Mount Haystack Trail

The route up Haystack is incredibly technical no matter which way you choose to ascend from. From either direction, the trail reaches the granite that the bald peak is composed of, and the hiker has no choice aside from "up". Yellow paint will guide your way, and make you feel a little bit like Dorothy (though you're definitely not in Kansas anymore).

Because Haystack is bald, the views of Lake Colden, and even Elk Lake are spectacular, and on clear days visitors can see quite a ways. While exhausting, the trail keeps things exciting, and the paint is generally in good shape.

If you ascend from the northeast, be prepared that the summit of Little Haystack can provide a false sense of accomplishment, and though the distance between the two is short, the elevation gain occurs all at once.