Pine Mountain, Alton, NH – Easy Hike, Gorgeous Views
Pine Mountain in Alton, NH, was a recent great find for us! We just heard about it last fall, (despite having spent 35 summers at Lake Winnipesaukee) and knew that we had to put it on our list for this summer! Pine Mountain is a super kid friendly hike that leads to some gorgeous views; not to mention there is quite varied terrain throughout the relatively short hike.
The hike itself, was about 2 miles round trip for us. There is a little loop that you can do, or you can take the shorter trail (yellow) up and down. We went up the pink and down the yellow. According to my tracker the trail up was 1.26 miles and the trail down was .89.
I just want to back track for one moment to talk about parking. There is a little parking lot at a trailhead across and down the street just a bit (maybe a 2 minute walk). We drove by it the first time, so I’m posting a picture of the sign at the lot, so you know what to look for!
Ok, back to the hike. There is a sign at the trailhead along the road, as well as a gate so that no cars can go up.
Shortly after starting the trail, you will come upon a big sign with a map and the new Covid guidelines. I found it helpful to take a picture of the map so we could look at it on the way up. (The Pine Mountain trail is on AllTrails, but I found this map more helpful.)
The first part of the trail is big and open.
You soon come upon a big field. Yup. You heard me correctly – a field on hike.. in the middle of the woods!
It’s a lovely field that you walk along as you head up the trail; it’s certainly not something we usually see on our hikes!
The trail then becomes more “normal,” yet it is still surprisingly flat.
One of the interesting parts of the trail comes soon after the “split” (where we took the loop path to the right). It gets super narrow and the vegetation is very dense!
The trail does open up again and follows an impressively long stone wall. This, combined with the earlier field, shows the area’s history as a former agricultural site. Because of this, we were able to sneak in a little extra learning on this hike; L got a little lesson from Dad about stone walls and their history in New England.
Right before the summit, you come to a little split where you can go left or right. Go left! We almost went right, but luckily there was a nice gentleman picking blueberries who directed us to the summit.
A little walk past many many low blueberry bushes and the view appears!
You can see the close Belknap Range, Mt. Major, Alton Bay and more of Lake Winnipesaukee, as well as the White Mountains in the distance.
There is also a super helpful sign that allows you to identify what mountains you see.
After enjoying the view with some snacks and water, we took the other side of the loop down the mountain.
This trail was a little narrower, a little steeper, and had a few more rocks to navigate; it was more like the NH trails we are used to hiking. It was still very manageable for Little Man, though.
Pine Mountain in Alton, NH, is a very kid-friendly hike. It was a great activity for the morning and didn’t require an all-day outing. We headed over right after breakfast and were were home well before lunch!
If you’re thinking about taking your kiddos hiking, make sure to check out our Top 10 Tips for Hiking with Kids as well as our Hiking Gear We Love!
For more short, kid-friendly hikes, check out our adventures on the Rollins Trail at Rollins State Park, and hiking Elephant Head in Crawford Notch!
Do you think your family would like this hike? Let me know in the comments!
I hope that our adventure inspires you to have your own adventure!
34 Comments
Donna
Wow, those views are stunning. I bet this hike would be spectacular in the fall with the changing colours.
Melissa
Oooh good point!! We will have to revisit it in October! Thanks for the idea!
Cindy Mailhot
You had me at easy hike…that is speaking my language. I am more of a walker, stroller, leisure walker than a hiker.
Melissa
This is definitely a hike along those lines! Our hikes often fall into your categories. 🙂
Pam
Looks like a nice, enjoyable hike! Beautiful pictures too.
Melissa
Thank you!! It is a great little hike!
Stacey Billigsley
What a lovely place to explore. I agree; the view is worth it! I haven’t been to New Hampshire yet, but I hope to head that direction in the next couple of years. It looks like it will be worth it!
Melissa
It absolutely is!! The White Mountains and lakes are amazing! I hope you make it up here!
Lisa Manderino
This looks like a great hike! It is so beautiful!
Melissa
Definitely can’t beat mountain and lake views!
Tricia Snow
What a great spot for a hike. I love those views!
Melissa
It was definitely a great find!
Missy
Yes, we would love this hike. We like easy hikes with gorgeous views.
Melissa
They are great for so many reasons!
Leeanne
I love it when you get to the peak and there is a panoramic telling you what peaks are in the distance. It’s super cool to be able to say, that’s Mt. Washington and that’s, etc. My kids love knowing what all the different peaks are.
Melissa
Those are the best. So often we get to the top and try and use our apps to figure things out and it just isn’t that easy! 😂
Brianna Creef
You had me a easy hike and gorgeous views and a gorgeous view it is! Good grief, it goes on forever!
Melissa
It was a perfect day for those views!!
Barbara
WOW! This looks like a great hike! Glad you had such a great time!
Melissa
Thanks!! It’s a good one!
Chantelle
Easy hike, gorgeous views. My favorite words 😂
Melissa
Hahaha!! Yes!!! Definitely!!!
kmf
I’m all about the day hike this year…and this one looks especially awesome for families. Beautiful trails and stunning summit views…and that photo of them holding hands is so precious!
Melissa
Thank you! Hopefully, someday, they will love those photos, too. 🙂 Day hikes are the best; we have been doing a lot this year, as well.
Trisha
Wow! That view was definitely worth the hike! I love those types of maps that tell you what you are looking at over the mountain range.
Melissa
They are so helpful! We love them, too!
Sara
We love going on family-friendly hikes. Thanks for sharing.
Melissa
They are such a good way to burn energy and have some family time!
Cindy Moore
Looks like a pretty place to explore. Hiking and being outside has been such a blessing this summer.
Melissa
Absolutely! We feel so lucky to be somewhere with lots of outdoor options!
heather J jandrue
This is so timely! We are headed to NH the second weekend of September and would love to do this.
Melissa
That will be a great time do that hike!
Alexandra
I’m always up for a great family hike and this place looks like a great place for it. I’m sure my girls would enjoy it! I liked the video too!
Melissa
Thank you, Alexandra! Family hikes are the best – especially when they end with some nice views!