If you’re looking for a mountain that offers beautiful views and beginner-friendly trails — and also isn’t a long drive from Boston — head to New Hampshire’s Mount Kearsarge.
Less than two hours from Boston, Mount Kearsarge is one of southern New Hampshire’s most popular mountains. This isolated peak stands 2,937 feet high and is accessible from two state parks: Winslow State Park on the mountain’s northwest slope, and Rollins State Park on its southern slope.
The bare summit on Kearsarge features a fire tower that offers stunning views in every direction. The trails up the mountain are short. And while these trails are good for kids and hiking novices, they can also be rocky and steep in a few areas, so use caution.
Hikers climbing Kearsarge from Winslow State Park can take either the Winslow Trail or the Barlow Trail. Hikers can also create a loop hike by combining the two.
The Winslow Trail is a little more than a mile long. It’s a rocky trail and is steep at times as it climbs 1,100 feet to Kearsarge’s summit. The Barlow Trail isn’t as steep. It climbs the same 1,100 feet, but stretches it out over an additional half mile. It also offers scenic views from outlooks along the way.
For those who want to make the hike into a loop, climb up Winslow and down Barlow to avoid descending Winslow’s steep, rocky terrain.
Hikers on Kearsarge’s southern slope can choose between long and short routes to the summit from Rollins State Park. The Rollins Trail is roughly a half mile, climbing only 350 feet from the parking area to the summit. Hikers starting at the parking lot can also take the Lincoln Trail up, which is roughly the same distance up from the lot as the Rollins Trail.
Those who want a longer, more challenging hike can start at the Kearsarge Valley Road parking area and grab the Lincoln Trail there. From there, the Lincoln Trail is a roughly four-and-a-half mile hike to the summit of Kearsarge. Along the way, it crosses Black Mountain’s western ridge and passes through hardwood and hemlock forests and a scenic birch grove.