Hancock Notch Tr to Cedar Brook Tr to East Branch Rd Tr.  About 13 miles.

A fine day in the woods. Rob, Peter and I parked at the ranger’s station near the Wilderness Trail trailhead on the Kancamagus.  We arranged a shuttle to take us to the Hancock Notch Trail and started our loop hike about 9:15 AM.

The weather was great with clear skies and cool temps in the high 30s.  While the trees still had some leaves, peak color was long gone.  But, walking through the forest on a bed of fresh leaves with skim coats of ice where water sat on the trail was great.

The bridge at the end of the CedarBrookTrail has been removed and the water was too swift and deep for crossing.  So, we retuned via the East Branch Rd Trail that parallels the PemigewassetRiver and the Wilderness Trail on the other side.  We had only one challenging water crossing on the Cedar Brook where we had to go upstream from the trail a bit to find a good crossing point. 

Along the East Branch Rd Trail we walked on old corduroy road beds and old rail track used by loggers up until the 1940s (?).  We found and old logging camp with old pans, pitchers, machine parts, barrels and lanterns.