Beebe Falls & Mt. Israel in NH's Lakes Region

This hike is an easy ascent via a relatively easy path (i.e., not as rock and boulder-strewn or rough as most White Mountain trails). Highlights include excellent views of the lakes, Mt. Mousilaukee, the Tripyramids and Mt. Chocurua. And if you're (un)lucky, a black bear!

We started the hike not at the beginning of the Wentworth Trail, which is the traditional trailhead for this approach to Mt. Israel, but about a half a mile away near Beebe Falls. The falls are quite unusual in that the water falls down a vast surface of relatively smooth granite, perhaps 50 yards across, into a pool of water that's all less than knee deep and extremely calm. It would be a fantastic place for children to play safely in the water, with no eddies or currents.

The side trail before the summit provides a lookout area with a lovely view northwest -- of the lakes in the area's famed Lakes Region and Mt. Moosilaukee, which dominates the horizon.

Beware of black bear in the area. A hiker we met on the trail just before the lookout had just accidentally come face to face with one. He said the bear was just as surprised as he was, and fortunately for everyone, the bear scampered away. No one seemed to see the bear for the rest of the day at least.

We mistook the ridge, just before the peak, as the summit, and ate lunch and enjoyed the view there. We fortunately learned of our mistake from another hiker. Another 5-10 minutes on the trail, and we hit the actual summit (marked by a 5' high cairn). The unmistakable jagged rock profile of Mt. Chocurua is one of the highlights of the view, as well as the Tripyramids to its left.

Word of warning: Don't drive the western part of North Sandwich Road to the trailhead -- unless you have a high-clearance vehicle. The "road" is actually a rough dirt road that's very poorly graded. My Audi bottomed out on several occasions because of deep ruts and potholes.

5.75 miles,~1,700' elevation gain
Summit: Mt. Israel = 2,260 feet high
Route: Trail from Beebe Falls (near Bear Camp) to Wentworth Trail