You can’t go wrong hiking up a mountain named after Caribou! No sightings of actual caribou today (LOL)… and no luck with moose either. We started our journey from the Bog Road entrance, picking up the Caribou Trail.

The hike began along a logging road, easing us into a moderate climb through beautiful open hardwoods. The sights and sounds of Bog Brook added a peaceful soundtrack to the walk. After a couple of miles, we entered the Caribou–Speckled Mountain Wilderness area, where the trail began its climb toward the saddle between Caribou and Gammon Mountain.

The saddle, with its open feel and lush green moss, had a bit of magic to it. Here we connected with the Mud Brook Trail for the final push to Caribou’s summit.

At the top—2,850 feet—there was barely a breeze, just calm air and quiet. Normally the nearly 360-degree views stretch for 50–60 miles, but today smoke from the Canadian wildfires cut visibility down to about 15 miles. Even so, the summit’s broad ledges were a perfect spot to relax. We shared the summit with just a few other hikers and lingered over a leisurely lunch, soaking in what views we had.

After the descent, a few of us capped the day with an early dinner at Mr. Pizza in Gorham, enjoying their outdoor deck overlooking the Ammonoosuc River.

A good day in the mountains, even under smoky skies!

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