South Paugus - Paugus Mill | 7/26/25

It's been a long time since I've hiked alone, so it's been even longer since I've gone out to trace foolish things. Today I returned to Mount Paugus for the first time since 2021, but this time from the east side. While I probably won't return for any of these trails again, it was a great outlet to listen to Pearl Jam and get a good workout.

This area is full of crisscrossing trails due to the logging roads that have been established throughout the once-clear-cut area. I'm not sure there is a right way to trace the Chocorua and East Sandwich tab, but I gave my best try and began my ascent with the Bickford Trail just past Ferncroft on 113A.

Although the WMG described Bickford as sometimes hard to follow, I found the maintenance and blazing to be recent. After a handful of private land cross-throughs- including maple lines, a camp, and a beautiful farmhouse- I permanently entered the woods at the top of an unnamed shoulder of Mt. Mexico. I alternated running and walking streamside and enjoyed a long downhill to Paugus Mill.

The Paugus Mill intersection is a bit confusing, which I'd anticipated from other NETC reports (I read your reports too, GN!). Though several trails intersect here, there is only an arrow up the rest of Bickford and no mention of Old Paugus. I later found out the other trail signs are a bit further, where Bolles intersects. Like always, I had already planned my route and simply followed the neon yellow line up Old Paugus.

Metal "bridge" on Old Paugus

Old Paugus is almost entirely within the Sandwich Wilderness, meaning it is unmarked. The footpath was, for the most part, excellent and didn't miss out on markings. I enjoyed the quiet woods alongside Whitin Brook until the intersection with Whitin Brook Trail, where I filtered my last bit of water. Then, like any honest tracer, I out-and-backed the spur that runs parallel to Big Rock Cave Trail, then came back down for BRC. Just enlightening and totally not identical... ha ha ha!

With the POAB (pointless out and back) done, I got my hike on and began to climb the infamous Old Paugus Gully. I resent slippery leaves on a steep pitch, so I especially disliked the lip where my 3 ascent options were a wet slab, pulling up on a log with no handholds, or starfishing over a rock at chin-height. I opted for the starfish, then topped out to an abundance of disorienting downed trees- it was great to have GPS up here! I read about a worn bushwhack around this, but I didn't see it and was too beat to look for it once I got up the lip. Nothing was particularly exposed, but I took my time knowing no one would be around to find me if I hurt myself.

Gully of despair

Some nosey trees after topping out Old Paugus steeps

For whatever reason, when I reached the intersection with Beeline, I felt as though I was near-done, but I was far off. Though the final push is around half a mile, it wasn't easy in the hot afternoon sun! But with South Paugus, there truly is no easy way up, I've come to find.

Summit of Old Paugus

After a nice, well-deserved break up top, I hiked much faster down to Bee Line, where I stomped and slid down that hefty pitch. While the footing was mostly ok, it's the sort of trail that would be brutally eroded if it got any use. The trail drops around 1200 feet in 0.5 on a dirt and leaf footpath before eventually draining riverside to an old logging road that's mostly flat.

Downed sign

Leaving the wilderness for the day!

I again POAB'd to complete the triangle made up of Bee Line Cut off, Bee Line, and Bolles. Despite their proximity, the difference between Cutoff's wilderness and Bolles' snowmobile path was drastic! At the foot of the trails, I ran Bolles to Paugus Mill, where I ditched my plans to do the small paths to R68 and headed right back on Bickford. Bickford was admittedly harder in reverse, mostly because on the way out, I thought the downhill felt flat rather than something I'd need to regain.

By day's end, I saw 2 people over the 12 miles and elapsed a little under 5 hours total. I excitedly journeyed to Papa Bean's Ice Cream, which is a MUST-try in North Sandwich. Their 10> ingredient ice cream was some of the best I've ever had, cheap too! While I was there, I also picked up a copy of the NH Ice Cream Passport. I think I have a better chance at finishing that before this tracing project... I'm at the point where 12 miles only gets me 0.4% new!

Stats: 12 miles, 3290ft