Elephant Head, in Crawford Notch State Park is an ideal family hike. It's short enough to be a "please, one more hike before we go home" hike, and spectacular enough to serve as a destination in its own right for families with small children. For marvelous views and not too much effort, it's in the same league with Mount Willard.
Elephant Head is a huge granite monolith perched at the top of Crawford Notch shaped, as the name suggests, like a giant elephant's head. It even has a white "eye" formed by a vein of quartz. There is plenty of room at the top for the kids to get a wonderful view of Crawford Notch, both north and south, without getting too close to the 300-foot cliff.
Looking south, you get a slightly off-center view of the glacial valley of Crawford Notch. To the north, there's pretty little Saco Lake and in the distance, Bretton Woods and the palatial Mount Washington Hotel.
It is always windy out on the exposed cliff top, so be prepared. Carry a light jacket, even on a hot summer day. If there's a light breeze down below, there will be a gale blowing across the old elephant's brow. Even on a still, windless day, there will be enough wind to fly a kite on top of Elephant Head. (So bring a kite! I often do.)
The trail is one third of a mile long. It is a bit muddy in spots, and parts of it are a little steep, but there's nothing the average five-year-old can't handle. And this trail can provide the little ones with a great sense of accomplishment without overdoing the challenge. (But if things do get bad, it's not too far to carry a cranky five-year-old back down.)
To get to Crawford Notch from Manchester, take Interstate 93 north. In just about ninety miles, you'll pass through Franconia Notch State Park (which we can visit some other time). Take the first exit after the park, U.S. Route 3 north (Exit 35), toward Lancaster. After ten miles, in the village of Twin Mountain, turn right (east) on U.S. Route 302 toward Bretton Woods. After about 15 miles, the road climbs up the steep northern slope of Crawford Notch. At the top of the notch, the road curves around Saco Lake on the left, and you'll see the Appalachian Mountain Club's Highland Center and Crawford Depot on the right. Notice the giant elephant's head rising on the left just past Saco Lake! Park on the right, past Crawford Depot and before Elephant Head.
The trail head is across the road from the parking lot. There's a sign marking the beginning of Webster-Jackson Trail. This trail leads up to Mount Webster, Mount Jackson, and other peaks of the southern Presidential Range. But after about 500 feet of gentle to moderate climbing, you'll see the Elephant Head Trail going off to the right. This trail passes through a couple of swampy areas, and up one or two somewhat steep scrambles. When you start going down again, notice the high, steep hill on your right. As you pass this – and the last muddy spot – it may seem that the trail has disappeared. It turns sharply to the right, goes up one last scramble, and you're on top of Elephant Head.
In late summer, look for blueberries near the northern end of the cliff (right, as you face Crawford Notch). If it's not too windy, listen to the spring peepers in the swamp across the notch. Watch the cloud shadows slide down Mount Tom and Mount Willard. See if you see an eagle or a hawk racing the wind down Crawford Notch.
While it's a bit steep, this really is an excellent hike for young school-age children. They should reach the top in less than half an hour, before they have time to get frustrated. And the sense of accomplishment will stay with them long after the hike back down.
Author Resource:-
Chuck Bonner is a lifelong hiker and amateur naturalist, and webmaster of www.HikingWithChuck.com. For more descriptions of great places to hike, visit http://www.hikingwithchuck.com/Where/WhereIndex.htm
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