Hiking Mount Monadnock, One of the Most-Climbed Mountains in the World
Thanks both to its accessibility and its stunning views, New Hampshire’s Mount Monadnock is one of the most popular hikes in the world. Follow along on this virtual visit.
By Cathryn McCann|Mar 21 2022|
Coffee By Design | Portland, Maine
Photo Credit : Katherine Keenan
There’s a reason why an entire region of a state gets named after a mountain. Mount Monadnock, an imposing 3,165-foot beauty in southwest New Hampshire, towers 1,000 feet higher than any other peak in the area and is rivaled in popularity only by Japan’s Mount Fuji. Accessible from several towns via trailheads of varying difficulty (but equal beauty), Mount Monadnock may not be as tall as many others in the White Mountains, but it still offers a good workout for hiking experts and less experienced adventurers alike. This, along with its central locale within New England, is perhaps what has made the bald-top, rocky mountain overlooking dense forests and sparkling bodies of water such a popular trek. Plus, the views reaching all the way to the Boston skyline and north to Mount Washington are worth the trip in themselves.
Mount Monadnock | New Hampshire Hiking Photo Credit : Cathryn McCann
Hiking Mount Monadnock | What to Expect
While there are trailheads in both Dublin and Jaffrey, the most popular route up starts at the Monadnock State Park Headquarters in Jaffrey. There you’ll find plenty of parking, a visitor center, and a park store. Entrance to the park costs $5.
Mount Monadnock | New Hampshire Hiking Photo Credit : Cathryn McCann
The park rangers suggest that first-time Monadnock hikers — or even first-time hikers, which is often the case at this mountain — head up to the summit on the White Dot Trail (two miles; about two hours), and descend on the White Cross Trail (2.2 miles; about two and a half hours). The trails are relatively short and easily accessible but still quite beautiful, with a range of challenging terrain.
Mount Monadnock | New Hampshire Hiking Photo Credit : Cathryn McCann
The White Dot Trail starts with an easy, gradual uphill stroll, with some thick roots and rock stairways. This may be a popular route, but it has its challenges. The trail becomes very steep and rocky about half a mile in, and there are large boulders that will require some clambering.
Mount Monadnock | New Hampshire Hiking Photo Credit : Cathryn McCann
However, after that steep section, at just over a mile (once you get over one more large boulder), you can turn around and take in the first of many vast views before heading back into the shade of the tree-lined trail.
Mount Monadnock | New Hampshire Hiking Photo Credit : Cathryn McCann
Mount Monadnock is a popular hike throughout the year — even in winter, for some — but if you love fall in New England, this is a great hike for foliage immersion. Walk over crunchy fallen leaves, next to branches with leaves of every shade, and below a forest speckled with all the warm shades of autumn.
Mount Monadnock | New Hampshire Hiking Photo Credit : Cathryn McCann
There are also other pops of bright red: clusters of berries on mountain ash branches, that is.
Mount Monadnock | New Hampshire Hiking Photo Credit : Cathryn McCann
If you go on a particularly sunny day, rays from above illuminate the foliage, providing a picturesque setting for a hike.
Mount Monadnock | New Hampshire Hiking Photo Credit : Cathryn McCann
Monadnock has a bare summit, so expect steep scrambling over boulders once you get above the tree line and eventually making your way across large slabs of rock up to the top.
Mount Monadnock | New Hampshire Hiking Photo Credit : Cathryn McCann
When you make it to the top, however, you’ll understand why this mountain has been popular for more than 120 years, and why it appears in literature by the likes of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Its views extend as far south as Boston and north to Mount Washington.
Mount Monadnock | New Hampshire Hiking Photo Credit : Cathryn McCann
And you may be joined by birds swooping about.
Mount Monadnock | New Hampshire Hiking Photo Credit : Cathryn McCann
The way down is steep and rocky, but it gradually levels out after the halfway mark.
Mount Monadnock | New Hampshire Hiking Photo Credit : Cathryn McCann
If You Go:
The park headquarters is at 116 Poole Road in Jaffrey, New Hampshire.
While suitable for beginners, this hike still requires proper clothing, safety equipment, and shoes with a good tread.
The shortest hike is at least four hours round-trip. Pack plenty of food and water.
Mount Monadnock is very popular. If you want to avoid crowds, consider getting an early start or doing the hike early or late in the season. The mountain is open year-round.
Other sides of the mountain can be accessed from the Marlboro Trail (west side), the Dublin Path (north side), the Pumpelly Trail (northeast side), and the Birchtoft Trail (Gilson Pond trailhead).
