Beer Hiking New England – North & Middle Sugarloaf

PHOTO: Cohos Trail Founder Kim Nilson and Cohos Trail Association President Sue Wentworth address the attendees celebrating the trail’s 25th Anniversary at the Rek’-Lis Brewing Company’s Pint House in Bethlehem, NH.

by Amy Patenaude
Outdoor/Ski Writer

My guidebook writer pal Carey Kish has another book out; Beer Hiking New England hit the bookstores this summer. His guide joins the global best selling Beer Hiking series published by Helvetiq. I know that the publisher picked the best person to write this book. Kish is the editor of the AMC’s Maine Mountain Guide and there is a good reason his Appalachian Trail name is Beerman.
Back in the fall of 2020 I joined Carey while he was doing his research for this guidebook. I hiked with him in New Hampshire and Vermont. After the hikes I tagged along to check out the nearby breweries. I liked this kind of research and I like hiking with Carey. Beer Hiking New England is a guidebook that hikers and beer fans will find handy for discovering great hikes and great craft brews.

The guidebook features 50 New England hikes and brews spread all over the six New England States. The guide provides detailed descriptions of easy, moderate and strenuous rated hiking routes to some of the prettiest scenery that each state has to offer. After the hike description he serves up a recommended brew at a nearby craft brewery. There are many color photos and it is loaded with interesting background information about the hikes and brews.
Choose the hike or the beer first? I was flipping through the guidebook and I saw the can of Pretentious Hopper, Rek’-Lis Brewing Company’s wonderful New England IPA. That evening I planned to go to Rek’-lis to join the Cohos Trail 25th anniversary celebration. In the guidebook this beer was paired with a hike up North & Middle Sugarloaf.
I grabbed my boots and backpack and drove to the trail. Zealand Road begins about two miles south of Twin Mountain on Rte 302. The trailhead parking is just shy of a mile in, just past the Sugarloaf campground and right before the bridge over the Zealand River.
The day started out foggy and cloudy but the clouds were lifting. These ledgy peaks have the best views and they are fine peaks to see the fall foliage of the Zealand Valley and beyond.
Kish rates this hike moderate and I agree. The T-Shaped route, round trip is 3.5 miles with a 1,000 feet of elevation gain. This hike has it all. It begins with an easy walking section along the long abandoned rail bed on the bank of the Zealand River. Next is the gradual climb that passes by a giant boulder on the way to the col between these twin peaks. I squeezed through the narrow crack between the split boulder. Hikes to each peak end with short steep climbs to reach their open ledgy summits.

The swirling clouds hovered just below 4,000 feet blocking the view to the nearby and distant bigger mountains. Mount Hale and Mount Tom poked through but the Twins stayed hidden along and so did Mount Washington. The trees are starting to turn colors. A few red swamp Maples and traces of gold in the hardwood forest below were already showing. The view was well worth the hike and in a few weeks the Zealand Valley will be a leaf-peepers delight.
On the way back down I passed by a few pairs of hikers and a family of four. I had had both summits to myself. It was a satisfying hike.
Back at the car I decided to add one more thing to my outing. There is a path to Wildlife Pond just across the parking area and the path begins at the obvious gated snowmobile trail. To get to the pond only takes maybe five or ten minutes. There is a short brushy area to push through but when you reach the other side there are bog bridges that lead to the edge of this little pond. The pond is pretty but what is special is the view up to the ledges of Middle Sugarloaf.
A few hours later Charlie and I arrived at the Rek’-Lis. The Cohos Trail party was held at their new Pint House located just behind the brewery/ restaurant. This new addition replaces the popular brew-shed that we were all so fond of at the main building. It is bigger with lots of cool spaces to enjoy a brew with friends.

My Cohos Trail backpacking partner Julie couldn’t join us but my hiking pal Danielle joined us. Danielle had a sour beer and Charlie and I enjoyed the Pretentious Hopper. Everyone enjoyed a meal served from their fabulous food truck.
We shared tales of our day’s adventures. Danielle had a Cohos Trail reroute mishap since she didn’t have the new map. Get the new map. She tried to hike from the Edmands Path on Clinton Road to the Mount Washington Hotel but she didn’t find the route.
I explained I was inspired to visit the Sugarloafs again because I knew I would be at Rek’Lis and the Beer Hiking New England guidebook recommended the pairing (and did I mention my photo is on page 262). My hike was fun and the beer was tasty.
The Cohos party ended with Founder Kim Nilsen and the President Sue Wentworth making a few remarks. Then Nilsen and a friend played their guitars and sang a few songs.
Have Fun.