Hiking trails lead to the peak of this wooded mountain offering picturesque views.
Hours not specified
What clients say about Mt Major in Alton Township (NH)
I have hiked Mount Major every year for the last twenty years, and things changed recently in the last couple.
They added steps in on one of the trails until it meets the end of the access trail, which made it less like hiking. Though I think it was to help prevent erosion.
Otherwise, the views from the peak are still just as amazing as always.
The hike is moderate with a fair amount of strenuous rock climbing for a duration of all trails on this mountain side.
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 ? and hike them!
Update: October 2025; The yellow trail is easier and well marked though I encountered people asking me where the blue trail was.
Great views even with a drought!
First time doing Mt Major. It was Mesmerizing!! "Moderate" but It's little bit more than that..lol We did Blue trail going up and yellow down. Bring water! Bugs spray! and Sunscreen! We took breaks here and there, and it took us approximately 3.5hrs total.
Recommend yellow up and down if you are not super athletic or never hike.
Blue trail getting closer to the Summit is little hard, but if challenge is your motivation BLUE it is! ?
Love it! Great hiking experience ?
This is a perfect hike for those who like to trail run for the workout, enjoy the sites leisurely, or even go for the moderate challenge.
There are primarily two trails that I take every time I go: the blue or the orange. Blue is more of the classic hike with a nice steep climb, whereas the orange has a bit more of a gentler incline but with a steep climb at the end.
Bathroom at the bottom of the trail with plenty of parking. Left and right ways to head up to the peak. Relatively rocky in the beginning so watch your steps. It turns a bit more dirt before getting into boulder territory, then steeper inclines on rock and then the top.
There is a little open "shelter" at the top, plus plenty of space to have your own private spot to enjoy the views of the lake region.
Great place to do a day hike . Not too far from south NH , unlike some of the other trails which are much further north.
One minor issue is that the trail markings are not clear or missing at some places .
Limited parking resulting in some of us having to park on the highway shoulder
Lovely hike up; views are stunning and beautiful with glimpses of what you’ll see at the top. I did this hike in the sweltering sun and with the humidity, i’d recommend anyone to do it during the spring or autumn ⛰️☀️
A beautiful hike with the lake overlook and beautiful mountainscape in the background. There is a decently easy and longer trail and other harder shorter options which allow for most people to be able to summit and enjoy the view.
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 and rockier.
A little bit crowded but the views were nice. There’s restrooms next to the parking lot. Trash is take in take out so there’s no trash cans. There’s a ton of different hiking trails here so you won’t get bored doing the same thing every time.
Very nice trek! We did orange trail up which is boulders and little tricky towards the end and blue trail down which is relatively easier. It has good parking facility. The view from the summit is amazing!
Mt. Major was my first complete hike up a mountain, & I highly recommend it as a beginner's hike. There are different trails for different levels, so if you're not a confident hiker, you won't be stuck climbing up a steep rock side! We ended up taking the moderate trail, there were only a couple parts where I had some regrets lol
Love this hike! I take all of my friends that are visiting Lake Winnipesaukee on this hike. Take Orange up and Blue trail down, you’ll thank me later. Orange is more rock scrambles which you’d rather do when you’re fresh and on the way up.
WOW!!!! Beautiful hike and views!!!!!! With my kids, took us about a hour and 15 mins to hike up with some breaks. Some rock climbing at the end! Blue Trail is easy to follow! Plus you can bring your dog!!! We would come back again! Well worth the hike! No charge to park however they appreciate
donations to help their trails! ♥️
An easy and family friendly hike in the Lakes Region. This hike is even dog-friendly. There are a few different paths to take to the summit. This mountain is a very busy summer destination. However, worth the trip to enjoy the water and the mountains.
Love it but less now than years ago. Now it’s very crowded, even to get a parking spot on route 11. The trails can be very crowded on weekends. That said the trails are clear and the views are outstanding of Lake Winnipesaukee !
Excellent hike and amazing views! Accessible via multiple trails. Definitely want to have a bit of experience with physical activity and be steady on your feet if taking the blue trail, as it includes very steep rock faces and steep cliff-like edifices which require near vertical scaling. Breathtaking views of Lake Winnipesaukee and nearby mountains, from the top!
Great hike. Incredible views. Not too challenging. I take a lot of friends here. The payoff at the summit is incredible. Unparalleled views of Lake Winnipesaukee and surrounding mountains. If you're considering it... do it! You won't be disappointed! I like the blue trail best.
Gorgeous views at the top! Definitely a moderate hike...lots of uphill that gets your heart rate going. Dog friendly although that hike would have been wayyyy too hard for my dog. Lots of people picnic at the top which I wish I had thought of! This hike took me about 3 hours.
One of my favorites this summer. Parked at a pullover near the scenic view. Hiked in and passed two gates at the end of the trail we turned right and then left onto a red marked trail. The trail passes a small pond and some residential homes from there we took the steepest route to the summit. It was a strenuously rewarding challenge. Summit is so WORTH IT even with the crowds of people.
It was a good hike. There are three trails - Blue, Yellow and Orange. Blue is the toughest but shortest trail. Almost 1.5 miles but takes an hour and 15 minutes. We tried this trail as we heard the yellow is the longest and as we went there afternoon wanted to come back before sunset.
Though Blue is short but very steep climbs last 30 minutes and has few spots where you can enjoy the scenic view of the lake. If we make it to the top it’s really worth the view especially if you are visiting during fall. 360 view of the lake was awesome.
This is my favorite day hike to bring the dogs. It is not far into NH and a quick hike. The views at the top are worth the drive! This mountain is extremely dog friendly, I always run into dozens of dogs. It is also kid friendly, they make you feel old as they run up the mountain as you are catching your breath!
I love coming here. I usually do this hike to start the season or to end it. Trail is very popular even on the weekdays. The trail is very easy to follow with blazers ever 50 feet or so. I personally take the blue trail up. Its difficult and the shortest trail. Then I take the yellow-blue brook trail down. It follow the water which means you need to wear proper water resistant boots. I spray mine with scotch guard before every hike. It works amazing! Happy trails.
Pretty easy hike. I would definitely recommend it for those who do not think they can climb a mountain so that they could build their confidence. Really nice views for not too much effort. Always check the weather though. It rained a bit while we were descending.
The most beautiful exercise of my life...with a view! Mount Major is located near the popular, Lake Winnipesaukee, which is the lake that can be seen from the top. Like most hikes, there are separate trails for different levels of hikers. There is a 1.5 mile hike, a 2.4 mile hike and a 3.9 mile hike. Each trail will give you equally jaw dropping experiences. The view from the top is one that a picture simply can not do it justice, so visiting is a necessity.
It's a lovely intermediate level trail with gorgeous views. We went up the blue trail, as it is the steepest, and back down on the orange trail. This 3.1 mile loop took us about 2 hours plus some relaxing time at the top.
This is a doable hike for most people. Sometimes a little steep depending on the trail you choose and it can be a bit crowded but the views of Lake Winnipesaukee from the summit are beautiful.
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