The Basin Trail follows the south shore of Basin Pond, passes above a swampy area, and then crosses two brooks along the flat floor of the Basin before beginning a more moderate ascent. The trail continues to climb through the woods, climbing more steeply as it approaches the first junction, on the left, with the Hermit Falls Loop.
The Hermit Falls Loop is a 0.2 mile detour that leads to a 30-foot horsetail waterfall in a mossy ravine. Past the falls, the loop climbs steeply to meet back up with the Basin Trail about 200 feet above its lower junction with this trail. A hike up the Basin Trail, around the short loop trail, and back down the Basin Trail makes for a total hiking distance of 3 miles.
The Basin Trail continues its ascent at first moderately, but then quite steeply as it travels along the foot of a great cliff. It reaches the five-way Rim junction just under a mile from the Hermit Falls Loop. A left on the Basin Rim Trail here leads to a nice viewpoint 0.1 from the juction. Hiking up the Basin Trail, with detours to Hermit Falls and the viewpoint on the Basin Rim Trail, then back down the Basin Trail, makes for a total distance of 4.8 miles round trip.
Before you hike, know the hiker responsibility code and be prepared:
Visit the hikeSafe website to learn more!
For additional information, visit the White Mountains National Forest wesbite, or contact:
From the north, take NH-113 from US-2 in Gilead 10.7 miles to Basin Road on the right. From the south, head north on NH-113B from Chatham, then turn left on NH-113 (Main Road) and go 4.7 miles to Basin Road on the left.
The trail head is located on the west side of the parking area by Basin Pond, 0.6 miles down Basin Road from NH-113, on the right just before Basin Campground.
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