Jockey Cap Trail

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While there are a lot of parking spaces in the lot, most are reserved for customers of the store. There are 2-3 spaces for the trailhead. You can park across the street at the grocery store before beginning your hike, or on the side of the Dollar General and take one of the other trail segments to the top of Jockey Cap. Quinn's Jockey Cap Store is a great place to get a drink or snack after your hike.

Climbers also enjoy this area for the opportunity to climb Jockey Cap and boulder on the large rocks below.

To access the trail, go 1.0 mile from the intersection of Routes 113 and 302 in Fryeburg. The trailhead is behind Quinn's Jockey Cap Country Store, which is next to the Dollar General store. There are a couple of parking spots next to the store, or you can park in the shopping center across the street. There is a small kiosk that has some old photos of Jockey Cap when it was a ski run, and some information on the store that sits below Jockey Cap.

The trail leads into the woods where several foot trails lead uphill. The main trail is marked by yellow blazes on the trees, but all of the small paths will lead uphill toward the granite dome. The trail is mainly a single dirt track that runs through the woods uphill, which provide a great amount of shade throughout the spring and summer. The trail becomes a little washed out in areas toward the top, but a new path that is less steep and washed out runs around and leads to the top.

As the trail approaches the top, the woods give way to the granite summit. Hike out onto the granite dome, and work your way up the rock face toward a stone monument at the top dedicated to Robert E. Peary, the arctic explorer, who called Fryeburg home from 1878 to 1879. On top of the monument is a bronze profile of the surrounding mountains that allows you to identify the mountains, hills, and lakes. The White Mountains spread out before you and on a clear day, you can see Mount Washington in the distance. You can see Lovewell Pond, the Molly Ockett School, and other Fryeburg landmarks.

You can descend via the same path that you took to get to the top, or take one of the many side trails. The trail goes by some boulders at the bottom of the hill, which are great for kids to explore. The area is known as Molly Ockett's Cave, named for a Abenaki Indian who lived in the area and was known to camp at the base of Jockey Cap. This trail emerges behind the Dollar General store and you can work your way back to where you parked your car.

Squirrels and chipmunks are plentiful in the woods below Jockey Cap. Birds can be seen in the trees and soaring above Jockey Cap.