An alternative to the steep White Dot Trail is the White Arrow Trail, accessed from the Old Toll Road trailhead.
Have you ever hiked Mount Monadnock?
This post was first published in 2017 and has been updated.
My husband and I climbed Mt Monadnock about 20 years ago. Beautiful memories of that wonderful day. We would love to have done it again, but due to car crash injuries we are unable to do so. We would recommend climbing this spectacular place to anyone.
I hiked the mountain a couple of times when I lived in Fitzwilliam. It was fun and the view from the peak was wonderful. A dear old friend Bernard (Skins) Watkins would climb it at least once a year. I can’t recall how many years he did it but it was probably 15 or 20 years before his health got bad.
I’ve heard it said Monadnock is the most summited mountain in the world. Mt Fuji may be the most climbed but not holding the record for the most summited.
Oh I LOVE love love this mountain! I grew up next door in Rindge but went to school and hung out a lot in Jaffrey. I have climbed this mountain at least 7 times as a kid/young teen. Absolutely enjoyable and miss it very much!
I DO plan on tackling it once more before I become too old and decrepit…hopefuly soon :))
During my teenage years my family lived for several years at the base of Mt Monadnock. My high school boyfriend worked for the Park & climbed the mtn. many times a day replenishing supplies for sale at the summit’s hut. Needless to say on our one day off every week we climbed and explored the mtn.
A decade later I climbed it with fellow teacher girlfriends with a bottle of wine and lots of water and snacks. It took us 8 hrs, talking and sitting and occasionally climbing. An expert climber on crutches (!) passed us as he was going up and then coming down – as we were still ascending! We all laughed and remember it still 45 Yrs later. Love ? that beautiful Mountain.
The main reason that Mt. Monadnock is the second most climber mountain is because it’s an easy hike and has a false tree line so with less work the view is fantastic. Folk lure gives the reason for the false tree line. I don’t have a clue if it’s true, but this is the legend. Sometime in the early 1800’s, the farmers were losing their stock to wolves. Since the wolves made their home on the mountain, they decided the best way to get rid of the predators was to burn the mountain and force them down to the waiting guns of the farmers. What they didn’t take into consideration was erosion. After the top of the mountain had been burned, it could never grow back. I don’t know if this is true, but it makes sense. Folk lure is a fun thing whether it’s true or false.
I lived in Jaffrey New Hampshire about 40 years ago. I climbed Mount Monadnock at least a dozen times as a kid and loved it. I had a girlfriend from school, she showed me where the cave was. It was a pretty hidden secret where it was, unfortunately, I went back a year or two later and it had been destroyed! When I first saw it there was a bunk bed, a little table, a homemade fireplace, and a greetings book that we all signed. When I went back to it the book was gone and everything was trashed! It’s sad because when we were kids we would bring food and things up with us and we brought our trash back down! Even at 13 years old we still picked up our cigarette butts! LOL! It’s too bad people don’t give a s*** anymore about nature! I’m 54 years old now and I would love to climb it again!
I first experienced the mountain 65 years ago in the 1950’s(!!!) when I went to a summer camp called “Joe-Bill-Dunc” sponsored by Dartmouth College for boys 10-12. I loved it so much, my parents sent me for 2 consecutive years. These are some on my fondest childhood memories. I’d love to reconnect with other campers or counselors (I recall one called “Moose”) from that era.
Don Sieburg – ra3b@yahoo.com
With respect, there most certainly was a summit hut in the 1960’s. I well remember expecting it to be like the skating hut — roaring fireplace, available hot chocolate, and instead finding a very spartan interior with available water, and spectacular views!
I climbed it at 13 while at summer farm camp in Jaffrey. We also did part of the Presidential Range which involved sleeping in lean-to shelters and pretty challenging climbs (at least they seemed so then)… Somewhere in a box are some black and white photos 😉
Mt. Monadnock is indeed a beautiful mountain. In our quest to hike the 48 4000 footers in New Hampshire, my former husband and I hiked Mt. Monadnock many times as preparation for the higher mountains. The very first time, the weather was cloudy, misty, cold and windy on the top as we sat and ate our lunch. (We were prepared and so were still comfortable.) However, we enjoyed many sunny, beautiful days as well. It has quite an interesting history and spots along the way to see. I don’t hike anymore, but I still love reading about this wonderful mountain and have heart warming memories of it.
I’m Dave’s wife. Dave is from RI, and remembers going to Mt. Monadnock as a child. Dave and I, with our 4-year old son, went camping, there, and climbed the mountain in the summer of 1982. I think we picked the easiest route going up. Along the way we met a man, with his young son, from Boston. So, we continued our ascent with them. We had a wonderful time! Our trip down, was quite challenging, taking a different route. But, we all made it without any injuries, and our sons proved very capable in their very young years! It was one of our most memorable adventures in the USA!
