Monadnock State Park

Wait– I know what you’re thinking! You’re like «How could this asshole give Mt Monadnock two stars!» Well, let me explain…
FIRST: Mt Monadnock is a 5 STAR hike! Hands down. It’s so awesome up at the summit. I usually do the hike once and year and it’s always a great time.
SECOND: I’m reviewing the state park (not the mountain). So, why two stars? It’s because they charge $ 5 bucks per person to get in and park. That’s so ludicrous! (The adjective, not the rapper.) Especially since many other trails are free. Why pay would you pay to walk in nature? Just don’t go up the «white dot» trail and you’ll be a lot happier instead of paying $ 5 a piece to talk an hour hike up a mountain.

Hadn’t climbed Monadnock in years and now I’m feeling the pain. It’s always been a great state park. Well maintained and marked trails. Crazy that the mountain was packed with people on the first Saturday in November. Low 50’s which was nice for hiking. The summit was in the 40’s, very windy — felt like 30 degrees. In the past, we’d take less traveled side trails, but we took the White Dot up and White Cross back — still can’t believe how many people were hiking those 2 trails.

Tip of the day, review the map before you hike! Know the difficult levels and the difference between a foot trail. Or you will end of being miserable if this is ur first hike!

Mt Monadnock was my girlfriend and I’s first mountain together! We’re amateurs so this was a bit of a rough hike for us. Make sure to bring proper footwear, plenty of water, and plenty of snacks! You will be exhausted by this hike if you don’t pace yourself or are not in the best shape.
I saw people of all ages and shapes and sizes up on the trails. Be prepared to do a little bit of navigating rocks on the white dot trail. I highly recommend the white dot trail on the way up and the white cross trail on the way down. You will not regret it and you will have a blast getting a fantastic workout and seeing an incredible view!
Bring a friend and enjoy it together!

My favorite climb, I have been hiking up this gem since I was 6. Please don’t be that tourist that does not plan accordingly. Bring water, bug spray, sunscreen, snacks, a headlamp or flashlight, coat, and an emergency blanket. They have to rescue a fair amount of ill prepared tourists a year. If it is too hard turn around and save yourself the embarrassment, of ending up in the newspaper. You are climbing up a mountain not a hill. Still an easier climb than the big dogs up in the white mountains. Not telling you my favorite trails– you just go and do the white dot! If you get into trouble, that is the best one, most rangers, quicker response time.

This is the best panoramic hiking view you are going to get in southern NH. Theirs so many trails to explore and things to find like a hidden cave that you can do it again and again and it doesn’t get old. If you start from the park you pay a fee but theirs trails off Dublin lake and different parts of Jaffrey just be super prepared with water a small emergency shelter first aid and those basics. It is not a dog friendly hike that’s my only reason for giving it four stars. Also great for Fourth of July seeing all the fireworks from one spot.

We came here to do the hike everyone does — up Mt. Monadnock on the white dot trail, and down on the white cross trail. Given that this is supposed to be the most popular hike in New Hampshire, we thought it’d be a fairly straightforward hike. We were wrong. (As context for this statement, we’ve done quite a lot of hiking, including the Appalachian Trail, Patagonia, and Mt. Kilimanjaro.)
To be fair, because of our low expectations, we seriously unprepared for the hike. When we left Boston, the forecast said it would be 70 degrees in Boston, so we wore light long-​sleeved tops, sneakers, and gym pants. At the last minute, we made what we thought was an overcautious decision and bought those cheap ponchos at the camp store (great decision by the way!). Well, at the summit, it turned out to be about 25 degrees cooler, raining, foggy, and there was a crazy wind that could’ve knocked a child off their feet. The one consolation was that we weren’t the only unprepared folks — others were hiking in short sleeved shirts, shorts, and one person was even hiking barefoot.
Then about 5 minutes after leaving the summit (which by this point was so foggy that we couldn’t see 10 feet ahead of us), we lost my sister. She ended up wandering around on the foggy and slippery rocks for 20 minutes before she saw a single person, which is a pretty remarkable feat since there were probably 1000 people on the mountain that day. Other ridiculousness also ensued including filing a missing person report. All turned out well, but in that fog, she could’ve slipped and injured herself and it could’ve been the next day before we found her.
Needless to say, we did not see 6 states from the summit that day. I think it’s a great and challenging hike — I just think people should know what to expect before they set out.

