more stats
2,382 ft
Distance
3 ft
Climb
-175 ft
Descent
00:03:58
Avg time
-174 ft
Altitude change
792 ft
Altitude min
966 ft
Altitude max
966 ft
Altitude start
791 ft
Altitude end
-7.3%
Grade
-24.9%
Grade max
3.7%
Grade min
125 ft
Distance climb
2,169 ft
Distance down
85 ft
Distance flat
00:03:58
Avg time

Back Scratcher Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Loudon
    , New Hampshire
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Local Popularity
    85 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 5 in Trail Running
    • 65 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #131744 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #44691 in Trail Running
    • #27327 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    XC
  • Direction
    Both Directions
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    No

Decently steep, low traffic, alternate route to or from the fire tower.

Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 1 rides
  • 10 miles average
6 Months
  • 19 rides
  • 7 miles avg distance
All
  • 110 rides
  • Last: Sep 11, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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update trails status or condition

Back Scratcher Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
May 25, 2025 @ 1:28pm
May 25, 2025
 rooty rocky stumpy bumpy
May 30, 2022 @ 8:38am
May 30, 2022
May 3, 2021 @ 3:07pm
May 3, 2021
 Minor blow-downs including large branch in trail after rock wall climb
Apr 4, 2020 @ 12:29pm
Apr 4, 2020
Mar 18, 2020 @ 1:11pm
Mar 18, 2020
more »
Status:
on May 25, 2025
Ideal
no votes yet
Your vote: 0

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Trail Conditions
  • Unknown
  • Snow Groomed
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Snow Cover Partial
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Ideal
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
Trail Flow (Ridden Direction)
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  • > 90%
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  • < 50%
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  • < 1 week
  • < 2 weeks
  • < 1 month
  • < 6 months
  • > 6 months
Trail Ridden Direction
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  • Downhill Only
  • Downhill Primary
  • Both Directions
  • Uphill Primary
  • Uphill Only
  • One Direction
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Slope Aspect
Direction the slope faces
Flat N NE E SE S SW W NW
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        Directions to back-scratcher trailhead (43.278850, -71.505770)
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        2 Reviews & Comments

        mattbac
        Fun trail. Much more interesting then going by back down tower trail. The start of this trail is behind the other tower next to the fire tower. It is not the visible herd path next to the utility building next to the fire tower. Went down that one and it got very overgrown very quick. Eventually lost it and bushwhacked to the actual trail.
        Chrisg17 Chrisg17
        This a legal trail? Logs across leada me to no but..

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        Nearby Trails

        Loudon

        • By Rooster09TF Pro & contributors
        • #77795 - 1,112 views

        Frequently Asked Questions

        ▼ Where is Back Scratcher located?
        Back Scratcher is located in Loudon, New Hampshire, United States. It is part of the Loudon trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 43.27885, -71.50577.
        ▼ How hard is Back Scratcher?
        Back Scratcher is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 7.3%.
        ▼ What is the elevation gain for Back Scratcher?
        Back Scratcher has 3 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 175 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 792 ft to 966 ft.
        ▼ Is Back Scratcher a point to point trail?
        Back Scratcher is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ How long is Back Scratcher?
        Back Scratcher is 2,382 ft long. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ Are dogs allowed on Back Scratcher?
        Yes, dogs are allowed on Back Scratcher. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
        ▼ How do I access Back Scratcher? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
        The closest parking and trailhead locations to Back Scratcher are: View all parking locations in the area.
        ▼ How long does it take to ride Back Scratcher?
        Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 3 minutes to ride Back Scratcher. The trail is 2,382 ft long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
        ▼ How busy is Back Scratcher?
        Back Scratcher is a very popular trail. There have been 692 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 700 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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