| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Chase Pond Peak, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Logging road, bushwhack, abandoned Kimball Union trail |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, March 30, 2026 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at the corner of Old Croydon Turnpike. The road getting here was a bit muddy/slippery and relatively steep, but manageable with caution. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
|
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
|
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
|
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Champ and Tucker were confused as I tried to figure out where to start |
|
 | Bugs: |
not yet |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
|
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
I made this one way harder than it should have been.
From the parking spot, I followed the newer of the two parallel roads heading SE. There's an intersection with another trail shortly, then just before the curve others have referenced, there's a well-defined old logging road heading SW. I contemplated taking this, but saw no sign of the yellow tape or paw print blazes other mentioned and since this was seemingly heading in the wrong direction, I continued on. I found the open area with the shooting bench that Danielle referenced, but no obvious trail here. After a couple trips back and forth between the old road and the open area, I saw Danielle's comment about the 'dig out' which allowed me to find what I thought was a trail, blocked by a giant blowdown. So we started up this way, around the blowdown and there was a faint, unmarked trail that we lost very quickly and just started whacking straight to the summit. Easy whack in open woods. Only took 30 mins to summit once we left the open area.
Summit has a bunch of goodies, but no jar. There was ample evidence of a trail over the summit ridge, so I decided to follow this down. Trail headed south for aways then cut west. Just as I thought the trail disappeared and I was regretting my life choices, I saw a wrinkled piece of yellow tape! Followed this for a bit and saw some of the famous paw print blazes. But overall trail was worse maintained than my whack up. Eventually lost the trail, at which point we were WSW of the peak - not super helpful! Decided to whack to another marked old road running between Chase Pond Peak and the sub peak to the west. Found this to be in good shape and followed it out to the main logging road I approached from. Took a solid 40 mins to descend - would have been 20 if I just retraced my steps.
My guess is that the old road just before the bend would have connected to the blazed trail somehow, but it'd be a really inefficient route up. Also learned this area is property of Kimball Union Academy, who are the Wildcats, explaining the blazes, so I'm calling this the Kimball Union trail.
If I were doing this again I would go to the open area with the bench, whack straight to the peak and descend the same way. |
|
 | Name: |
Big Al Dente |
|
 | E-Mail: |
bigaldentenh@gmail.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2026-03-31 |
|
 | Link: |
 https:// |
|
|
Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
|
