I’ve hiked Cardigan Mountain via the 2.7 mile out-and-back West Ridge Trail more times than I can remember. It was the first mountain I climbed as a kid, and I’ve hiked it in every season and at a range of fitness level. I’ve even hiked Cardigan at night. I believe I am uniquely qualified to say that this mountain is excellent for hikers of many experience levels.
What makes Cardigan Mountain via West Ridge so ideal, is that it’s challenging; the trail is laced with roots and rocks and parts of the trail are steep, but it’s not too difficult. It gets your heart pumping, but it is completely within reach for most new hikers. It just might take new hikers a little longer to reach the fire tower, which brings me to the next reason why, Cardigan Mountain is a great hike.
Cardigan Mountain is part of the New Hampshire Fire Tower Quest, which is an awesome activity for families and solo hikers interested in completing one of the most accessible hiking challenges in the state.
Of all the New Hampshire fire towers, Cardigan Mountain has some of the most stunning views. The granite summit offers unobstructed 360-degree views of the surrounding towns and mountains. On a clear day you can see the small town of Canaan and its buildings and lake. You can also see the windmills of Plymouth dotting the ridge.
Another great thing about Cardigan is that there are lots of trails to get to the fire tower or a nearby peak for a fresh view. Just recently, I hiked to Rim Rock for the first time via the Skyland Trail near the upper portion of the West Ridge Trail and the view of the top of Cardigan was completely new. Plus, it was interesting to explore more of the alpine forest with its unique plants and trees.
Cardigan Mountain is a great starter trail, and it’s easy to start adding on to your hike once you are ready to take on a bigger challenge. You can hit surrounding peaks like Firescrew via Mowgli’s Trail or Mount Gilman via Skyland. If you become quite brave, you can take the 4-mile Holt Trail, with 1,745 feet of whole-body rock scrambling elevation gain straight to the top of Cardigan. Disclaimer: I am not so brave, so I don’t have firsthand knowledge of Holt Trail. Please do you research before heading out on any hiking adventure! If you’ve hiked the Holt Trail, let me know how it went in the comments.
- Difficulty - Moderate
- Distance - 2.7 Miles
- Parking - Popular trail - spots fill up quickly!
- Leashed dogs allowed