A great place for a good and long hike in the wilderness. The trails are well maintained and taken care of and the park staff are very friendly, helpful and courteous. It is rocky on the top but the summit trails are well marked.
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Many hiking trails, spectacular views from the summit. This place is very popular summer and fall weekends. Summit is large and exposed so you can spread out and still find a quiet spot despite the crowds up top. White Dot Trail is heavily traveled. If you want a peaceful hike, try a less traveled trail out of the HQ. Cascade Link to Red Spot (or Spellman) to Pumpelly is a good option. The White Arrow Trail out of the Old Toll Road park HQ is another great option — and you can hit the subpeak Monte Rosa on the way up or down by taking the Monte Rosa and Smith Summit Trails. The Pumpelly Trail is the longest route (approx 9 miles) and very serene — a fairly gentle grade along ridge. This mountain gets pretty icy in winter so bring spikes /​traction. This hike is not a good option in bad weather. Fog, rain and/​or wind turn the summit into a dangerous place — steep rock slabs become quite slippery and in fog, it can be hard to follow the summit cairns. Just be prepared, happy hiking!

I love hiking here. Tons of people come on the weekends with their kids so it’s fun to take the slightly harder trails up and down. It’s easy and only takes a few hours to summit and come back down. Beautiful up top!
There were a lot of bugs in June so bring bug spray!

This place was terrible. First they let our group sign up online for 6 adult only to charge us an additional 80 dollars when we got there. You need to pay to use the shower and the rangers running the site were terribly rude. They completely ruined our experience and will for sure never return. Do not go to this campsite if you intend to go as a group or enjoy yourself.

This place is beautiful and easy to get to. It’s a great weekend hike– challenging enough to be fun, but not too hard or too long for a day trip. The view from the top is gorgeous, although there are usually a ton of people up there, so be prepared for that.

Ah, Monadnock. I’ve hiked this mountain several times and it is always beautiful, challenging, and most likely a zoo.
This mountain is popular, to say the least. There are very few weekends during the year that you won’t end up in bumper to bumper foot traffic on a hike, especially if you take one of the more popular trails. This doesn’t necessarily mean that it isn’t worth the trip, because it really is, it just means that you have to be patient when waiting to scramble up some boulders or similar feats.
Monadnock gets it’s name because it’s a bare summit so it affords amazing views from all over the Monadnock region and beyond. Wachussetts, the Whites, etc can be seen on a clear day. I love this mountain because it is great practice for the whites but is only half the distance I would normally take to get out to that part of NH. It’s in Southern NH, not a far drive from Wachussetts ski area. It is a great half day trip to stay in shape, get some rock scrambling in, and still make it back in time to do whatever plans I have in Providence that evening. The last time it was beer fest, very important to burn off some of those calories before ingesting them back via great beer.
Now with all mountains, just because I say it’s great practice for me, doesn’t mean it should be taken lightly. It is not an easy hike, especially for beginners. You will huff. You will puff. You will sweat. Mostly likely a lot of on a hot day. Weather can be a huge factor on it’s slick smooth rocks. Any sort of precipitation can lead to slips, falls, and worse. Be prepared, bring rain gear, and ALWAYS wear appropriate footwear (no sneakers, dummy). If you can hack it, Mt. Monadnock can afford you an amazing adventure with out having to drive four hours from RI/​MA.