Yes indeed,there once was a snack shack at the top of Mt. Monadnock and it sold treats for us all! There was also a magnificent hotel half way up the mountain on the Jeffrey side. Unfortunately it burned down in the 50’s. I Grew up at a boys’camp on Laurel Lake in Fitzwilliam and it was our Mountain. We all climbed it each and very year, sometimes walking over from our camp.
Enjoy. Build memories.
Panny
As a camper at Panny’s camp, I hiked it nearly every summer until college and several times since. The Marlboro Trail was my favorite with blueberries halfway up.
I hiked the Pumpelly Trail when I was 38 back in the 90s. I love to walk.
To prepare I walked up to 8 miles a day…The experience was great.There were about six of us … the weather was perfect. Low 70s clear sky. Our seasoned hiker was 55 years old but looked much younger from all of his hiking and eating healthy.
I remember -once we got back down the mountain…We all yelled We want Pancakes!!!!
Yep, hiked the Jaffrey route maybe thirty years ago in early autumn. Not too taxing on the way up, but then clouds followed by freezing rain caught us on the way down. No mishaps, but I had trouble stepping up on a curb for a week or so — the downhill is a sneaky rascal, especially in the rain.
I hiked Mt. Monadnock when I was 14 with my Auntie Mary, Uncle Jimmy and Cousin Jimmy, on the White Dot trail. Years later, I tried to get my husband to climb it with me, on the White Dot trail but not even halfway up, he whined that he didn’t want to climb anymore. Looking back now, I should have left him where he was whining, and climbed the rest of the way myself. -Shirley Sereque-
I climbed this mountain when I was 5 years old with my family. We did it several times. For us kids it was one of our favorite places to visit. We lived near Kingston at the time. Have not been back since I was a child . I am 65 now
We hiked Monadnock on July 4th – a glorious day in spite of crowds @ the summit. One of our best days of the summer!!
My husband and I climbed Mt Monadnock about 20 years ago. Beautiful memories of that wonderful day. We would love to have done it again, but due to car crash injuries we are unable to do so. We would recommend climbing this spectacular place to anyone.
I hiked the mountain a couple of times when I lived in Fitzwilliam. It was fun and the view from the peak was wonderful. A dear old friend Bernard (Skins) Watkins would climb it at least once a year. I can’t recall how many years he did it but it was probably 15 or 20 years before his health got bad.
I’ve heard it said Monadnock is the most summited mountain in the world. Mt Fuji may be the most climbed but not holding the record for the most summited.
Oh I LOVE love love this mountain! I grew up next door in Rindge but went to school and hung out a lot in Jaffrey. I have climbed this mountain at least 7 times as a kid/young teen. Absolutely enjoyable and miss it very much!
I DO plan on tackling it once more before I become too old and decrepit…hopefuly soon :))
During my teenage years my family lived for several years at the base of Mt Monadnock. My high school boyfriend worked for the Park & climbed the mtn. many times a day replenishing supplies for sale at the summit’s hut. Needless to say on our one day off every week we climbed and explored the mtn.
A decade later I climbed it with fellow teacher girlfriends with a bottle of wine and lots of water and snacks. It took us 8 hrs, talking and sitting and occasionally climbing. An expert climber on crutches (!) passed us as he was going up and then coming down – as we were still ascending! We all laughed and remember it still 45 Yrs later. Love ? that beautiful Mountain.
Summit hut?? Been climbing the mountain since the 80’s and there’s never been a hut.
The main reason that Mt. Monadnock is the second most climber mountain is because it’s an easy hike and has a false tree line so with less work the view is fantastic. Folk lure gives the reason for the false tree line. I don’t have a clue if it’s true, but this is the legend. Sometime in the early 1800’s, the farmers were losing their stock to wolves. Since the wolves made their home on the mountain, they decided the best way to get rid of the predators was to burn the mountain and force them down to the waiting guns of the farmers. What they didn’t take into consideration was erosion. After the top of the mountain had been burned, it could never grow back. I don’t know if this is true, but it makes sense. Folk lure is a fun thing whether it’s true or false.
Someone said there’s never been a hut. Actually is. Folks are probably referring to the “Tip Top House” where they sell drinks.
