Bald-Speckled Out and Back

Dogs Leashed

Features Fall Colors · Swimming · Views

This one feels a little out there in terms of accessibility, but the hike is incredibly rewarding. In autumn, the leaves, orange, red and yellow, appear on fire as you wind your way along the forest floor. A popular climbing spot, Bald Mountain offers amazing views of the area and Shagg Pond below. Continue on toward Speckled Mountain and you might even see a moose.

From the parking area, take the wide old road of a trail into the woods. The path starts off mellow enough but soon you'll reach a swampy creek you'll need to navigate via a series of logs. At times, the water levels here might be quite high, and passing through here may be a challenge without getting your feet wet. Shortly after this, you'll reach Little Concord Pond. There are usually some boats along the west bank (not for public use). If you traverse east along a social path, you'll eventually come to a large boulder that makes a great diving board into the pond.

Continue from the pond, the trail starts climbing. Most of the ascent to Bald Mountain is quite steep. It's rooty, rocky and traverses over a mix of singletrack and outcrops. If you came to climb, keep an eye out on your right side of a steep trail that drops down behind a boulder (there may or may not be flagging tape). Once you near the summit of Bald Mountain, take the Bald Summit Loop to get to the views. This spot is stunning. It overlooks the whole area including Shagg Pond below. It is a wonderful lunch stop. Wind back to the main trail and continue on toward Speckled Mountain.

From Bald Mountain, the trail rolls up and down a bit but generally climbs toward Speckled Mountain. This section of trail is much narrower and clearly sees less traffic. However, it is clear that there is a bit more wildlife here. You'll likely see some evidence of deer and moose. The views from Speckled Mountain are not quite as epic as Bald Mountain, but are still nice.

Once you reach the summit, head back the way you came. If its a hot day, maybe take a quick dip in Little Concord Pond before heading back to your car.