White Mountain National Forest - Albany Mountain Trail

View looking west from the summit (Credit: White Mountain National Forest)

Red pines at the summit (Credit: jsreiff)

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This trail leads to the summit of Albany Mountain, a series of rocky openings with panoramic views. It is a popular spot for blueberry picking in the summer and offers great views of colorful foliage in the fall.

Trail Activity

Length

1.90 miles, Network

Difficulty

Moderate

Towns

Albany Twp, Mason Twp, Stoneham

Surface

Dirt/Forest Floor, Rock/Ledge

Pets

Permitted

Fees

Details
Trail Map
Directions
Comments (5)
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Details

Description

This trail provides access to the summit of Albany Mountain, an open summit that affords panoramic views in all directions with the best being to the south and east. Many lakes and ponds are visible and this particular view point is recommended for fine fall foliage viewing opportunities.

Begin on the Albany Notch Trail, turning left onto the Albany Mountain Trail at 0.6 miles. It is not recommended to follow the Albany Notch Trail past the Junction with the Albany Mountain Trail at this time as beaver activity has made the trail impassable. The Albany Mountain Trail follows and crosses several old logging roads as it ascends the north side of the mountain. Close to the summit, the trail begins crossing sections of open ledge and softwoods to the summit with it's wide open views. The distance from the Albany Notch Trailhead on Crocker Pond Road is 2.0 miles.

Other Information

Beaver activity has caused flooding of the trail some years. Currently the trail is dry and passable as the beavers have moved on elsewhere.

This trail shares the trail with the Albany Notch Trail which continues for another 3.4 miles after they split.

Trail Manager

Visit the White Mountain National Forest online for more information or contact:

White Mountain National Forest
300 Glen Road
Gorham, NH 03581
Phone: (603) 466-2713
tpellerin@fs.fed.us
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Nearby Events

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Trail Tips

Plan Ahead and Prepare

Tell someone your plan and when you’ll return, just in case.

Trail Map

Legend

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Parking

Scenic Overlook

Trailhead

Directions

Trailhead Information

From Bethel take ME Route 5 south past Songo Pond and turn right onto the Patte Brook Road at the sign indicating National Forest Camping. Follow signs toward Crocker Pond Campground turning left onto Forest Road 18 (Crocker Pond Road). Travel 0.6 miles on Forest Road 18 to the trailhead on the right.

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Comments (5)

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sarahmhm

July 23, 2021

We did not walk on Albany notch trail, I see some hikers use it to make this a loop hike. We considered coming down that way but from the junction near the top, the ANT looked very unused and unmaintained. It was so overgrown that the trail was almost unrecognizable (well, just that portion we checked out at the intersection with Albany mountain) so we decided not to try it.

sarahmhm

July 23, 2021

We loved the beaver pond near the beginning of the trail.

This trail is 1.9 miles to the summit, one way. Then you can keep going about a quarter mile to a second overlook at the end of the trail. The first overlook is .4 miles before the summit, and is lovely enough to be your destination if you are looking for a shorter hike.

So, it’s 3mi roundtrip to the first overlook
3.8miles roundtrip to the summit
4.2miles roundtrip to the second overlook where the trail ends.

It wasn’t very steep even though the elevation gain was 1200ft. No drop offs so it was a relaxing hike to so with 8 and 3year olds.

betsylg

October 24, 2020

Albany Mountain summit trail is a lovely half-day hike -- a beautiful trail, well-marked and maintained. Features include a variety of forests -- birch, spruce, white pine, and maple -- a crossing over a beaver dam, a poetic freshet that cuts through moss-covered boulders as it runs downhill, and stunning views, each more beautiful than the last. The best views are after the summit, so keep going till the end. My thanks go to those who have maintained this trail. You've done an excellent job!

hikealot

May 16, 2020

Site says closed, but now open. TH Crocker Pond, out and back. Nice hike, deceivingly long. Soggy at about .4 mile, beaver dam crossing. Best views beyond summit on a .2 mile spur, there and back. Spur not marked on trail maps. Scenic spur winds down and gradually up to lookout ledge with rock bench. Overlooks South and West spectacular views. Buggy, wore head net. . Trail very well maintained, rock placements for steps in several locations. Yellow blazes. Moderate trail, pretty busy with other hikers. Breeze at summit, cool mostly cloudy day. On trail at 12:30, 2:30 summit, off and back at TH by 4:15, with a steady pace and a 20 min lunch break. Highly recommended.

dayhiker

July 04, 2015

Did this hike on 7-4-2015 as a loop of about 10 miles starting at the trailhead on the Crocker Pond Road. The trail to the summit is in good shape and well marked with yellow paint. About a half mile before the summit the Albany Mountain Trail and the Albany Notch Trail intersect. We took the Albany Notch Trail on the return (more later). The summit has decent views to the south but the view is limited by trees in most places. On the Albany Mountain Trail a few hundred feet past the intersection of the AMT and the ANT there is a side trail to the west that provides good views of the Albany Notch.
The Albany Notch Trail is also marked with yellow paint but is not as well marked or maintained as the AMT. The first mile or so has some steep pitches and then becomes a fairly level but muddy old road that runs south along the brook. Near the south end of the ANT and just south of a Forest Service gate, turn left (east) on an old road (State Snowmobile Trail 18) which will take you back to Crocker Pond Road. There are a few muddy areas but the road is overall in good shape and well marked with snowmobile signs. There is one intersection where Trail 18 goes to the right, stay left to go to the Crocker Pond Road. Just past this intersection the road is very wet so detour on the left side along the base of the hill. The road is in very good condition from this point on. The old road ends at another Forest Service gate at the Crocker Pond campsite. Follow the gravel road north to the trailhead parking area.
This is an unspectacular hike but a good walk in the woods. We saw no one; Albany Notch Trail gets little use and the old road-snowmobile trail gets no foot traffic (none). The mosquitoes were very bad in some places. A little more sun and wind and knowing for sure that the loop closed, which you now know, makes this a decent loop hike.

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