Iron Mountain rises in the White Mountain National Forest east of Jackson, its name rooted in the iron mining operations that worked its southeast slopes in the late 1800s. Before mining began, it was known as Baldface. Concrete abutments at the wooded summit mark where a fire tower stood from 1939 to 1948, the only remnant of the structure that once scanned the surrounding forests for smoke.
The Iron Mountain Trail covers 4.4 miles out-and-back, gaining around 1,410 feet. A new route was completed in 2021 to replace the eroded original path; hikers should use the new alignment, as the old one has been closed and brushed in. Past the summit, the trail descends the south side of the mountain to its visual payoff: open, south-facing ledges with views across the Conway valley. Cranmore and Attitash ski areas sit at opposite ends of the valley, the Moat Range spans the middle distance, and the Sandwich Range, including Chocorua, rises beyond. A spur trail branches off to the abandoned mine, where a tunnel bored into the hillside during the ore-extraction era remains visible.
The road to the trailhead can be rough for 2WD vehicles, and the access road is subject to seasonal closure in winter. May through October provides the most reliable hiking conditions.
