The “A” Trail
Distance:
3.3 miles to lookout; 4.5 miles to summit of McGaffey Mountain
Trailhead:
A parking lot is located at the corner of Watson Pond Road and Wildflower Estates, 4 miles south of Route 27.
Description:
The ‘A’ Trail was designed as a mountain biking trail, with multi-use opportunities for hiking and snowshoeing. The trail starts at the northeast corner of the parking area and crosses the Round Top Trail at 0.3 miles. It continues west and then turns south, crossing the Goat Path at 1 mile and then descending to intersect an old logging road at 1.3 miles. The trail follows the logging road to the right (northwest), crossing a stream and gradually narrowing to single-track as it climbs. At 2.1 miles the trail turns left (south) on another grown-in logging road. (For hikers, a steeper, rockier option continues straight uphill, rejoining the bike trail in 0.2 miles.) The trail descends gradually until meeting another logging road at 2.4 miles, where it turns sharply to the right (north). From here it follows the logging road, climbing to rejoin the hiking trail and then ascending in a series of short switchbacks at 2.8 miles. As of July 2014, the trail beyond this point has been rough-cut but is not completed or signed. Proceed with caution. The trail turns southwest and steadily gains elevation until reaching an open lookout area with views of lower Long Pond at 3.3 miles. From the lookout, the trail meanders along the ridgeline, ending at the summit of McGaffey Mountain (1,288′).
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