Black Cap: Sept 19, 2025

[Copied from Allen’s book, Go Take a Hike: page 282, more or less]

Difficulty: Easy

Trail distance 1.1 miles

Hikig Time 1 hour

Elevation 2,369

vertical gain 650 feet

Meet at the Denmark Church at 8:30 a.m.

Black Cap Mountain is located east of Cranmore Mountain in North Conway and is an easy hike. Black Cap Mountain is the highest peak ion the Green Hills Preserve and offers fine views from its summit of the Green Hills range. Cathedral and White Horse Ledges and Mount Washington.

Tralhead:

From US 16/302 in North Conway at the scenic overlook, take Hurricane Mountain Road east 3.8 miles to the Black Cap Moountain trailhead and [arking lot on the right side of the road. This road is steep and winding and is not maintained in winter. The trailhead can also be reached from the east end of Hurrican Mountain Road that starts from Chathma’s Green Hill Road.

Through the efforts of local conservationists the Nature Conservancy purchased 2,822 acres of the Green Hills in 1990. A ledge at the summit of Black Cap is inscribed to Anna B. Stearns who was instrumental in preserving the Green Hills for all to enjoy…..”

When we hiked this trail in August 2024, both Dale and Gordon astutely noticed that many of the water bars had been removed from the trail. Our assumption was that mountain bikers considered them to be impediments and removed them. As a result certain areas of the trail were badly eroded by running water.