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Mount Monadnock
Rating Details »
Category: Active Life [Edit]
3,165 feet in the air at peakless than 2 hours from Boston
Jaffrey, NH 03452
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
14 reviews for Mount Monadnock
What a great day trip! We took the trail cascade to red spot and had a fantastic time. I have not hiked in 15 years. It was not easy but worth it!
We packed a lunch, a gallon of water, and a sweatshirt. The views were amazing. We are looking forward to coming back in the fall for foliage
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People are saying how easy this is... OK, what? I thought I was going to die five times on my way down.
Nice escape from Boston, great workout, good excuse to indulge in a mega-sized ice cream or fattening dinner afterwards.
Glad I did it, will never do it again.
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Monadnock -- ultra popular for area beginner hikers; 1.7 hrs from Boston; gorgeous views from above the timber line. Only problems consist of too many hikers on one trail: white dot and white cross. People -- get a map and find yourself in countless other great trails to get up and down with ease and without the crowds and lines.
Route today: up white dot from Park HQ and down white arrow -- bald rock -- lost farm trail -- parker. It was busy going up, but white dot is by far the "quickest" from a parking area. The trail down was dead empty and, although from the summit, the trail is a bit steep, the remainder once you're back in the trees, is fairly easy breezy.
Just a warning to those beginners, please please please bring water, a trail MAP, and warm clothes for the top, AND don't start hiking after 1 PM. No one wants to get stuck in the dark on a trail they're unfamiliar with ...
White dot takes about 4 hours to get up and down at a relatively moderate pace. The route we took was about 5 hours round.
But regardless of the crowds, Monadnock is not to be missed for the views and proximity to the city.
Items to bring:
hat/sunscreen
bug spray
warm clothes in layers (shorts okay for 60-ish degree weather)
water
trail mix
trail map!
(flashlight)
cash to park
ibuprofen for the weak knees
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A very nice hike ruined by the THOUSANDS of people crawling over this mountain like ants at a picnic... And to make matters worse, many of the people on the trail should not be on a mountain in the first place; they don't know the first thing about hiking, and are a danger/nuisance to themselves and others around them. If you are looking for a peaceful getaway in the wildnerness, this is NOT it!
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White Dot up, White Cross down.
Maybe I was in much better shape as a kid or maybe I've just been on "nature walks" and never truly went hiking before, but being the most climbed mountain in the world definitely doesn't make it easy to get to the summit and back. It was a tough experience, it's not just walking along a nice wide trail up, there are points where you have to think about how your going to get to the next step without falling or hurting yourself, and it's definitely a challenge for those who normally don't do this kind of thing. A lazy nature walk this is not. A hiking experience it is.
It's definitely worth doing, there are good reasons why it's the most hiked mountain in the world, reaching the true summit is a great feeling. Take your time, start early in the morning before the rush of people, bring plenty of water and energy snacks, have a good pair of boots, get ready to get a little dirty because some parts you will have to get on your butt or hands and knees to get up or down depending on your ability, and enjoy.
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Monadnock is a fun little hike and a great way to spend a morning or afternoon. Follow the trails and it's a very easy climb (anyone in good health can make it up and down in a morning). But I'd recommend you break off the trail and find your own path up the rocks if you want to make the climb a bit more interesting. Keep in mind that it's awfully chilly and windy at the top.
Minus one star for the crowds (the place is always packed, even in the off season), a 33% hike in the admission fee and for not allowing dogs.
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Mt. Monadnock is a relatively easy climb (compared to the behemoths like Mt. Washington) that is very accessible (approximately 1.5 hour drive from Boston on major highway), cheap ($3 for parking) and beautiful.
There are multiple trails that you can pick to suit your level of climbing. No climbing gear needed although good shoes are always great. There are levels that are somewhat steep and require you to pull yourself up. Do not expect a flat walk in the woods. Snacks and water a must.
Once you get to the top, the view is great. On a clear day you can peer down into the Boston area while the wind cools the sweat off your brow and back. Especially beautiful in the fall, when the leaves are at the height of luscious redness.
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Monadnock is an amazing hike! The most hiked mountain in the US of A! 1.5hr drive from Boston. $3. 2nd most hiked in the world after Mount Fuji, Japan!
The reason it is the most hiked? Because it rocks. Rose quartz. Granite. A leprachaun will wish you a "wicked, awesome time." And Mount Monadnock is central to New Yorkers, Vermonters, Massers etc. You can see all 6 New England states from points on this mount!
Monadnock is also where the water bubbler at work comes from. And yes, I have seen the reservoir and it is all good. It used have glacier and you can see the markings.
1/3 top of the mountain is mysteriuosly spare, no trees, due to hardcore fires. ROCK CLIMBING! Straight up rock face for 30 foot stretches. Or steep rock stairways to heaven. You don't need harnesses or anything. And unless you're a hardcore smoker, really overweight, or just don't particurlary care for nature, then maybe it's not for you but if not you just go into instinct mode! My eight year old neice did it (though she cried some) Take lots of breaks. Smoke herb. Drink glacier amounts of water. Use those muscles in places you never even knew you had. Lay down on a baking rock and feel the breeze, it's windy up there! You tra ns f o r m into a spider goat. A mountaineer. And its a beautiful thing.
