Red Hill via Eagle Cliff & Teedie Trail | 11/9/2025

Eagle Cliff and Teedie Trail have been a long time coming. With the Waterville and Squam tab nearly complete, I had been saving the pair for a beautiful day. Although Willow and I somehow landed on a mixed-precipitation morning with absolutely no visibility. Our maintained enjoyment was indeed a testament to how great the trail was, but I'd recommend a clearer day!

The trailhead for both Teedie and Eagle Cliff trails is roadside on Bean Road, just after the Sandwich town line. Driving through such low clouds was fascinating, as the only surrounding to be made out was the massive Squam Lake to my left. The parking area appears suddenly, with somewhat tucked-away signs at both trailheads, yet we decided to start up Eagle Cliff due to its implied steepness.

Eagle Cliff Trail

As we began up Eagle Cliff, the conditions were shaky. The rain on the way up had suddenly turned to snow, and we were fully immersed in our winter layers for the entire way up Eagle Cliff. Having decided to turn back if we saw fit, we took our time and braced carefully on our poles to negotiate the wet leaves that had been doused in at least an inch of wet snow. It was slow going to the top of the ledges, but after negotiating the steeper rocks, it was smooth sailing to the firetower.

I'm sure this would've been a great view!

Although the ridge wasn't very steep, it happened to be completely exposed to the wind, making for a very bundled stroll up. Thankfully, unlike the other trails up Red Hill, Eagle Cliff was nowhere near a carriage road and generally very well-built. Although we couldn't see the views down to Squam, there were several spots I look forward to returning to along the way.

Red Hill Firetower

Once we arrived at the top, we wasted no time changing layers to keep warm. Yet in perfect juxtaposition, a group of guys in sweats and sneakers arrived, making us look a bit ridiculous in our full winter layers. If we were cold, I can't imagine where they were at!

On the way down, the winds seemed to intensify, only calming as we turned off their path and down Teedie Trail. Teedie Trail was a blessing and a curse; while the pitch was less intense than Eagle, the leaves seemed worse. We were in a flux of needing spikes and needing the leaves to stop collecting beneath our feet, with no real solution. Better than sliding down wet ledges, though!

Teedie TH

Back on the road, we endured a brief yet chilly 0.3-mile walk to the cars, closing out at 5.35 miles with 1,600 feet of elevation gain. Save this one for a nicer day, it's a great addition to my favorite lakes region hikes!