Precipice Path West

Dogs Unknown

Features Fall Colors · Views · Waterfall

To access this trail follow Old Stage Road Trail from the parking area at the end of Alton Mountain Road. You'll travel on the Red Trail briefly before coming to the trailhead for the Precipice Path.

To access the Precipice Path travel along Old Stage Road Trail from the parking area at the end of Alton Mountain Road. You'll hike briefly along the Red Trail (may also be labeled as the Anna Goat Trail) before forking right to the Western side of the Precipice Path.

After a tenth of a mile or so of a decently steep climb you'll reach a fork to either continue on the Western portion of the Precipice Path to the left or take the Eastern side instead to the right. The western side has significantly more large rocks and climbing to start and then travels along a narrow trail at the edge of a steep drop off. However this leads to excellent views. Meanwhile the eastern side is steep for a much longer distance, follows a small brook and does not provide the views that the western side has.

Precipice Path West is very well marked by frequent purple blazes. It's a low traffic trail so it's not a particularly worn path but it's hard to lose the trail markers.

A short distance past the fork you'll reach a very rocky slope with a waterfall near the top. Following the purple markers (since the trail isn't very well defined) climb this steep area to the top. You'll want you hands free as it's not an easy climb and there are some large rocks to get over. Near the top of the climb you'll cross over the small brook that creates the water fall, climb a bit more and then cross back over the brook above the fall.

After crossing the brook the second time you'll continue away from it along the edge of the steep drop off you just climbed up. As you travel you'll keep gaining elevation but also gaining better and better views. The viewpoints will begin to fade away but then you'll get a few more distinct viewpoints a short bit later.

As you continue take note of the very interesting terrain, tons of rocks and steep slopes on both sides of the trail. Occasionally you'll come across a more challenging area of the trail to get up and over a rock formation or two.

After about 0.75 the steep dropoff starts to fade away and the trail adopts a more consistent slow climb. Continue until 1.1 miles when the trail ends at the Blue Trail/ Belknap Range Trail.