with the remaining N section of the Black Mountain Trail is reached.
Turn R and go 50 yards up ledgy side path to the old fire tower site marked by drill holes in the rock. Go R for a view ledge over the trail you just came up, and L to a ledge of similar elevation with better N views.
Unknown
Map Notes: The old location of the trail at the trailhead is shown on the USGS and AMC maps
The SE portion of the Black Mountain Trail is no longer maintained
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