The Lincoln Trail at Rollins State Park in NH
L has been asking to hike the Lincoln Trail at Rollins State Park since we last visited Mt. Kearsarge in Warner, New Hampshire. Rollins State Park has two shorter trails that bring you to the summit of Mt. Kearsarge so it’s a perfect for hiking with kids. On our last visit, we hiked the Rollins Trail, as Little Man was just a bit too young to tackle the rocky Lincoln Trail; however, this year we decided to give it a go and it certainly was worth the wait!
Because of Covid, New Hampshire is asking that you make a reservation if you are planning to visit a State Park. It’s super easy to do through the website; you just pick the park you want to visit and then follow the links to purchase your pass. When we arrived at the park, the Ranger asked for our last name and reservation confirmation number, confirmed the number and ages of people in our car, and off we went! It couldn’t have been easier!
One of the fun things about Rollins State Park is that you drive most of the way up to the summit. (If you’d like to hike the whole way up, start at Winslow State Park; you can read about our adventure hiking from Winslow here.) The road is treelined and narrow, but there is enough room for two cars to pass.
On the way up, you get some great views!
There is plenty of parking when you get up to the trails, and my car even got to enjoy a view while we hiked!
There are two clean (self-composting) bathrooms at the trail head (but none at the summit), so make sure to use these, if needed.
The Lincoln Trail starts at the far end of the parking area; it’s not near the big sign and bathrooms (that is where Rollins Trail starts). The trail is a bit hidden by the trees, but once you get over there, it’s easy to find.
As you start, you’ll see a sign showing you the way to the summit; the trail is flat at that point, so make sure you don’t head down the mountain to the high school!
A little further up, there is another sign showing a short-cut over to the Rollins Trail. We used this cut-through last time we came to Rollins State Park!
Once you pass that sign, the trail starts off just a little bit rocky…
and then the fun begins!
L was able to manage the rocks by herself, but I did hold on to Little Man the entire way up. I was grateful for his backpack and that both kids had sturdy hiking boots! (Check out our favorite hiking gear here!)
To his credit, I only had to help him navigate the rocks about 3 times! (This area was one of those times.)
As you approach the summit, it gets a little less challenging.
There’s also a lovely spot with some amazing views!
After this view, it gets a little wooded with yet another different type of terrain to navigate!
Right before the trail merges with the Rollins Trail for the final summit push, there is solid rock with some periodic cairns.
Once you merge with the Rollins Trail, you are on the home stretch to the summit!
We had to take the obligatory summit pictures,
and then we enjoyed lunch with a view!
Because the summit is so large and open, there are plenty of places to sit and enjoy lunch or a snack. We did have our masks with us, but we were never close enough to other people that we needed them. The wide open spaces and many trails of Kearsarge make it a very Covid-friendly mountain to hike!
After lunch, we took the Rollins Trail back down to our car.
Because Dad wasn’t with us on this hike, I wasn’t comfortable navigating the steep, rocky terrain of the Lincoln Trail on the down hill trip; I imagine that we will do it next time Dad is with us, though! The Rollins Trail provided a more gentle way down, though it was still fun!
The Lincoln Trail at Rollins State Park is definitely a fun hike! It is a little challenging, so make sure you are confident in your kids’ (and your own!) rock navigating ability. If you are uncomfortable in the first section of rocks, I definitely recommend turning around and using the short-cut to the Rollins Trail; the Lincoln Trail only gets harder. The Rollins Trail is still a fun hike with great views… and you end at the same summit!
Make sure to check out our Top 10 Tips for Hiking with Kids before you go to get more helpful hints for your next hiking adventure!
Do you think that your family would like this hike? Let me know in the comments!
I hope that our adventure inspires you to have your own adventure!
18 Comments
Alison
I love seeing everyone explore their State Parks this summer. And kudos to New Hampshire for taking reservations – I love this idea! I can’t tell you how many times we had to turn around and find another park because it was so busy when we got there. Unfortunately, we’re not ready to be around big groups of people yet, so something like this would really help ease our minds. And you got some beautiful shots – thanks for sharing!
Melissa
It is so helpful that the parks are doing this. We also aren’t ready to be around a lot of people, so it’s helpful to see how many reservations are left, especially for a beach trip! We have been avoiding the National Forest for that exact reason – it’s too busy! I hope that you find some quiet days at your parks!
Pam
Looks like it was a beautiful day and a fun hike. My kids love hiking if there are stones/rocks to play on, so they’d enjoy this hike a lot!
Melissa
It’s certainly a hike that we will repeat… I’m sure many times!
Erin
I love seeing all these beautiful outdoor spaces in NH. It reminds me a lot of Maine. It’s been years since we’ve been, but this makes me ready to head back up to the northeast!! Beautiful pictures and post!
Melissa
Thank you, Erin! I hope that you make it back up here to enjoy the outdoors soon!
Stacey Billingsley
What a beautiful state park! The views at the top are worth the hike. This is my kind of place!
Melissa
We are lucky to have some amazing parks in NH!!
kmf
Love those views – especially love that shot of the kids with their hands up on the summit. So precious! This looks like a fun family hike for all ages.
Melissa
Thank you! We always try and get a “summit shot” at the top! It’s such a great hike.. I had lots of fun on the rocks, too (when I wasn’t stressing about Little Man falling!)!
Lisa Manderino
This sounds right up my alley. Love hiking with my kids!
Melissa
Hiking with kiddos is so fun! It’s such great family time!
Missy
Yes, we would love this hike!
Melissa
You can’t beat rocks and views!!
Cindy Mailhot
That is a steep hike! The views are amazing though!
Melissa
It was steep in parts; luckily it was short!!!
heather J jandrue
New England has some great places to hike. We are headed up to New Hampshire in September for a long weekend. We plan on doing some hiking.
Melissa
I might be biased, but I think NH has some of the best hiking in New England!! I hope you have an awesome trip!