- M. J. Wild
10 Short Hikes in The North East for the Newbie Hiker

This year I have done many hikes in Northern Vermont and New Hampshire thanks to the Go North 9er Challenge. I've been so focused on working on my 4,000 footer list that I never really explored the shorter trails closer to home. I've been hiking mostly in the White Mountains up until this spring. Due to an insane amount of tourists in the Whites, Covid-19, and the mere length of the 4,000 footers I have left I've been staying closer to home and hiker shorter trails that my family can join me on. I've compiled a list of hikes for the newbie hiker ranked easiest to hardest. So here it is...
Nichol's Ledge
Newark Pond Trail
South Shore Trail
Mount Averill
Deer Mountain
Table Rock
Owl's Head
Herbert Hawkes Trail
Magalloway Mountain
Bluff Mountain
1. Nichol's Ledge

Location: Cabot, VT
Distance: 0.7 out and back
Time Frame: 15 - 30 min
Rating: Easy
Elevation Gain: 344 ft.
Elevation: 1,707 ft.
See full post here
2. Newark Pond Trail

Location: Newark, Vermont
Distance: 1 Mile loop
Time Frame: Less than 1 hour
Rating: Easy
Elevation Gain: 111 Ft.
See full post here
3. South Shore Trail

Location: Westmore, VT
Distance: 1.8 miles loop
Time Frame: 1 hour Rating: Easy
Elevation Gain: 207 ft.
See full post here
4. Mount Averill

Location: Averill, VT near Norton, VT
Distance: 1.5 miles out and back
Time Frame: 1 hour Rating: Easy
Elevation Gain: 538 ft.
Elevation: 2,240 ft.
Go North 9er
See full post here
5. Deer Mountain

Location: Groton State Forest
Distance: 3.5 miles
Time Frame: 1-2 hours
Rating: Easy
Elevation Gain: 479 Ft.
See full post here
6. Table Rock

Location: Dixville Notch near Colebrooke, N.H.
Distance: 1.7 miles out and back
Time Frame: 1 hour
Rating: Easy
Elevation Gain: 774 ft.
Go North 9er
See full post here
7. Owl's Head

Location: Groton, VT
Distance: 4.7 miles out and back
Time Frame: 1-3 hours
Rating: Easy Elevation Gain: 574 ft.
Elevation: 1,746 ft.
See full post here
8. Herbert Hawkes Trail

Location: Willoughby State Forest. Off Route 5A onto CC road
Distance: 3.6 miles out and back
Rating: Easy
Time Frame: 1-2 hours
Elevation Gain: 955 feet
See full post here
9. Magalloway Mountain

Location: Pittsburg, N.H.
Distance: 2.1 miles
Time Frame: 1-2 hours Rating: Easy
Elevation Gain: 833 ft.
Go North 9er
See full post here
10. Bluff Mountain

Location: Island Pond
Distance: 4.5 miles loop
Rating: Easy to Moderate
Time Frame: 1-2 hours
Elevation Gain: 1,489 ft.
See full post here
“Let your feet carry you to new places, seek the unknown, explore the wild woods, make mountains move.” -M.J. Wild