Merrimack County High Point Trip Report

Date: May 2002
Author: Mohamed Ellozy

In his Cumberland County High Point Trip Report Roy Schweiker writes: With all the speed record discussion lately, I decided to create a new category, Longest Reasonable Ascent that involves the longest ascent without crossing drivable roads, taking same path more than once, etc.

In the same spirit, I am presenting a report of a long, and very agreeable, spring hike up Mount Kearsarge by the Lincoln Trail. For a full description of the trail see the AMC Southern New Hampshire Trail Guide.

Take exit 10 off Rt 89, then take a right (southeast) on North Road. After a short distance (0.5 to 1.0 mile) take a left (north) on Kearsarge Valley Road. After about half a mile there is a parking area (small) on the east side of the road. There is a well marked trail (white blazes) to the parking area at the Rollins State Park, from which there are two routes (one steep, one much easier) to the summit.

Round trip is 9.2 miles with 2,100 feet of elevation gain, substantially more than by the standard routes, but I consider this a feature, not a bug!

Other Routes

The AMC Southern New Hampshire Trail Guide describes two other approaches:

From Rollins State Park the Warner (or Southside) Trail is the shortest route to the summit - 1.2 miles round trip, 350 feet elevation gain. This is the route described by Mike Schwartz in his trip report.
From Winslow State Park there are two routes, the steep and rough Wilmont Trail which is 1.1 miles (one way) with 1,100 feet of elevation gain and the gentler Barlow Trail, which is 1.6 miles with 1,150 feet of elevation gain (the extra fifty feet are because of a small dip near the start). The book suggests combining them as a loop, which would be 2.8 miles with 1,150 feet of elevation gain.
Directions to Winslow State Park - Start as for the Lincoln Trail, but continue along the Kearsarge Valley Road until you reach the Kearsarge Mountain Road on your right (east). Follow signs to the State Park.