Red Ridge and Moat Mountain Trail Loop, North Conway
- Jill McMahon
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Those seeking challenging hikes with breathtaking summits usually head to the White Mountains' Presidential Range, western Maine's Mahoosucs and Bigelows, or Baxter State Park with it's endless, glorious peaks. But I want to tell you about a lesser-known option that's just as satisfying - and much easier to reach if you live in southern Maine: the 10-mile, Red Ridge and North Mountain Loop in North Conway, New Hampshire.
My friend Jaime and I had plans to hike and she was excited for something bigger in the Whites: summiting mounts Lafayette, Liberty, and Flumes. Gorgeous hikes, but they require a long drive: 2 hours and 45 minutes from Portland. Jaime wanted to camp near the trailhead to offset the drive, but family commitments ruled that out for me, and I wasn't up for a day trip with that much driving either. So I suggested North Moat Mountain instead. Jaime agreed - even though she'd never done this hike and had no idea she was about to get the challenging climb she'd been hoping for.
The trailhead parking for this hike doubles as the same starting point for the highly popular Diana's Baths waterfalls and swimming holes, so the lot fills quickly. We arrived by 9:00 a.m. and still had to wait in line for about 15 minutes - and soon after we got in line, cars began stacking up behind us, all the way down West Side Road. If you plan to do this hike, I'd suggest going during the week, or getting there extra early on the weekend.
The first two miles of this hike are easy, meandering alongside the beautiful waterfalls and pools at Diana's Baths.
At just over a mile, you'll reach a junction, which starts the loop. Follow the loop counter-clockwise, which offers the most rewarding vantage point during the ascent on the Red Ridge Trail.
At 2.5 miles, stay left on the Moat Mountain Trail, ignoring the Attitash Trail to the right. This is where you'll start to climb, and straight up. Expect your heartrate to rise quickly here, as you move steadily along the relentlessly rocky path. After another 1.8 miles of steep climbing, you'll reach the summit of North Moat. It's not a 4,000 footer - the elevation is just under that at 3,196 ft - but you'll feel like you climbed one.
Enjoy 360-degree views of the surrounding mountains, including Middle and South Moat, Chocorua, Washington, Jefferson, and Adams. We may not have driven to the Presidential Range, but we were taking it in with a bird's eye view - in all it's glory.
From the summit, continue on the loop for another 1.2 miles before reaching a junction with the Middle Moat Trail. Bear left here onto the Red Ridge Trail, which will take you over the most gorgeous section of exposed rock with a backdrop of endless mountains.
The rocky climb down seems to go on forever, but the views make for a pleasurable journey. If you run out of water (like we did), you'll reach a stream crossing 1.5 miles from the start of the Red Ridge Trail. We filtered water at this point and took our hiking boots off to cool our feet in the frigid mountain water. Nothing is more refreshing!
From the stream crossing, hike another two miles before closing the loop, then bear right to walk another mile back to the trailhead. Cool off at Diana's Baths for a reward at the end of your 10-mile climb, then head into North Conway for some lunch!
This hike is one of my absolute favorites. Enjoy it in all seasons and let me know how it goes for you!
