Hiking Trails on Mt. Monadnock—Fairy Spring Trail

Hiking Trails on Mt. Monadnock—Fairy Spring Trail

Under Construction. Some data may be incomplete or inaccurate.

This trail does not go to the summit, but may be used as a link in various routes that do.

Distance from White Arrow Trail to Monte Rosa:  

—

Ascending time: 

—

Descending time: 

—

Difficulty rating/rank: 

4-5/-

Crowd Factor:

2 (on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being near-continuous contact with others.) You may meet an occasional person on the trail, or see fresh footprints.

Access:

White Arrow Trail above the Halfway House site

Trail marker:

White bars

Average Grade:

—

The Fairy Spring Trail ascends from the White Arrow Trail to Monte Rosa. It is a slow, steep trail through thick hardwood forest.

The trail begins innocuously enough as it branches to the left from the White Arrow Trail, about 155 yards (140 m) above the Halfway House site. As you ascend from the Halfway House site, you first pass the Monte Rosa Trail on your left, and only about 10 yards farther on you encounter the Fairy Spring Trail. These two trails unite just below Monte Rosa. The Fairy Spring Trail is more or less level for the first 85 yards (75 m) or so, then turns to the right up a very steep section.

About 220 m from the beginning of the trail, you'll encounter a poorly marked turn to the left. Watch carefully for the worn trail and a sign. Continuing on, you eventually come head on to a solid rock face, about 12 feet high, that presents a little challenge.  Above that, the trail levels out for a little while. Shortly, the Monte Rosa Trail comes in from the left. According to the maps, a spur branches to the right near here, bypassing Monte Rosa and connecting above Monte Rosa with the Smith Summit Trail, but I haven't spotted it.

The Fairy Spring Trail goes another 150 m, up the southern side of Monte Rosa, coming out by the old weather vane on one of its peaks.