Mount Kearsarge- Warner, NH
Last weekend we took advantage of the great Northeast weather (finally), and did our first hike of the Spring '15 season. We ventured up north to Warner, New Hampshire near the Sunapee region which is just around 2 hours outside of Boston. You can get to the Mount Kearsarge trailheads from either the Winslow State Park or Rollins State Park entrances. We chose the Rollins route which is on the southern slope of Mount Kearsarge. The entrance fee is $4 per adult.
Unique from most mountains we've hiked in New England, there is a 3.5 mile auto road from the Rollins Park entrance, to the parking area to where the trails begin. The ride up is undoubtedly beautiful and very scenic, however we felt like we were missing out on part of our hiking experience by driving up a portion of the mountain. We suggest once you're parked and situated, spray on bug repellent before starting the hike. Black flies are common during the warmer months and can be a nuisance on less windy days.
The hike starts off through the woodlands, and is relatively upward sloping. But before long you are hiking along granite slabs of rockier terrain. Right before the summit, the slated trail is a bit on the steeper side, however we would still rate this hike as easy overall. When you reach the summit, the unobstructed 360 views are breathtaking. From the north side you can see the White Mountains and Mount Cardigan, towards the west are the Green Mountains and Sunapee region, and Mount Monadnock it situated towards the south. On a clear day, you can even see the Boston skyline from the top of the summit's fire tower. It's a great location to stop and enjoy lunch, while taking in all the scenery.
Including multiple stops for photo opportunities along the way, our total hiking time was around one hour. Since this hike is not very long compared to the 2 hour drive up from Boston, we would recommend Mount Kearsarge to people who are either already in the area or those who plan to make a day of their trip up north by stopping for lunch and checking out local sites in the area after the hike.
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Unique from most mountains we've hiked in New England, there is a 3.5 mile auto road from the Rollins Park entrance, to the parking area to where the trails begin. The ride up is undoubtedly beautiful and very scenic, however we felt like we were missing out on part of our hiking experience by driving up a portion of the mountain. We suggest once you're parked and situated, spray on bug repellent before starting the hike. Black flies are common during the warmer months and can be a nuisance on less windy days.
The hike starts off through the woodlands, and is relatively upward sloping. But before long you are hiking along granite slabs of rockier terrain. Right before the summit, the slated trail is a bit on the steeper side, however we would still rate this hike as easy overall. When you reach the summit, the unobstructed 360 views are breathtaking. From the north side you can see the White Mountains and Mount Cardigan, towards the west are the Green Mountains and Sunapee region, and Mount Monadnock it situated towards the south. On a clear day, you can even see the Boston skyline from the top of the summit's fire tower. It's a great location to stop and enjoy lunch, while taking in all the scenery.
Including multiple stops for photo opportunities along the way, our total hiking time was around one hour. Since this hike is not very long compared to the 2 hour drive up from Boston, we would recommend Mount Kearsarge to people who are either already in the area or those who plan to make a day of their trip up north by stopping for lunch and checking out local sites in the area after the hike.
Kristy Albano & Matt Pickering
