Woodsum Spur

Trails available & stats: 

Traditional hiking trail: 5.1 mi 

• Woodsum Spur 1.7 mi 
• Puzzle Mountain Trail 3.4 mi 
• Distance to the first jct. w/ Woodsum Spur: 2.5 mi 
• Day hike of the full lollipop: 7.6 mi 

OTHER: Backpacking trail 

• Grafton Notch Loop Trail 38.6 mi 

Rules: 

• Dogs allowed on leash or under voice command on all trails 
• Bikes are not allowed on hiking only trails 
• Motorized vehicles are prohibited on all trails  
• Active forestry may be occurring at any time 
• Overnight camping is allowed only at designated campsites along the Grafton Loop Trail (The closest being the Stewart campsite) 
• Park in designated parking spots only 
• Carry out all litter, including pet waste. 

Maine Trail Finder link: Puzzle Mountain and Woodsum Spur

The Woodsum Spur is one of three trails that branch off the Grafton Loop Trail (GLT). Located in the Stewart Family Preserve, the Woodsum Spur veers off the GLT halfway between the first set of open ledges and the first summit of Puzzle Mountain. The 1.7-mile trail meanders along the mostly open southwest ridge before rejoining the Grafton Loop Trail near the true summit of Puzzle Mountain. The Woodsum Spur creates a 7.6 mile lollipop loop around Puzzle Mountain.

We recommend hiking the spur clockwise to get to Puzzle Mountain peak first and then take in views of the Mahoosuc Mountain range and Bear River valley as you travel down the mountain.

The Stewart Family Preserve is one of the privately conserved parcels of the Grafton Loop Trail. It is named after Bob Stewart, who donated the land to the Mahoosuc Land Trust for permanent protection. The Woodsum Spur is named after Ken Woodsum, a forester and conservationist who was instrumental in protecting Puzzle Mountain and first explored the route of the current trail with Bob Stewart.

The connection: Inland Woods + Trails was originally called Mahoosuc Pathways. While the name limited us geographically over time, we are delighted to steward the Woodsum Spur, as it is the closest connection (physically and figuratively) we have to the Mahoosuc Range.

We value connecting with and supporting the other managers of the Grafton Loop Trail. The rest of the preserve that the spur is located on is managed by our friends at the Mahoosuc Land Trust. The rest of the GLT management is conducted by the Mahoosuc Land Trust, the Maine Appalachian Trail Club, and the Appalachian Mountain Club. These connections bolster our efforts to provide high quality, local trails.