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Jul 08, 2023 — I was hoping for a slight change from the rocky, higher-elevation White Mountains peaks and a view toward nearby Lake Winnipesaukee, so a trip to the Belknap Range seemed like a fun idea. Belknap Mountain is the high point, but my loop would also reach Gunstock Mountain and Piper Mountain, two unranked peaks on the shoulders of the range high point. With such a nice trail system, I certainly didn't want to drive to nearly the summit, which is an option if you're looking for a quick out-and-back. You can also extend this hike significantly to explore the various trails in the range.
I parked on the side of the road and hiked on pavement for a short time before noting the orange-blazed Gunstock Mountain Trail. Surprisingly steep for how popular this hike is, the trail works its way up to the summit of Gunstock Mountain. Along the way there were a couple of little overlooks, some slightly rockier sections, and a well-marked winter bypass trail detour. Not realizing the summit hosted a functioning ski lift for access to a restaurant, I only stuck around long enough to take in a nice view formed by the ski lift scar toward Lake Winnipesaukee. It was a nice grassy summit even if framed by manmade structures.
Noting Belknap Mountain poking up through the trees so the southeast, I continued along the wide ridgeline using the yellow-blazed trail down from Gunstock Mountain to its saddle. I picked up the blue-blazed trail up to Belknap Mountain. The forest here is low enough elevation that it sort of misses out on the mossy, lush stuff found farther north that I've been enjoying so far this trip. It was still a pretty forest regardless. An active fire tower rests atop Belknap Mountain, and it was currently open to the public, so I took a minute to take the stairs and snag a few photos from this better viewpoint.
A cluster of merged trails at Belknap Mountain's summit confused me for a minute, but I puzzled out that taking the doublely-labeled yellow/white-blazed trail would lead toward my third peak, Piper Mountain. I continued then along an orange-blazed trail, which gained elevation on the way up toward Piper Mountain. I met with the red-blazed Piper Mountain Trail, my descent route, but the trail had already brought me most of the way to up Piper Mountain so I figured I might as well head toward its summit just a short distance away. The landscape here was very pretty, wide slabs of rock poking out of low shrubs.
I backtracked to the Piper Mountain Trail and took this through interesting terrain, blazes painted onto rock rather than trees since the landscape was mostly open for some time. I then descended back into the forest and made my way to the paved road. A bridge led over a nice creek crossing, marking the end of the hike.
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Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!
