| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Moriah, Shelburne Moriah Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Rattle River Trail, Kenduskeag Trail, Shelburne Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, October 6, 2025 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of space at Rattle River (the Dodge Ram with the flat tire is still there!). Connor Brook Rd is as nice a dirt road as there is - smooth as glass for the entire mile from Rt 2 to the parking area except for a couple deep pot holes on Lady Trooper Ln at the very beginning. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Rattle River was the only real crossing, and like every crossing right now it's low and easy |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Rattle River is excellent, Kenduskeag is tight with spruce and undergrowth in places but not really a problem and no mud, Shelburne is well covered in leaf litter up high but otherwise no problems. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Water is the only concern. |
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 | Bugs: |
Sadly yes. Tiny biting midges chased us off both summits. Calm wind didn't help. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
This hike has been on the radar for a long time, and given the legendary mud on Kenduskeag and the current drought it seemed like the right time. The summit weather forecast was for sunshine, July-like temperatures, light winds and a touch of humidity. That translated to needing a lot of water. The big question was would we have to carry four liters each (extra water is one of the 10 essentials) the whole way. We couldn't get any intel on available water for these trails (and the main reason for this post), so we assumed Rattle River would provide at least up to the shelter and Connor Brook would have some flow maybe halfway down the Shelburne trail. We were able to load up at the last crossing of Rattle River (about 3.1 miles in at 2000 feet) where the flow was strong (filled a liter bag in 5 seconds). Above that, at about 3.75 miles there was a small brook with a trickle flow rate of about one liter in 3-4 minutes but no easy way to fill a bag or bottle a the crossing - we didn't check up or don stream. A pump type filter would have worked well here. Connor Brook had decent flow starting about halfway down the Shelburne trail.
We met and chatted with a friendly Americorps (SCA) crew doing trail work on Kenduskeag just west of the Rattle River junction. Other than the steep climb up the last quarter mile to the Carter-Moriah trail junction the trip over to Moriah and back from the top of Rattle River was quick and smooth with about a quarter of the distance on bog bridges in mostly good condition. The trip up to Shelburne-Moriah was much more rugged and took much longer, but with great views and interesting bog areas. Lunch at the top was shortened mostly due to super tiny black biting flies, but also because the slab was baking in the sun and it was hot! No wind to speak of. From the summit heading down to the Shelburne trail it was steep and rough, but with signs of some very recent light brushing it was a little less scratchy than on the hike up. Thanks and appreciation to whomever did the work! This part of the trail is lightly used and very wild but easy enough to follow due to all the sawed blowdowns acting as blazes (we noticed no painted blazes in this area). Leaf litter is not bad on the top, but gets deeper as you descend, and the treadway on the top section of the Shelburne trail is completely obscured requiring full concentration on foot placement to avoid rolling an ankle (or worse). This made this part of the trail mentally fatiguing and we were glad to reach the lower section where the trail becomes a forest road and is grassy and smoother with no leaf litter. About 13 miles and 3900 gain, it was a tough hike in the heat and carrying a lot of water, but the views at the top of both peaks made it well worth it. |
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 | Name: |
Notch and Pumba |
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 | E-Mail: |
bowmore17@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2025-10-07 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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