Smarts Mountain - 3238 Feet

Smarts mountain
 

STATE: New Hampshire
TOWN: Lyme
DESTINATION: Smarts Mountain
ELEVATION: 3238 Feet
SUMMIT COORDINATES: N43 49.528, W72 02.285
TRAIL: Lambert Ridge Trail
DISTANCE: 8.0 miles
ELEVATION GAIN: 2135 Feet
HIKING TIME: 3 hours
SEASON: Late Summer
DATE: August 23, 2013
WEATHER: Partly cloudy, 75 degrees

PARKING:

From route 10 in Lyme NH follow Dorchester Road 4.75 miles to the trailhead on the left. The gravel lot is marked with a trail kiosk and has parking for 10-15 cars.

USGS QUAD: USGS Smarts Mountain Quad

MAP: (Smarts Mountain)

DESCRIPTION:

The parking area on Dorchester road serves two trailheads both leading to the summit of Smarts Mountain.  The Lambert Ridge Trail begins opposite the trailhead kiosk and map and follows white blazes also marking the Appalachian Trail. The trail ascends steeply through a hardwood forest soon reaching open ledges after approximately 1 mile.  The open ledges transition to and from the woods and provide good peephole viewing mostly in an easterly direction.  At approximately 2 miles you'll reach your first view of Smarts mountain and the fire tower at it's summit.  The trail drops into a hardwoods forest and remains nearly level for a good distance before transitioning to the steep steps.  At 3.5 miles you encounter the junction with the Ranger trail and the Smarts mountain summit is a steep 0.5 miles away. The are no views from the summit proper however there is a standing inactive fire tower which provides panoramic views from the cab.

TRAIL DISTANCES:

HIKING DISTANCES
DESTINATION	DISTANCE	TOTAL DIST.
Lambert ridge trail - open ledges	~ 1.0 miles	~ 1.0 miles
Lambert ridge trail - view of Smarts Mountain	~ 1.0 miles	~ 2.0 miles
Lambert ridge trail - Ranger trail merge	~ 1.5 miles	~ 3.5 miles
Lambert ridge trail - Smarts summit	0.5 miles	4.0 miles

HIKING TIMES:

HIKING TIMES
DESTINATION	TIME	TOTAL TIME
Lambert ridge trail - open ledges	20 minutes	20 minutes
Lambert ridge trail - view of Smarts Mountain	20 minutes	40 minutes
Lambert ridge trail - Ranger trail merge	35 minutes	1 hour 15 minutes
Lambert ridge trail - Smarts summit	15 minutes	1 hour 30 minutes
Smarts summit - Parking	1 hour 20 minutes	2 hours 50 minutes

NOTES / COMMENTS:

Smarts Mountain stands at 3238 feet elevation however has an elevation gain over 2000 feet making this little mountain the 9th most prominent mountain in the state of New Hampshire. It is the highest point in the town of Lyme and on several hiking checklists such as 52 mountains With a View and the NH 3000 footers. It's 41 foot standing inactive fire tower was originally built in 1915 however the Dartmouth Outing Club made several repairs over the years where it remained in service until 1980.

 The Lambert Ridge trail along open granite ledges

Wooden stairs and a steel ladder ascending a steep pitch nearing the summit.

 The Smarts Mountain fire tower.

 Mt. Cube

Views from the tower