White Mountain National Forest -
Lincoln Woods Trail
The Lincoln Woods Trail is one
of the easiest and most heavily used trails on the White Mountain
National Forest. It is a main route into the headwaters of the
East Branch of the Pemigewasset River and leads into one of the
largest roadless areas in the Eastern United States, the
Pemigewasset Wilderness.
The area surrounding the Lincoln
Woods Trail, including the Pemigewasset Wilderness, was the scene
of extensive logging by timber baron J. E. Henry in the late 1800s
and early 1900s. Severe forest fires followed devastating clear-cutting
practices. In 1917 Parker-Young purchased all of Henry's land
and continued railroad logging operations. Early in the 1930's
the company made a contract sale to the U. S. Government because
of financial difficulties. This sale added about 100,000 acres
to the National Forest. Parker-Young was allowed certain cutting
rights on this tract of land for a period of twenty years. Logging
operations in the Lincoln Woods Area and Pemigewasset Wilderness
ceased in 1946.
Lincoln Woods
at a Glance
Trail Beginning: Lincoln Woods Trailhead parking lot on the Kancamagus Highway (1157 feet).
Trail Ending: Pemigewasset Wilderness boundary (1450 feet).
Length: 2.9 miles.
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Lincoln Woods Trail
Today, natures' recuperative powers
are evident in the form of an entirely new forest that has replaced the once heavily
logged and burned-over area. Several isolated patches of the original
forest remain but are usually found near the higher ridgetops.
To ensure a portion of the watershed was protected in its natural
state, the Forest Service set aside the 18,560-acre Lincoln Woods
Scenic Area in the heart of the Pemigewasset Wilderness. In 1984 the Pemigewasset Wilderness was officially designated
as wilderness to be managed under the Wilderness Act of 1964.
Most attractions in this area are found after branching off from the Lincoln Woods Trail onto
what are referred to as core trails. These core trails follow
old railroad grades and provide access to ponds, streams, several
cascading waterfalls, outstanding scenic vistas, mountain ridgetops,
several developed backcountry campsites, Adirondack shelters,
and Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) huts.
The Lincoln Woods Trail is a very popular multiple-use trail. Backpackers, day hikers, fishermen,
and mountain bikers all share the trail. Motorized vehicles are
prohibited. Summer sees the heaviest use, but with the increased
popularity of cross-country skiing the trail is also heavily used
in winter. The fall provides an excellent opportunity to
enjoy hiking trails with cooler temperatures, fewer bugs, and
fall foliage colors.
For most of its length, the Lincoln
Woods Trail follows J. E. Henry's old East Branch and Lincoln
Railroad grade. This railroad hauled countless logs to the Lincoln
Mill from camps scattered throughout the East Branch Area. One
of the locomotives used on this railroad is on display at the
entrance to Loon Mountain Ski Area on the Kancamagus Highway.
Most clearings adjacent to the trails in this area are sites of
old logging camps. Remnants of the logging era can readily be
seen at the old campsites and along railroad grades in the vicinity.
These include abandoned rails, assorted ironware, old dumps, an
ice pond, dugway roads (logging roads dug into a mountain), bridge
abutments at various stream crossings, and numerous old railroad
ties. REMOVING ANY ARTIFACT FROM THE NATIONAL FOREST IS STRICTLY
PROHIBITED!
The Lincoln Woods Trail leaves
the parking lot on the north side of the Kancamagus Highway and
immediately crosses the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River
via a 160-foot-long suspension bridge. The trail then makes a
sharp turn to the right and follows the route of the old East
Branch and Lincoln Railroad northerly to the boundary of the Pemigewasset
Wilderness.
Access: Lincoln Woods Trail parking lot is located off the Kancamagus Highway 5 miles east of I-93, Exit 32. Parking is available for 160 cars. Snowplowing is provided in winter.
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