I have not camped at this park yet, but did tour it and research it quite well. The loops, both A and B, are with good sites. Some have tent wooden platforms, especially those that get run-​off in rain. They are all pretty shady – I spotted none that were just plain unsheltered and in the sun. They’re pretty close to one another, so you won’t be having that alone camping experience unless you choose one of the few hike out spots on the trail. Those are good, and more private, and still have a primitive potty (rudimentary style), but for showers and your car, you’ll have to hike back to the main parking lot each time.
I’m a native of northern Massachusetts and I will leave most of the details to the other reviewers. I will simply tell you that the White Dot and White Cross trails from the main ranger station are wicked busy and should be avoided. They are boring.
The most direct route is the Old Toll House Road, which is 1.2 miles on a gravel road, then the old Half Way House area (with Moses Spring) and then it’s a straight, rocky climb up the spiritless White Arrow trail, with some highly steep areas on the rocks near the summit. It’s direct, but lacks much to see or enjoy.
Best trails to the summit:
Old Toll Road to Half Way House, then Monta Rosa trail to the weathervane, a quick detour to Amphitheater Trail to see Black Precipice (highest ledge on the Mountain), and the Smith Summit Trail to the top. I know, it sounds complicated, but it’s not and the ranger in the booth at the base of Old Toll Road (the same one that collects your five bucks) will give you a map and directions. You will see the most «landmarks» by this route, and although overall it’s maybe 0.5 miles longer than the direct White Arrow trail, you will have more privacy and views before hitting the summit. For instance, you’ll see «The Tooth» and «The Billfold» and stuff like that. It’s still a hard hike, but just more scenic.
Summary: Old Toll Trail to Monta Rosa Trail (sometimes called the Fairy Brook Trail) (just past Half Way House pasture, on the left) to Smith Summit Trail (with a tiny optional detour to Amphitheater/​BlackPrecipice). Bottom line: when you get to the ranger station at Old Toll Road, tell the ranger you want to go to Monta Rosa.
The best «for the strong hiker» trail to the summit:
Birchtroft Trail (from Gilson Parking and Camping area) to Cascade Link (just before Red Spot Trail) to Spellman Trail (steepest climb on Monadnock, but oh, the views!) to the last 0.6 miles of Pumpelly Trail along the top ridge (the prettiest part of the Pumpelly Trail) to the summit. You can return from the summit on Red Spot Trail. Lovely views. Your best shot at seeing Boston. Spellman (0.7 miles) is very steep but clean rock. Do not go on Spellman after rain or in winter/ice…it’s too steep, and has springs that run over the stones. You will fall. This is a great hike, I promise you. Any sturdy person can do it, but be ready for some challenge. I’m 50 years old, but in good shape, and I did it. You can, too. It is less traveled, so if you fall down the rocks and break something, it’ll take a couple hours to get you down. Be ready. It’s a real thrill, though. It’s about 3.5 miles each way.
Summary: Birchtoft to Cascade Link to Spellman Trail to Pumpelly to summit. Return on Red Spot Trail.
Enjoy! I have hiked this mountain since I was a kid, it’s the best. The best book about all these trails is Southern New Hampshire Trail Guide (Daniell and Smith). (plus it has a trail map). Enjoy! These trails sound hard, but each that I mention has signs on the trail. bye now!

Monadnock State Park is a gorgeous forested spot to take a long hike up a mountain. The State Park itself has picnic tables but doesn’t really have anything to see unless you plan to do some hiking, but there’s a nearby campsite that’s part of the same park system that has lovely fields and lakes (aka swimming spots) if you’re looking for a more leisurely day out.
Monadnock is the 3^rd most frequently hiked mountain in the world but when we went, there was plenty of parking and it wasn’t overcrowded with people. That being said, we also didn’t take the most direct route up the mountain (the «White Dot» trail) because several people warned us that it’s always extremely crowded. There are a lot of trail options, many of which require some skill with non-​technical rock climbing. We had to scale some boulders on our way up but even when you’re on relatively flat ground, it’s still littered with medium sized rocks that require some nimble navigating.
Currently, it costs $ 5 per person to go into the park. They have bathrooms and water fountains (plus a small store that sells gatorade etc) at the base but it’s a two hour hike up and back, so it’s essential to pack in your own water and food (the rangers recommend 2 liters per person). Don’t forget to lather on the sun screen and bug spray; we got eaten alive any time we stopped for a water break.

