Mt Major — Local services in Alton

In short, a beautiful hike that has a rewarding view for an overall low amount of time spent hiking. It overlooks Lake Winnipesaukee and has a gorgeous summit. It was populated and dog friendly as I saw about 20 dogs on the summit. The hike is 1,150 feet and will take under two hours to summit.

There is a map in the parking lot listing the trails. There are 3 different trails: orange, blue, and yellow. Right from the parking lot you need to decide if you're doing orange or blue/yellow. Orange (I didn't use this trail) goes up the southern side of the mountain and gets steeper as you near the top, judging by the contour lines. Takes about an hour and 25 minutes and is 1.6 miles long.

The blue/yellow trail are the same for the first .7 miles until the split. Yellow bringing you a more roundabout way with a less steep of an incline, and blue taking you right up to the summit. Blue can be a little challenging at times but won't be an issue if you've hiked or done long walks before. It can be steep so be careful. 1.5 miles total and an hour and 20 minutes.

Yellow splits off to do a total of 2.4 miles with a summit time of an hour and 45 minutes. The rocks on this trail can be loose and slippery, like oversized gravel, but the incline isn't bad. I took blue up and yellow down and had a great time.

On the summit there is a large rock area to chill in with sights in nearly every direction. It doesn't get crowded and is worth the sight. There is also an old stone hut-like structure that is interesting.

The trails are well marked and the parking lot is a good size, although countless cars overflow onto the street but that doesn't seem to be a big deal. Overall, fantastic hike, and would recommend it for both beginner and...

I was not planning on visiting but I was so glad 😊 I did! I took the direct trail and it was a challenge! A good chunk of it was difficult and my friend, Author Itis, complained most of the way. The blue 🔵 trail was well marked. Forget the stroller! There were small children and dogs 🐕 traveling the trail. There are lots of 🪨 rocks and "I am Groot" roots. The summit is worth it! There are great 👍 views of Lake Winnipesaukee! I can only imagine the view during the 🍂 Fall foliage season. The remains of Mr. Phippen's Hut 🛖, built in 1914, is still there and covered in people's signatures. A makeshift memorial of 🪨 stones, not Rolling, is also on top. There were a lot of people and I had to park along Mt. Major Highway. But I found the hike more enjoyable as people encouraged each other to keep going! Keep track of the time when you leave the summit. I was asked multiple times "How much further,?" If you can go, please do! If you have weight or health challenges, pace yourself! It took about over an hour to reach the summit, but faster on the way down! Have a good pair of hiking 🥾 shoes, water 💦, maybe bug 🪲 repellent, only one insect bothered me, and maybe hiking poles. People were using branches as makeshift poles. There are other trails up the mountain 🏔️ and I want to go back 🔙...

Mt. Major is one of the most popular hikes in New Hampshire and for a good reason! The summit view of Lake Winnipesaukee and the southern White Mountains is spectacular! The view from up here is a glimpse of some of the best parts of our beautiful state 😊

The hike itself is manageable for most hikers. There are several trail options to reach the summit, the easiest being the well-maintained and easy-to-follow Brook Trail.

One piece to note for Brook Trail along the early stretch (before it intersects with Blue) is that AllTrails doesn’t have the newest developed path identified yet. Trust the signs and follow the nicely packed gravel as you meander past giant boulders, then you’ll be back on the map.

Round trip on this trail is just over 5 miles roundtrip. The other nearby trails from this trailhead (Blue and Boulder Loop) are shorter but steeper...