Scenic Trails Right from Your Doorstep
The phrase “stay and play” takes on a pretty literal meaning around here. Not only can you stay right in town and experience all that Gorham has to offer, but when it’s time to hit the trail, you might not even need to hop in your car to get there. Plenty of great hiking options are accessible right from downtown Gorham and driving less is also doing a thoughtful solid for the environment (less gas = happy air). It’s also and kind to your wallet (less gas = happy you), so when you’re done with your hike at the end of the day, you’ve saved a few bucks for spending on a tasty meal right downtown.
If you’re not sure where to start your hyper-local hiking journey, here are a few suggestions to get you going.
Pine Mountain
The trailhead for Pine Mountain can be accessed right from Downtown Gorham. If you’re on Main Street heading toward Berlin, take a left on Church Street. At the end of Church, take a right on Promenade, and the parking area is at the far end of the road near a large gravel pit (note that the road turns to dirt). This quiet hike is just about 3 miles from bottom to top and gets you up high enough for sweeping views of the Presidential Range along with beautiful vistas throughout. Please keep in mind that the latter part of the hike is on the property of a seasonally operational private camp call The Horton Center. The Horton Center (owned and operated by the NH Conference of the United Church of Christ) kindly welcomes hikers to walk the trails on their property, but requests they steer clear of the campus while camp is in session. In the off-season, hikers are welcome to scramble up Chapel Rock and enjoy the stunning views (and the large cross …) at the top.
PINE MOUNTAIN >>
Carter Moriah Range
There’s good reason the Carter Moriah Range is so popular for hiking. It holds 9 stunning peaks, 4 of which are 4-thousand footers, the views are amazing, the hiking is delightfully challenging, and you can get there right from downtown Gorham.
If you’re staying in town, walk across the Shaky Bridge to Bangor Street, then turn right to find the trailhead at the street’s terminus.
CARTER MORIAH TRAILHEAD >>
Power Island
Think of Power Island as a gateway to a range of exceptional recreation options. Once you cross over the trestle bridge from Main Street, the hiking (and biking and skiing and, and, and …) options open up, and you’ve got some fun choices ahead of you. Stay on Power Island and wander along the river and gentle trails (great for dog walking!), follow signs to the Mahoosuc and/or Appalachain Trails, or explore the Mascot Mine Natural Area.
Coös Cycling Club Trails
The Coös Trails are developed, built, and maintained by the all-volunteer-run Coös Cycling Club. Cyclists, runners, hikers, and human-powered-recreationalists can enjoy 22+ miles of trail. These trails are most often enjoyed by mountain bikers, but the trail is shared by all. Hiking is always welcome! The CCC trails travel through Moose Brook State Park, town forest land, and private property, so be sure to ride with gratitude and wave a kind “hello!” when riding through residential areas. And you can pick the trails up in quite a few locations throughout town. Some solid starting points are the trailhead right behind Big Day Brewing, up behind the AMC building at the top of Church Street, and right along Casey’s Way as well.
