Maine · Hiking · Near North Conway

White Cairn Trail

White Cairn TrailPhoto: Me in ME, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
1.1 mi
round trip
748 ft
climb
959 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Caution at last check

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is marginal · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 14 h ago

Is White Cairn Trail open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in White Mountain National Forest. It doesn't name White Cairn Trail, 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.

White Cairn Trail is a short, easy hike in the Saco Ranger District of White Mountain National Forest in Maine, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is about 1.1 miles long and rises roughly 340 feet one way, with the steepest stretch at about 0.26 miles in. It is an out-and-back route, and the total climb for the round trip is about 750 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Bethel run to highs around 79°F in July and 71°F in September, while winter highs stay in the 20s. The trail sits among several other destinations. Overlook Loop is about 0.6 miles away, and Shell Pond Loop and Shell Pond Bouldering are each about 0.7 miles off. For an overnight stay, Cold River campground is about 1.5 miles away.

Around this trail

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

    Cold River

    Campground

    Campground · 1.5 mi from the trail
  • If it rains

    Museum of White Mountain Art / Jackson Historical Society

    Museum

    On your way back · 12 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in North Conway
  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit White Cairn Trail

    Best months: May–October. 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

      28° / 8°

    2. Feb

      31° / 11°

    3. Mar

      40° / 19°

    4. Apr

      52° / 31°

    5. May

      65° / 42°

    6. Jun

      74° / 51°

    7. Jul

      79° / 57°

    8. Aug

      78° / 56°

    9. Sep

      71° / 47°

    10. Oct

      57° / 37°

    11. Nov

      45° / 27°

    12. Dec

      34° / 17°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Bethel 6 Sse, ME, 12.1 mi away at 790 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

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

Shell Pond Loop

~1 min drive

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Stone House TrailPhoto: Paul VanDerWerf from Brunswick, Maine, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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

Shell Pond trail

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2.48-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 489 ft elevation gain and loss.

Deer Hills TrailPhoto: Paul VanDerWerf from Brunswick, Maine, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Leach Link TrailPhoto: Paul VanDerWerf from Brunswick, Maine, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Laughing Lion Trail

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1.88-mile out-and-back hike in Maine with 2,524 ft elevation gain.