Mount Waumbek - 4,006'
Hike Statistics
Total Distance: 7.2 miles (with Mount Starr King)
Elevation Gain: 2,600 feet
Hiking Time: 4 hours, 20 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate
Season: Summer
Hiking this peak in winter? Click here!
Hike date: 07/28/2019
Description: Mount Waumbek is the highest peak in the Pliny Range of the North Country and has views looking to the east just past the summit, along the Kilkenny Ridge Trail. Using the route below, you’ll have the opportunity to summit a peak on the 52 With a View list, check out a cool backcountry fireplace, and take in some nice views. Be sure to check out our YouTube video of our hike to Mount Starr King and Mount Waumbek which you can find here!
Trails Used: You’ll ascend on the Starr King Trail to the summit of Mount Starr King. You’ll then continue along the Starr King Trail to the summit of Mount Waumbek. To descend, simply turn around and return the same way you came up.
Trail Summary: This hike starts at the end of Starr King Road (a gravel road) off of Route 2 in Jefferson. This road is in a residential area, so make sure to follow it left to avoid going up someone’s driveway. In a quarter mile, you’ll come to a parking lot with the trailhead.
The trail is very moderate and has great footing for its entire duration. At the start of the hike, you’ll be on an old logging road for a bit as you make your way up through a very nice and open forest. The trail climbs at steady grades for a majority of this hike, but is never too difficult. After about 1.5 miles, you’ll enter a much more dense conifer forest. We liked this as it was a complete shift in the scenery mid-hike and it had a mystical vibe to it. After some time, there will be a sign pointing to a spring that is slightly off trail (though it was almost dried up when we saw it). After 2.6 miles of hiking from the trailhead and 2,300 feet of elevation gain, you’ll come to the summit of Mount Starr King. The cairn is off on the right in the woods. If you continue for another 50 yards, you’ll come to a clearing with a nice view to the west (which earns this peak a spot on the 52 With A View list). The remains of a fireplace can also be found here, which used to belong to an old cabin. The trail continues to the right of the fireplace and goes on to Mount Waumbek. From this point to the summit of Mount Waumbek, you’ll hike another 1 mile and gain about 300 feet in elevation. The Starr King Trail descends for a short period of time into a col before you start the moderate climb to the summit of Mount Waumbek. You’ll know you’ve reached the summit when you come across a medium sized cairn in the middle of the trail. If you go past this cairn and follow the Kilkenny Ridge Trail for about 50 yards, you’ll come to a partial clearing with many blowdowns that offers a nice view of the Presidential Range. To descend back to the trailhead, you simply turn around and came back the way you came up.
The trailhead at the end of Starr King Road
Gradually climbing over some small rocks and branches
Shifting from open woods to a more dense conifer forest
The trail becomes rockier, but never too challenging
A quick selfie with the summit cairn on Mount Starr King
The view from Mount Starr King, which earns it a spot on the 52 WAV list
Checking out the old fireplace at the viewpoint on Mount Starr King
Heading along the Starr King Trail through some ferns towards Mount Waumbek
As you start heading up Mount Waumbek, the trail becomes a bit rockier
The summit cairn marking the top of Mount Waumbek
The very nice views of the Presidential peaks from a viewpoint just past the summit cairn, along the Kilkenny Ridge Trail
Alternative routes:
We have not yet done any alternative routes to the summit of Mount Waumbek. This page will be updated once we have!
Hiking Mount Waumbek in the winter
We have not yet climbed Mount Waumbek in the winter, but once we do, we will update this page with our full report!
Questions? Comments? Want to share your take on this hike? Get in touch with us using the contact page!
As experienced hikers, we always make sure that we are hiking with The Ten Essentials which include navigation, a headlamp, sun protection, first aid, a knife, shelter, extra food, water and clothes. Overtime, we have discovered some items that we always bring on our hikes and consider them to be our personal, expanded ten essentials.