Name origin for Devil's Kitchen Gorge

[LivesToHike]

Is anyone familiar with the name origin of the Devil's Kitchen Gorge on the Howker Ridge Trail up Mt Madison in the NH Presidentials? I've cast about, only finding that the name "Devil's Kitchen" is quite common for gorges and mountain areas across NH, the US and the world.

Thanks in advance.

--LTH

 

[Mark Schaefer]

I cannot speak to the NH gorge specifically, but I suspect the origin may be the same as the Devil's Kitchen at the head of the Platte Clove in the Catskills. The Catskill's Devil's Kitchen has numerous waterfalls with swirling pools at the foot of each. The early settlers thought the pools resembled the boiling caldrons in various depictions of hell, such as the drawings that frequently illustrate Dante's Inferno. One of the streams is named Hell Hole Brook and the trailhead for the tortuous Devil's Path is nearby.

 

[LivesToHike]

I cannot speak to the NH gorge specifically, but I suspect the origin may be the same as the Devil's Kitchen at the head of the Platte Clove in the Catskills. The Catskill's Devil's Kitchen has numerous waterfalls with swirling pools at the foot of each. The early settlers thought the pools resembled the boiling caldrons in various depictions of hell, such as the drawings that frequently illustrate Dante's Inferno. One of the streams is named Hell Hole Brook and the trailhead for the tortuous Devil's Path is nearby.

Hey, thanks very much for the information, Mark. I think it fits this trail as well. I haven't seen it during the Spring Thaws or a after a significant downpour, but I can imagine that it would take this appearance as well.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Isn't there also an area north of Cabot called the Devil's Hopyard? Might be a relationship between the two - not too far away from each other.

(edit to add URL)

 

[LivesToHike]

Isn't there also an area north of Cabot called the Devil's Hopyard? Might be a relationship between the two - not too far away from each other.

(edit to add URL)

Thanks Kevin - interesting area. Looks worth a trip.
KilKenny seems familiar to me, but I don't know why.