| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Carrigain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Sawyer River Road, Signal Ridge Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Easy parking (large lot) |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Waded the shallow old crossing (to the left). Rock hopped others. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Poor drainage and muddy in some sections but you rock hop all of it. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw a few friendly pups |
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 | Bugs: |
They’re out. Mostly black flies but also a few mosquitos. Worst was on Hurricane ridge where there was no breeze. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Finished my NH48 on a beautiful day on Carrigain which delivered its famous views. The road walk was fine, but what people don’t mention is it does add substantial elevation, not just distance. It basically turns a moderate difficulty 4000 footer (10 miles and 3400’ of elevation gain) into one of the more strenuous outings (14.5 miles and 4000’ elevation gain). So yes, the road is a relatively easy way to begin and end, but you do end up feeling it. I would actually rate the difficulty of this hike as comparable to Owl’s Head (with the bushwacks) and Isolation (via Rocky Branch).
I took what I think was the old water crossing (trail left headed in) despite the logs blocking the option. It was shallow and made for easy barefoot wading on relatively small/flat rocks. I rock hopped the remaining crossings.
It was a relative warm and humid day given the prior day’s rain, which seemed to inspire the black flies. They weren’t much of an issue as long as you kept moving. They were worst on Signal Ridge which was breezeless. A few mosquitos made an appearance over the day. |
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 | Name: |
Mike Kinnison |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-05-27 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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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. |
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