| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mount Hale, Zealand Mountain, Mount Guyot, South Twin Mountain, North Twin Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
North Twin Trail, Fire Warden's Trail, Lend-a-Hand Trail, Twinway, Zealand Spur, North Twin Spur |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, July 11, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parking at the North Twin trailhead had overflowed onto the side of Haystack Road by the time I got there late morning, but was not far down the road. Available spots had already opened up at the trailhead too. Campsites along Haystack Road were well-populated during a warm summer weekend. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
There is now, as far as I can tell, only one crossing of the Little River on the North Twin Trail. It is located right where the trail begins gaining elevation up the northeast side of North Twin. Crossing was rock-hopped with moderate difficulty on this hike. The two previous crossings have been eliminated. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Trail maintenance appears to be continuing on the Fire Warden's Trail up the northwest side of Hale. Even high up on the mountain, I witnessed blowdowns cut for hiker passage. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
None. |
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 | Bugs: |
Bugs weren't too bad this hike. I did use a lemon-eucalyptus-based repellent and that helped compared to past weeks. |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
Red bandana lost on the Twinway near the summit of Zealand. Left on a tree branch directly on the trail. |
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|
 | Comments: |
Tried the Fire Warden's Loop for the very first time and found it to be a great 18-mile loop hike connecting some mountains that aren't commonly hiked together. Much thanks to SectionHiker.com for the hike description. I do have to say that starting with Hale and ending with North Twin was probably the correct choice, with the better views on the hike coming later in the day. The Fire Warden's Trail is very easy to follow, well-graded, and obviously maintained by some devoted locals. Finding the beginning of the Fire Warden's Trail wasn't hard, but I do feel like it deserves a sign at this point. The remaining trails were the usual July experience in the White Mountains. Zealand Falls Hut was busy and I was happy to see some leftover peach cobbler available for a small price. |
|
 | Name: |
Sheamus |
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 | E-Mail: |
Sheamus.Fagan@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-07-12 |
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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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