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My Guide to the 48 NH 4000 Footers!
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items I spend a ton of time hiking the 4000 footers of New England! Every day in the woods is a great day, but these are the highlights of my travels. I have done all of these hikes at some point and many of them multiple times! It's chilly up there right ...
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New Hampshire 4000 Footer MultiPeak Day Hikes
New Hampshire 4000 Footer Single Peak Day Hikes
New Hampshire 4000 Footer MultiPeak Day Hikes
These are the day hikes I have personally completed to tackle the 4000 footers list. I like to make the most of my time in the Whites and hit multiple peaks in the same day. These range greatly in difficulty depending on your ambition level.
The Lincoln & Lafayette Franconia Ridge Loop is a popular 8.3 mile loop gains over 3,800' of elevation gain and provides some of the best views in the White Mountains! It's one of my favorite hikes and has you checking off TWO 4000 footers from y...
Mt. Lincoln and Mt. Lafayette via Franconia Ridge Trail Loop, New Hampshire
This 10.5 mile loop hits both North and Middle Tripyramid to check TWO 4000 footers off your list. The approach to the mountain from the trailhead is a nice easy walk on old dirt roads, but the ascent up the North Slide (yes, this trail is a ROCK SLI...
Mt. Tripyramid (North and Middle) Loop Trail, New Hampshire
The Presidential Traverse is a brutal 18.5 - 22.5 miles slog up and down the EIGHT 4000 footers that make up the Presidential Range of the White Mountains. Many choose to backpack this and stay at the AMC huts overnight. As a day hike, it's one of a ...
Presidential Traverse Trail, New Hampshire
The Carters-Moriah-Wildcats Traverse clocks in at about 18 miles as another brutal but rewarding traverse that will take you over SIX 4000 footers. This is a unique one in that you can spot yourself with a bike by parking at Pinkham Notch, and riding...
Moriah-Carter-Wildcats Traverse, New Hampshire
The trail up Mt. Flume is another slide trail. This trail is almost always wet and incredibly steep. It doesn't have the same exposure as the Tripyramid North Slide but all of the same challenges in climbing up steep slabs still exist. Once you reach...
Mt. Flume & Mt. Liberty via Flume Slide Trail Loop, New Hampshire
Galehead and Garfield Loop is a long and challenging route that I personally clocked at about 15 miles. You will ascend about 4000 feet as you travel across these TWO 4000 footers. I recommend doing this clockwise and starting with Galehead. You can ...
Mt. Galehead and Mt. Garfield Loop, New Hampshire
North and South Twin add TWO more 4000 footer peaks to your list as this out-and-back trail gains about 3600' of elevation over 10.5 miles. The top of North Twin has amazing views looking over to South Twin and down to the Galehead AMC hut. There's a...
North & South Twin Mountain via North Twin Trail, New Hampshire
North and South Kinsman is really two hikes in spirit. You spend the first part going up to Lonesome Lake from the Lafayette Campground. This is a great hike by itself and the lake has incredible views. You can have lunch at the shore and fish for tr...
North & South Kinsman via Kinsman Trail & Fishin Jimmy Trail, New Hampshire
Mt. Tom, Wiley & Field is typically completed as a loop to check off these THREE 4000 footers. You'll gain 3400' of elevation over this 9 mile trail. Make sure to stop by Mt. Avalon, since even though it's not a 4000 footer, it has the best views...
Mt. Tom, Mt. Field, Mt. Willey Loop, New Hampshire
This was honestly one of my least favorite hikes on this list, but every hike has it's unique aspects. There are many small stream crossings as you approach the base of the mountain starting from the iconic harpin turn in the Kancamangus highway. The...
Mt. Hancock (North and South) via Hancock Trail, New Hampshire
Mt. Osceola and East Osceola are TWO of the more popular 4000 footers. The main reason being the accessibility from Tripoli Road, as well as the stunning top of Osceola that has a completely exposed flat rock outcropping with incredible views towards...
Mt. Osceola and East Osceola, New Hampshire
Mt. Whiteface and Passaconway is another below-treeline hike as you tackle TWO more 4000 footers, but there is a nice rock to have lunch on in between the peaks that has good views. The ascent of Whiteface up Blueberry Ledge trail has some tricky spo...
