W1/HA-199 Davis Hill

After getting nearby Wantastiquet Mountain I drove a few minutes over to the Kilbun Pond Trailhead in Pisgah State Forest to get Davis Hill. Note that the marker on Google maps is a bit north of where the parking lot is. Once I found the lot, I had to find the trail. I assumed it was the road heading into the woods at the end of the lot, but the Davis Hill Trail is actually closer to the highway.

Trailhead. Parking is just out of sight behind the sign.

 Once I was on the correct trail, it was an easy hike up the hill. The intersections are all well signed, and it appears that the area is open to snowmobiles in the winter. I hiked up to the highest point on the trail, before it starts heading down again. This is past the town border sign.

I came out of the woods here on my way back.

 At the high point, I found a place that didn't look too bad and headed off into the woods. The forest was generally open, but there were some stands of mountain laurel I had to push through. Overall, it was an easy bushwhack up to the summit. There was no obvious highest point, so I walked around a little until I found a good place to put up my antenna.

Bushwhacking through the mountain laurel.

 There was good cell service on top, and I quickly had a pileup. Once I had worked everyone, including a few European stations, I packed up and headed back. I mostly followed my footprints, but lost them. Since I knew where the trail was, I just took a beeline to it, coming out of the woods at the town border sign.

Misty winter forest.

 Back at the car I headed for home. I thought about getting another peak, but it was still threatening rain, and all my jackets were damp, so I decided against it.

Trailhead: Kilburn Trailhead, Pisgah State Forest on NH 63.
Website: SOTA Site.
Maps: AA6XA SOTA Hikes map.
Route: Take the Davis Hill Trail to the high point, then bushwhack to the summit.
Red Tape: None.