Stayed here last summer, at site A18. We absolutely loved it here. We stayed for three nights (fri-​mon) and got to enjoy the campground nearly on our own due to our staying on sun night. The campsites are well-​maintained and very separate on the bottom end of loop a, but much smaller and closer to one another higher up. Our site also included to tent pads and a picnic table area with fire pit. Across from us was another great site, A17, which we will be requesting for our return trip this summer. At the top of our site was an outhouse, and a full bathroom with shower was roughly a 5 minute walk up the road. The lake nearby was great for taking photos, sitting and relaxing, or canoeing if you brought one, and the nearby hiking trails are very convenient if it’s not too hot. It was around 85 – 90 degrees mist if the time we were there, and would drop to in the sixties at night (late July). All in all, I would highly recommend Monadnock State Park Campground, especially if you are looking for an affordable ($ 25/​night), semi-​secluded campground.

Living right down the road, I haven’t found myself here as much as I should. It’s really a great resource for the community, although it is mobbed with torists in the summer. I went up in my snow shoes, which worked pretty well except where there was exposed rock. I had to ditch them at the top, as spikes can scratch up the rocky top (and land you flat on your face). This is a fairly short hike for 360 views. I think what makes it so striking is the fact that there aren’t any larger mountains around, so you feel higher than you are. The treeless surface also makes you feel as if you are higher up in the whites, although it is the result of a fire, not a natural alpine environment. There are 90 miles of trails in the park altogether. The entry fee is $ 4 a person; kind of steep if you live in town and want to go all the time.

I went camping for 3 days last week and Monadnock State Park. Now, it is not yet camping season, so the boy and I were not too concerned with making reservations. But just in case, on the way there (we were just over the MA border by this point), we decided to give them a call and make sure they had some sites available and that all was good to go. When the park ranger answered, he said, «I am helping someone at the moment (in the office), can you hold a moment?» I said «Sure,» and he put the phone down on the counter.
That’s right folks, no fancy «hold» music here. Nope. I sat there listening to background conversation for several minutes. Then I heard the ranger, in the distance, say «Have a nice hike!» And then silence. I sat there, on the line, hearing mostly silence (and a few shuffles of paper) for about 25 minutes. It was actually sort of funny, and eventually we hung up.
When we got there, the ranger was very nice. He said only one other person was camping, and allowed us to have our choice of sites, and even allowed us to use the larger «reserved» sites, if we wanted them. We found a nice site right by a stream, not too far from the outhouse, etc. It was quite lovely. Being there was no one else was around was fantastic, although I can imagine that even if the sites were all filled, it wouldn’t be too bad. The sites were a good distance from one another, unlike many parks these days that cram ‘em in.
The following morning we hiked up the mountain. We took the most popular trail, the «White Dot Trail.» Somewhat unassuming at first — a nice clear trail, some rocks and roots, but nothing too challenging. But after about 20 mins, the trail took a quick turn into parts where we were climbing over large rocks, and as you got closer to the summit (about a 3,000ft elevation, 2,000 of which you actually climb) it’s all rock sheers. Picture huge, steep rock sliding boards that you have to climb. Don’t wear sandals. It was kinda crazy, but a lot of fun! The hike takes about 2.5−3 hours round trip.
This park is quite popular. We were there during the week, and even at that, we saw a lot of people out on the trail. My favourite part was the woman who we saw climb the mountain at least 3 times during our one hike (up and down). She was hardcore, and I can only assume that she either (A) has no life, or (B) was training for a bi/​triathalon. Then again, there was a bizarre old man with no shirt that was doing the same thing, so maybe it’s just a NH thing? Hah.
Don’t go here if you’re looking for a nice quiet hike. This is apparently the 2^nd most hiked mountain in the world, second only to Mt. Fuji. Who knew! I can only imagine how busy it is on the weekends. But I’ll definitely go back at some point. Great hike, great views, friendly people, and awesome camping.