I trank 2 liters of lime seltzer. Camel backs are kewl.
Everything tastes great on top of the mountain. We dined on cheese and bread and sugar cookies. Don't leave any trash. Duh.
Bring bug spray. The place is also a slice of mosquito heaven at the bottom if you stay still. I brought the citronella. Other people swore by Deet.
I love the Monadnock hike, the motion, the plenty of small breaks of staggering genius, the constant choices for the right step. The ablebodiness that comes with the challenge and control-
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Climbing Mount Monadnock is THE perfect day trip from Boston.
First, it doesn't take all day to get there (just over two hours). Heading out Route 2 just feels good somehow, with all the history involved in heading through Lexington and Concord (although I'd hate to commute on it every day!) and how quickly you get into small towns and forest. I haven't hit much traffic on the weekend.
Second, it's just the perfect balance of challenge to payoff. It's pretty steep in sections, especially near the top, but the view from the top is just exhilarating and makes the workout required to get there so worth it. I'd recommend choosing a route to the top that avoids the main trails (White Cross, White Dot) in order to avoid the crowds and to have the trail mostly to yourself for the day, at least until you get to the top.
All of the typical hiking rules apply: Bring water, wear sturdy shoes or boots (although it can be done on a nice, dry day in sneakers if you have good ankles and are careful), dress in layers in spring or fall, including something warm and something waterproof. Consider bug spray/sunscreen/snacks.
If you have the chance, stop off in Jaffrey or Peterborough, New Hampshire, two very cool, quintessential New England towns near Mount Monadnock.
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Woo, oh man. Writing a review of a mountain seems really strange, but I just want to put this review out there for anyone considering hiking this mountain who is worried that they're not in shape enough to make it.
You can do it. I did it and so did my father, and both of us are carrying a spare tire. I was exhausted by the end of it, to be sure, and many times while heading up I was sure I wouldn't make it at all. But I did it and really, heartily recommend it. If I could make it up there, seriously, anybody can.
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This was my first adventure in rock climbing. We took the Red Dot up and it proved to be challenging for I was very happy with the result. The top is amazing but quite rocky. Make sure you bring shoes with good grips because there are streams that run through the rocks and its easy to lose your footing. I saw some pretty battered people coming down while I was going up. We started around noon and were able to get out by 6:30 just before it got too dark. I highly recommend this for anyone looking for a fun but challenging day trip for yourself, friends, or family.
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I did this hike for the first time this year, and I can't wait to go back.
I was amazed by the mix of people there. It was so great to see people of such a range in age and fitness all there to do the same thing, get to the top. There were families with three generations there all making the trek to the top. Some needed an extra hand every now and then (heck, so did I), but they were sticking to it and determined.
My boyfriend and I made it to the top and the view was beautiful. It was nice to just sit and relax and take it all in before heading back down. I enjoyed seeing all the people we had passed along the way also achieving the goal of reaching the top. The family that was complaining less than 20 minutes into the venture, the older woman who needed help from her grandkids, the four year old with more energy than her family, all of them completed the journey.
Bring water, a snack, and $3 for the hike cost. Also, keep in mind it can get cold at the top, so you may want an extra layer. Be prepared to hit some pretty steep inclines, but remember the view that lies ahead when you complete it. And take in all the people around you, such a great experience.
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Monadnock is one of the most climbed mountains in the world for very good reasons:
1) It is an isolated peak, so on a clear day you can see forever almost
2) It is an easy mountain for regular folks to climb. You don't need any really special gear besides a pack, some water, and a sturdy pair of boots to get up and down.
3) It is really close to Boston.
Remember to bring money for parking ($3) and lots of water and snacks, warm clothes, and rain gear. There are numerous routes to the top which are mostly all easy to moderate. Don't litter along the trail and watch out for the orange salamanders along the way.
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This is an awesome mountain to hike, lying between the watersheds of the Merrimack River and Connecticut River and surrounded by many mountain ranges. This mountain is made up of metamorphic layers of rock that give it an impressive look, especially at the summit. Mt Monanock can be challenging to hike and takes about four or so hours to climb, depending on your level of physical conditioning, but you certainly don't have to be an expert hiker. A causal, relaxed trek up to the top is all you need to enjoy this monumentous natural splendor. The landscape views at the rocky plateau summit are breathtaking and majestic, with so much greenery and lakes and rivers to be seen in panoramic delight. In fact, it's the tallest mountain in southwest New Hampshire. On a clear day at the top of the 3,000-plus foot summit, you can see for miles and miles, as far north as Mount Washington and as far south as Boston (which is more than 60 miles away). The area around and ascending up to Monadnock offers a plethra of hiking trails, including the 110-mile Metacomet-Monadnock Trail and numerous others. Even Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau had reportedly visited Mount Monadnock.
If you enjoy nature and hiking, this is a definite weekend getaway destination. The area is also rich in native American history. Many of the mountains, such as "Monadnock", and rivers in this area were named by native Americans, such as the Abenaki (Algonquian).
As a native of New Hampshire, I'm looking forward to visiting this area again soon, considering that it's been way too long.
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