Easier Hikes in NH's Mountains

Would you like to enjoy fall in New Hampshire's mountains, but don't want to hike one of those strenuous 4000-footers? Want something with a comfortable trail and a fine view? Well, there is a source for you to find just this kind of mountain -- the "52 With a View" list created by the Over The Hill Hikers of Sandwich, NH. Each of the 52 mountains on this list is less than 4000 feet tall, has a well-maintained trail and boasts a fine summit view. You can find this list on the NH Mountain Hiking website (www.nhmountainhiking.com).

Sometimes the best view is not from the tallest mountain. When you are way up on top and looking down it is awesome, but not an intimate view. For a better seat in the grand panorama of New Hampshire's mountains, I like being on a smaller mountain surrounded by larger ones. The photo at the top of this page was taken from the summit of Middle Sister, a 52-with-a-view mountain only 3340 feet tall, located off the Kancamagus Highway. Yet this photo is the best panorama of NH's White Mountains I have ever obtained.

A dynamic family unit enjoys the knock-out view on top of Mount Kearsarge.

Mount Kearsarge (2930 feet, located northwest of Concord) is on the 52-with-a-view list. It is home to two NH state parks: Winslow State Park to the north and Rollins State Park to the south, with trails to the summit from each. This arrangement allows you to tailor your hike up this mountain to the ability level of your group. From Winslow the trail is about 1.6 miles and 1100 feet up, a hike to challenge older children. From Rollins it is only 0.5 miles and 300 feet, great for younger kids. The summit is a rock dome with a spectacular 360-degree panoramic view, huge communications tower, active fire tower, and even a picnic table.

Mount Chocorua (3500 feet, near Conway) is another 52-with-a-view mountain with a 360-degree view. The trail up is mostly in the woods and sheltered; but when you emerge onto the rocky summit, wow! You can hike this mountain from either the north side (Kancamagus Highway) or the east (Route 16), for about equal effort. After the hike you can visit Lake Chocorua to photograph the calendar-perfect view of this pyramidal mountain rising above the lake. If you time it for fall foliage color, it is even better.

Chuck stands out on the edge to take in Mount Chocorua's summit view.

Fall is a great time to hike: no bugs, no heat, and no crowds! It is also the best time of year to view sunset from a mountain top: sunset is scheduled at a convenient hour, yet it is still warm. Many of the mountains on the 52-with-a-view list are well-suited for sunset viewing because the view is great and the hike down by twilight is relatively short.

Sometimes the journey (the trail) is as beautiful as the destination (the summit). During fall foliage season you may want to get out of the leaf-peeper line, get off the highway, and escape the crowds. You can do this and still enjoy the super scenery. Just head up one of the 52-with-a-view mountains, such as Mount Shaw (2990 feet, near Lake Winnipesaukee) or North Moat Mountain (3196 feet, near North Conway). You can't beat the combination of colorful woods, summit vistas and exhilarating exercise such a hike provides.

North Baldface (3610 feet, near Gorham on the Maine border) offers some pristine up-north scenery. The best hike is over both this mountain and also South Baldface via the Baldface Circle Trail, a distance of about 10 miles roundtrip. Both these mountains are on the 52-with-a-view list. If you are up for the longer drive and hike, the trailside beauty and ridge vistas here are mountain classics.

A final advantage of the 52-with-a-view list is that it features mountains all over NH -- not just those in the White Mountains region. It includes Magalloway Mountain way up north in Coos County, Mount Monadnock down near the Massachusetts border, and a whole bunch of other mountains spread in between. So you should be able to find a fine mountain near wherever you happen to be lodging.

For an overview of where all these mountains are located, see the Location Map on the 52-with-a-view webpage of the NH Mountain Hiking website (www.nhmountainhiking.com). Then see the Google Map for the exact location of your target mountain (and driving directions to it, if you wish). For a trail description, see one of the Appalachian Mountain Club's outstanding hiking guides: AMC White Mountain Guide (for mountains north of Lake Winnipesaukee) or AMC Southern New Hampshire Trail Guide.

Mountain lists get shared among hikers as a means to find new and interesting peaks to climb. But a list can take on a life of its own. If you find a list useful and climb most of its peaks, the list can become transformed in your mind into a "goal" and you may find yourself driven to "bag" the remaining peaks. This happened to me with the 52-with-a-view list and it was one of my most enjoyable mountain hiking experiences.

Emerald Pool is a cool hideaway near the Baldface Circle trailhead.
 

Len strolls through a yellow corridor on the way to Mount Shaw.

A hiker watches the sun set softly into an incoming cloud layer
from atop Mount Monadnock on the 4th of July.