Mt. Whiteface and Mt. Passaconaway Loop, New Hampshire
New Hampshire 4000 Footer Single Peak Day Hikes
Sometimes we only have one in us. But some of these single peak hikes are still a challenge! (Yes, looking at you Isolation and Owl's Head).
Mt. Isolation is one of those peaks a lot of people just want to get out of the way or wait to do because it is a lot of effort for a single peak. There are two major approaches, one by Rocky Branch Trail and the other by Glenn Boulder. Glenn Boulder... inconvenient it is to try and add it to any other hiking itinerary. I enjoyed this route more because of your exposure and great views. The section before and after the actual boulder is very open and rocky, which means this trail may not be the best...
Mt. Isolation via Glen Boulder Trail, New Hampshire
Owl's Head is another one of those hikes people either love or dread. It's probably the longest hike most will do as they bag their 4K footer list at 17+ miles and 3,000' of elevation. Many take the Black Pond bushwhack to bypass Franconia Brook trai... the mountain. Once you are there, you can either go up the Slide or take the Brutus bushwhack, which especially in the winter can be a good option to bypass the steeper sections of the slide. I personally have only done this hike in the winter, and i...
Owl's Head via Owl’s Head Path and Lincoln Brook Trail, New Hampshire
Mt. Cannon is probably the one you think of when you think of the White Mountains and Franconia Notch. It's the unmistakable cliff face that towers over the West side of the notch as you drive through. This hike won't make you do any rock climbing, b... A great opportunity to scope out tent sites for any future camping adventures! At the top you will get to experience the tower which has a great view over to Franconia Ridge, and you can even stop in for a drink and bite to eat at the Lodge if it's o...
Mt. Cannon via Hi-Cannon Trail to Kinsman Ridge Trail, New Hampshire
Mt. Carrigain is one that has a fairly moderate but consistent grade as you complete the 3400' of elevation gain on this 10 mile hike. The top rewards you with a lookout tower and good views along signal ridge. The past couple seasons Sawyer River Ro...
Mt. Carrigain via Signal Ridge Trail, New Hampshire
If views are your thing, sadly Mt. Hale dissapoints as the summit is below treeline and does not have much to offer other than a pile of rocks (and a tooooon of bugs). However, this is a pretty good peak to introduce someone to the 4000 footers since...
Mt. Hale via Hale Brook Trail, New Hampshire
Mt. Cabot is a fairly straight forward hike, and another that unfortunately keeps you below treeline. This one I did as a winter hike and it goes down as the coldest day I've had in the Whites, with the summit windchill at nearly -30 that day. It was...
Mt. Cabot via Bunnell Notch Trail, New Hampshire
Mt. Waumbek is a great entry to winter 4000 footers or just 4000 footers in general. The grade is moderate the whole way up, and while you technically stay below treeline, you get an amazing view of the Presidential Range from the Chimney at the top ...
Mt. Waumbek via Starr King and Kilkenny Ridge Trail, New Hampshire
Mt. Tom is one that is usually looped in with Wiley and Field to tag 3 peaks in a loop, but on this day we just bagged Tom as a Winter hike after cutting the loop short in the summer due to Thunderstorms. It's a very fun ascent and can make for some ...
Mount Tom, Avalon, and Field Loop, New Hampshire
Mt. Tecumseh is another great beginner 4000 footer peak. We chose to do this from Tripoli Road but you ca also access it via the ski area in Waterville valley. The top is technically below treeline but has great views across the valley of the Osceola...
Mt. Tecumseh via Waterville Trailhead, New Hampshire
Mt. Moosilauke was actually my first 4000 footer, and regrettably one I don't have pictures from. It's the westernmost 4000 footer, and IMO this is the one that should be called “Isolation” because of how separated it is from the rest of the White Mo... There's a few trails up, none particularly difficult by White Mountain standards, so this is another that a beginner could tackle. The top is very exposed so you'll want to pick a day with good weather. This trail tackles 2400' of elevation gain over...
Mount Moosilauke and South Peak Loop, New Hampshire