Green Mountain, Effingham

Overview

Green Mountain from the sky looks like an isolated outlier of the Ossipees, to their east and near the Maine border. While not tall, its isolation provides excellent viewing from its summit Fire Tower.

The most popular Trail is the High Watch, from the north - about a 3-mile round-trip with 1,200 feet of elevation gain. While pleasant enough, it is a bit eroded and there are no views before the Tower.

My favorite Trail is the Dearborn, from the SE - just a little longer and more elevation but a lovely walk through open hardwoods, with some ledges higher up. The Society for the Preservation of New Hampshire Forests purchased the land in 2007, so now there is a trailhead kiosk and clearer blazing.

Thr Libby Trail from the SW is less accessible and is eroded from ATV use. It was also still closed as of Sept. 2008, from damage from the July 24 tornado, which spared the other two Trails. (I attach a few photos of that damage.)

For great viewing off the beaten track in central NH, it is hard to do better. This summit deserves its place in Scudder's White Mountain Viewing Guide.

Getting There

High Watch: From the junction of NH 25 and NH153(northbound), near Effingham Falls, take Green Mtn. Rd. south for 1.2 miles, then left on gravel roads, following signs for "Green Mtn. Fire Tower" and/or "Mountain View Rehab. Center." There is a clearing with plenty of parking at the trailhead, just beyond the Rehab. Center (which is a huge and eerily quiet facility for patients with serious neurological injuries).

Dearborn: From NH 153 just north of Effingham Village, take Hobbs Road west 1.2 miles to parking area with kiosk on right. Hobbs is a dirt road marked by a green historical sign - "First Normal School in New Hampshire."

You can find more details in the AMC Southern New Hampshire Trail Guide.

Red Tape

You'll need to be lucky to make it up into the Fire Tower cab. As of 2008, it is no longer staffed on a regular basis - only at times of high fire danger. I've always been invited up, on my dozens of visits when it was staffed. You can still climb up, however, and the views from the platform just below the cab are nearly as good.

Camping

None. This is for a morning or afternoon.

External Links

Green Mountain Fire Tower

Additions and CorrectionsPost an Addition or Correction

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technicolorNH - Mar 28, 2020 10:48 pm - Hasn't voted

additions to add

When you turn left off Green Mountain Road you are turning onto Winter Road, which is now paved. As of the date of this post that intersection is signed. Shortly after that you will turn left onto Highwatch Road which is now paved, but NOT signed at that intersection, although there is a sign for the rehabilitation center clearly visible. When the road turns to dirt the trailhead is only a hundred feet in front of you to the right, just past the employee entrance to the center.

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