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Mount Major

The Mount Major Trail at Mount Major State Park in Alton, New Hampshire is a difficult and popular 4-mile loop hike to the summit of Mount Major and views of Lake Winnipesaukee.

This recording heads up along the Boulder Trail (orange blazes), down the Brook Trail (yellow blazes), and finally down the Main Trail (blue blazes) before reaching the parking lot.

I went on May 4th and the Boulder Trail (orange) was mostly dry, but the Brook Trail (yellow) was very wet and muddy. The water was still fairly easy to avoid, so waterproof shoes are not needed. The Boulder Trail (orange) was fairly steep going up, with some rocky sections that were easy to scramble through. The Brook Trail (yellow) is much less steep and much easier on the knees than the other trails when making your descent.

This is a very popular trail as I saw quite a few people, dogs and families on the trail. The parking lot was completely full, with overflow parking along the side of Route 11.

Lookout Point / Summit: Overall it was a great hike with beautiful views of Lake Winnipesaukee from the summit of Mount Major. The summit can be found roughly 1.6-miles from the parking lot after heading up the Boulder Trail (orange).
Explore 15 trails near Alton, NH

Know Before You Go

  • Mount Major offers a 4-mile loop hike with scenic views of Lake Winnipesaukee, accessible via multiple trails with varying difficulty.
  • The Boulder Trail (orange blazes) is a steep, rocky ascent, while the Brook Trail (yellow blazes) provides a less steep, but potentially wet and muddy descent.
  • Mount Major is a popular hiking destination; expect crowded trails and a full parking lot, especially during peak season.
Interactive topographic map for Mount Major located in Alton, NH. Click the "View Map" button to load GPS coordinates and trail markers.
Get directions
Distance
4.0 mi
Difficulty
Hard
Type
Loop
Est. Time
2 hrs
Elev. Gain
1,311'
Rating
0.0
Added
May 05, 2019
Updated
May 23, 2019

Weather Forecast

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Total Change
1,136'
Ascent
1,311'
Descent
1,236'
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Features

Vista / Lookout Point
Dogs
Mountain Summit
Water Source

Points of interest

  1. Parking

    43.519321, -71.273757
  2. Main Trailhead

    43.519309, -71.273557
  3. Lake Winnipesaukee from the summit of Mount Major

    43.51374, -71.287131
    Lake Winnipesaukee from the summit of Mount Major
  4. Just below the summit of Mount Major

    43.513241, -71.287046
    Just below the summit of Mount Major

Safety information

For your own safety: plan ahead, let someone know where you'll be, and hike at your own risk.

Availability

All seasons

Surface type

Dirt

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Popular categories

Scenic mountain view representing vista trails
Vista trails
Scenic gorge of cascades representing waterfall trails
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Rugged mountain terrain representing summit trails
Summit trails
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Dog-friendly
Scenic campsite with a view representing camping trails
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A.T. hikes

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