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The Holt Trail is the shortest route up Mount Cardigan from the AMC Cardigan Lodge and the steepest route from any direction, with roughly 1000 feet of ascent in the last .4 miles. The first part of the route, however, is an old woods road that provides access to several other trails including several ski trails.
Distance: From Cardigan Lodge to Cardigan summit, about 2.2 miles one-way
Elevation gain: About 1800 feet
Maps:
USGS Mount Cardigan
AMC Mt. Cardigan
Location: Lakes Region
NH 2003-2004 map K-5
DeLorme NHA&G 34-A6/7 - Alexandria/Orange
Alexandria is on the W side of Newfound Lake, reached by Exit 23 of I-93
Trailhead: AMC Cardigan Lodge at end of Shem Valley Road, elevation about 1392 feet
43.6495°N, 71.8776°W (WGS84)
This is a tricky trailhead to find, although not as bad as the description sounds! Many road names are different on signs than shown on maps. Most questionable junctions have a sign indicating the way to the AMC Cardigan Lodge.
Many descriptions give a shorter but rougher route up Brook Road, and the AMC signs once pointed that way. However in late 2004 a bridge was under repair on that route so traffic used the route given here. It is not known whether the AMC signs will be changed when the bridge is fixed.
From Exit 23 of I-93, go W on NH Route 104 to Bristol.
At 5.7 miles, turn R on NH Route 3-A at the Bristol town square, and .2 miles further on turn R again on NH Route 3-A.
About 8 miles from I-93, turn L on West Shore Road at a blinking light and proceed along the S shore of Newfound Lake.
At 9.8 miles, West Shore Road turns sharp R and you should continue straight ahead on what may be signed as Mt Cardigan Road but soon changes to Fowler River Road at the Alexandria town line.
At about 11 miles, you should turn L off Fowler River Road (and the old route) and take North Road towards Alexandria village.
At about 12 miles, the main road turns sharp R in Alexandria village and you should follow it, now Washburn Road. In another .2 miles, angle R uphill on Mt Cardigan Road. The road makes a long climb followed by some up-and-down, passing Cardigan Mountain Orchards for which there have been signs.
At 15.8 miles, Brook Road (the alternate route) enters from the R and the road changes to gravel and becomes Shem Valley Road. Caution! The road soon crosses a narrow bridge and goes up a steep hill, angling R at an intersection. Underpowered cars will need to build up momentum, but on slippery days, some cars have been fished out of the brook when they slid back down!
The AMC Lodge is at the end of the road at 17.3 miles, watch for signs of where to park. The trail continues up the road ahead, now a woods road.
Far End: Summit of Mount Cardigan, elevation about 3155 feet
Owner: AMC and state
Maintainer: Appalachian Mountain Club
Special regulations: No camping except official campsites
From the hiker parking lot at the lodge, the Holt Trail follows the woods road past the pond and through the camping area. Several other paths enter and leave (including the Manning Trail at .3 miles) before reaching the Bailey Brook bridge at .9 miles. Once across the bridge, the hiker must choose between the high route which is the Alexandria Ski Trail and the low route which is a narrow footpath. The routes rejoin, and at 1.1 miles is a major junction:
The first .3 miles along the brook are NW toward the ledges off Firescrew, then the brook and trail swing W another .3 miles towards the cone of Cardigan. Then the trail suddenly leaves the hardwood forest and begins ascending steeply among rocks and roots through scrubby trees, before it comes out on the ledges and heads almost directly up. The steepest ledges are right at the top, just before the trail breaks over the crest a few feet from the fire tower.
Parking lot plowed in winter.
Road to AMC lodge plowed by town, but low priority after storms.
Route up ledges hard to find when snow covered and dangerous when slippery.
Map Notes: The USGS map shows mostly ski trails and not hiking trails on the E side of Mount Cardigan. For trail locations, use the AMC map.
Ledges on the Holt Trail
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