I lived in Jaffrey New Hampshire about 40 years ago. I climbed Mount Monadnock at least a dozen times as a kid and loved it. I had a girlfriend from school, she showed me where the cave was. It was a pretty hidden secret where it was, unfortunately, I went back a year or two later and it had been destroyed! When I first saw it there was a bunk bed, a little table, a homemade fireplace, and a greetings book that we all signed. When I went back to it the book was gone and everything was trashed! It’s sad because when we were kids we would bring food and things up with us and we brought our trash back down! Even at 13 years old we still picked up our cigarette butts! LOL! It’s too bad people don’t give a s*** anymore about nature! I’m 54 years old now and I would love to climb it again!
I first experienced the mountain 65 years ago in the 1950’s(!!!) when I went to a summer camp called “Joe-Bill-Dunc” sponsored by Dartmouth College for boys 10-12. I loved it so much, my parents sent me for 2 consecutive years. These are some on my fondest childhood memories. I’d love to reconnect with other campers or counselors (I recall one called “Moose”) from that era.
Don Sieburg – ra3b@yahoo.com
With respect, there most certainly was a summit hut in the 1960’s. I well remember expecting it to be like the skating hut — roaring fireplace, available hot chocolate, and instead finding a very spartan interior with available water, and spectacular views!
I climbed it at 13 while at summer farm camp in Jaffrey. We also did part of the Presidential Range which involved sleeping in lean-to shelters and pretty challenging climbs (at least they seemed so then)… Somewhere in a box are some black and white photos 😉
i broke my leg when i was 20 years old and when the cast came off i climbed Mt. Monadnock twice a day for 7 days to build up my leg and it worked
Mt. Monadnock is indeed a beautiful mountain. In our quest to hike the 48 4000 footers in New Hampshire, my former husband and I hiked Mt. Monadnock many times as preparation for the higher mountains. The very first time, the weather was cloudy, misty, cold and windy on the top as we sat and ate our lunch. (We were prepared and so were still comfortable.) However, we enjoyed many sunny, beautiful days as well. It has quite an interesting history and spots along the way to see. I don’t hike anymore, but I still love reading about this wonderful mountain and have heart warming memories of it.
I’m Dave’s wife. Dave is from RI, and remembers going to Mt. Monadnock as a child. Dave and I, with our 4-year old son, went camping, there, and climbed the mountain in the summer of 1982. I think we picked the easiest route going up. Along the way we met a man, with his young son, from Boston. So, we continued our ascent with them. We had a wonderful time! Our trip down, was quite challenging, taking a different route. But, we all made it without any injuries, and our sons proved very capable in their very young years! It was one of our most memorable adventures in the USA!
Yes indeed,there once was a snack shack at the top of Mt. Monadnock and it sold treats for us all! There was also a magnificent hotel half way up the mountain on the Jeffrey side. Unfortunately it burned down in the 50’s. I Grew up at a boys’camp on Laurel Lake in Fitzwilliam and it was our Mountain. We all climbed it each and very year, sometimes walking over from our camp.
Enjoy. Build memories.
Panny
As a camper at Panny’s camp, I hiked it nearly every summer until college and several times since. The Marlboro Trail was my favorite with blueberries halfway up.
I hiked the Pumpelly Trail when I was 38 back in the 90s. I love to walk.
To prepare I walked up to 8 miles a day…The experience was great.There were about six of us … the weather was perfect. Low 70s clear sky. Our seasoned hiker was 55 years old but looked much younger from all of his hiking and eating healthy.
I remember -once we got back down the mountain…We all yelled We want Pancakes!!!!
Yep, hiked the Jaffrey route maybe thirty years ago in early autumn. Not too taxing on the way up, but then clouds followed by freezing rain caught us on the way down. No mishaps, but I had trouble stepping up on a curb for a week or so — the downhill is a sneaky rascal, especially in the rain.
I hiked Mt. Monadnock when I was 14 with my Auntie Mary, Uncle Jimmy and Cousin Jimmy, on the White Dot trail. Years later, I tried to get my husband to climb it with me, on the White Dot trail but not even halfway up, he whined that he didn’t want to climb anymore. Looking back now, I should have left him where he was whining, and climbed the rest of the way myself. -Shirley Sereque-
Made my 40th accent of the mountain for the calendar year today. It never gets old and always shows me new sights and experiences.
LOve all this but I’m not fit to Climb these Mountains anymore @ 80 years old , Love the Magazine, :0 >
I have climbed this mtn quite a few times; it is my favorite. Would like to do it one more time but I’m 98 and all my hiking buddies have passed on.
I climbed this mountain when I was 5 years old with my family. We did it several times. For us kids it was one of our favorite places to visit. We lived near Kingston at the time. Have not been back since I was a child . I am 65 now