Hikes, Playgrounds, and Views at Mt. Kearsarge’s Winslow State Park

Last fall, the kiddos and I discovered Winslow State Park.  We were out and about and needed a place to stop for snacks and a little adventure, so I looked for nearby state parks and saw Winslow.  What we discovered is a great park that offers hiking to summit of Mt. Kearsarge, a playground, and lots of places to enjoy a snack or lunch while enjoying some beautiful views.  While we weren’t prepared to hike last fall, we enjoyed the playground (made for ages 2-12) and the views.  Since that adventure, returning to Winslow to hike was near the top of our list of things to do; we finally made it over this week and we certainly are glad that we did!

Winslow State Park is located in Wilmot, NH and is about 15-20 minutes off of 89.  You take some windy roads that start to bring you up the mountain – which is great because it means that you start the hike at elevation!  If you go in-season, there is a fee to enter the park.  As soon as you exit your car, you can see some of the views; if you wander over to the picnic area, you get a lovely view west.

The playground is near the picnic area and has a climbing structure that both Little Man and L enjoyed.

There is also a see-saw and some swings. (There are big-kid swings and a toddler swing!)

 

If you decide to hike, there are two different trails leading to the summit of Kearsarge; the Winslow trail is 1.1 miles and the Barlow trail is 1.8.

We decided to take the shorter, steeper Winslow trail up and the longer, more meandering Barlow trail down (more on that later…).  The Winslow trail starts off with a slight incline and lots of tree roots.

About halfway up, the trail gets significantly more rocky and a bit steeper.  While my husband and I were able to manage the rocks on our feet, L had to scramble a bit in parts (which she loved!).  The rocks did make the hike a little more challenging than some other hikes we have been on, and also made the trail a little harder to follow.  I spent so much time looking down to navigate the rocks that I would forget to look for the red rectangle trail markers; there also didn’t seem to be as many of the markings as we are used to so we really had to pay attention.  So, make sure to keep your eyes open if you take this trail!

As we got closer to the summit, there was a little viewing area with some great W-SW views.

 

Soon after that, the trail became almost solid rock – we really had to focus and watch our foot placement here.  L did just fine, as did we – it just required a little more focus.

Right before we hit the summit, the trail opened up and we were rewarded with some beautiful vistas.

Once we made it to the summit we were able to enjoy views in every direction; it is a large open rocky area with plenty of places to sit and enjoy the scenery.

There is also a fire tower (and cell phone tower!) at the top; were able to climb up the stairs, but the room at the top was locked.

It’s definitely worth the stairs for an even higher view!

As I mentioned before, we decided to take the longer Barlow trail on the way down.   (Side note: Rollins State Park is on the other side of Kearsarge and also grants you access to the summit – however, you drive most of the way up and walk in about 1/2 mile.)

I had read that the Barlow trail is a little less steep and a bit easier to navigate than the Winslow trail; while we found this to be true for about 3/4 of the trail, we actually found the beginning to be a bit challenging.  It was solid rock and had some steep areas. L was a little nervous in parts, but we were easily able to help her navigate the tough areas.  The views were a little different on this trail, so it was nice to see some different vistas on our way down.

We also got see a little Alpine Bog!

Once we made it through the rocky parts, it was a pretty easy, meandering trail.

There is a little bridge toward the end that was the most exciting thing on the bottom half of the trail… 🙂

While the Barlow trail was a nice walk, I think the next time we hike Kearsarge, we will take the Winslow trail back down.  The Barlow trail felt a bit long, especially with tired and hungry kiddos.  If you have older kids (meaning you can move a little faster…) or are just out to enjoy nature and get some exercise, then I think Barlow would be a good option.

Winslow State Park is a great destination whether you’re looking for a fun hike or just wanting to enjoy some outside time with the kiddos.  We definitely will be visiting this park often! I hope that your family enjoys this adventure as much as mine did!