Maine · Hiking · Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness · Near North Conway

Red Rock

11.2 mi
round trip
4,024 ft
climb
2,885 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Sep
best months

Is Red Rock open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in White Mountain National Forest. It doesn't name Red Rock, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · White Mountain National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Red Rock is a hard hike in the Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness, part of the Saco Ranger District of the White Mountain National Forest in Maine. The trail is an out-and-back that climbs from a low point of 1,678 feet to a high of 2,885 feet, with a total elevation gain of 4,024 feet over the round trip. The steepest stretch comes early, at about 0.35 miles in, with a grade of 47 percent. The route is 11.2 miles long and is on natural surface. Bikes are not allowed, and the trail is not accessible. The Forest Service manages the land. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Pinkham Notch weather station in New Hampshire, which sits about 860 feet lower, show July highs around 75°F with lows near 53°F. That station's figures run cooler than conditions on the trail's high point. The hike takes about 5.5 hours. Blueberry Ridge Trail starts just 0.4 miles away, and Great Brook Trail and Evergreen Link Trail are each about 1.7 miles off. Climbers can find WM: Evans Notch about 2 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Cold River

    Campground

    Campground · 3.4 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Subway

    Fast food

    Open after 6
  • If it rains

    Museum of White Mountain Art / Jackson Historical Society

    Museum

    On your way back · 15 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in North Conway
  • Best time to go · Sep

    Best time to visit Red Rock

    Best months: September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      26° / 6°

      14 wet

    2. Feb

      28° / 7°

      13 wet

    3. Mar

      36° / 15°

      14 wet

    4. Apr

      49° / 27°

      13 wet

    5. May

      62° / 39°

      15 wet

    6. Jun

      70° / 48°

      14 wet

    7. Jul

      75° / 53°

      14 wet

    8. Aug

      74° / 52°

      13 wet

    9. Sep

      68° / 45°

      12 wet

    10. Oct

      54° / 35°

      14 wet

    11. Nov

      42° / 24°

      14 wet

    12. Dec

      31° / 14°

      16 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Pinkham Notch, NH, 15 mi away at 2,025 ft. The station sits about 900 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

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Stone House Trail

~3 min drive

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Overlook Loop

~4 min drive

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HIKE

Blueberry Ridge Trail

Next door

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Cold Brook TrailPhoto: D. Sikes from Fairbanks, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Cold Brook Trail

~6 min drive

4.40-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 723 ft gain.

White Cairn TrailPhoto: Me in ME, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

White Cairn Trail

~5 min drive

1.14-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 405 ft elevation loss.

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Haystack Notch Trail

~3 min drive

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Roost TrailPhoto: GOC53, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Roost Trail

~7 min drive

2.44-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 1,074 ft elevation gain

Shell Pond LoopPhoto: Me in ME, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Shell Pond Loop

~6 min drive

0.86-mile out-and-back trail at Shell Pond Loop in Maine with 26 ft of elevation gain.

HIKE

East Royce

~3 min drive

East Royce is a 2.35-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 4,218 feet of elevation gain.

Route details

Distance
11.2 mi round trip
Climbing
About 4,024 ft
Summit
2,140 ft
Difficulty
Hard
Time
About 4 hours

Season

Season: Year-round.

Questions about this route

How long is the Red Rock on Red Rock Mountain?

About 11.2 mi round trip.

How much elevation gain is on the Red Rock?

About 4,024 ft of climbing round trip.

How hard is the Red Rock?

It is rated hard.

How long does the Red Rock take?

About 4 hours round trip.

When is the best time for the Red Rock?

Year-round.

Conditions and forecast on Red Rock Mountain

Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.