Licensed through creative commons 2022
Relative location:
Cardigan is north west of Hopkinton, NH. It is also west of the town, Orange. Technically speaking, Mount Cardigan is about 35 miles from Hopkinton, NH. However, that is only if you were driving a straight shot from Hopkinton to Cardigan Mountain. You could also find the AMC Lodge west of Cardigan.
The summit of Mount Cardigan is located at 43 degrees, 38 minutes, 59.14 seconds north and 71 degrees, 54 minutes, and 53.28 seconds west.The elevation of Mount Cardigan is 3,126 feet. Another interesting spot on Mount Cardigan is PJ's Rock. You can find it at 43 degrees, 38 minutes, 46.2 seconds north, and 71 degrees, 54 minutes, 31.6 seconds west.
Cardigan is filled with all different species of plants and animals. You will find a variety of trees on your hike up the mountain - spruce, fur, beach, ash, pin cherry, maple, and many more. You will also see many glacial erratics along your hike. These big rocks are found at many different locations on Firescrew and Cardigan. As for animals, there are many caterpillars that you can find crawling around, along with lots of other tiny insects. At some spots on Firescrew and Cardigan, if you're lucky enough, you can find wild cucumbers alongside the trail. These, what look like to be small sprouts, are very interesting with the reddish hue that streaks the green leaves growing off of its stem. At the top of Cardigan is a breathtaking view where you are surrounded by open air and mountains. Standing on top of the rocky surface you get a 360 of beautiful nature - mountains and hills crowd the distance, a layer of blue sky blanketing them.
At Cardigan, specifically the AMC Lodge, you will find that most people dress alike. Usually they are wearing multiple layers to suit the weather outside. You will see people with raincoats, hiking boots, gloves, hats, rain pants, jackets. Most people also carry a backpack of some sort to bring their gear in. As for the hiking portion, you will find and hike many different trails up and down Cardigan and other areas. On some trails there are camping spots along the way with fire pits and outdoor bathrooms for campers to utilize. There are also many other man made structures on and around Cardigan. Such as the fire tower on top of Cardigan. The old, metal tower protrudes from the top of Cardigan, looking over the many miles of mountain, forest, and small towns. The towns that surround Cardigan, even though close by, are still a few miles away from the mountain. Filling the space in between are roads and trees. Also, depending on what trail you take, you almost certainly cross a bridge along the way. You can also find old stone walls in the woods, used for farming and housing long ago.
Over the expanse of three days, September 25, 26, 27, we learned a lot about Cardigan and nature itself!
Last updated Nov 29, 2022