Use this page to help you figure out which hikes you'd like to tackle in the 2024 Five Hikes Challenge! All hike mileages below are ROUND TRIP. Click on property names to see the Visitor Guide pages for these properties, with additional information and photos to help you decide. You can also see an alphabetized list of all the hikes here, which is how they are organized on the registration page.
After registering for the challenge, you'll be mailed print maps for your selected hikes. Happy hiking!
Return to the registration page for the 2024 Five Hikes Challenge HERE.
P.S. Looking for a list of just the easiest trails? See a list here. While we don't have any all-access trails at this point, there are many flatter trails with benches.
SEACOAST REGION
- Champlin Forest, Rochester (William H. Champlin, Jr. Forest)
Easy 2 mile hike, pine forest, fields, and wetlands
- Creek Farm, Portsmouth
Easy 1.5 mile loop with shoreline views of Sagamore Creek, salt marsh, and historic mansions.
- Dame Forest (Sweet Trail), Durham
Easy 1.8 mile out-and-back hike with nice wetland views and hemlock forests
- Lamprey River Forest, Epping
Easy 2 mile out-and-back hike, primarily along the beautiful Lamprey River.
- Powder Major's Forest, Madbury, Durham & Lee
Easy to moderate 2 mile loop through diverse forest, with chance to put hands and feet in 3 different towns at once.
MERRIMACK VALLEY REGION
Strenuous 3 mile round trip hike to nice views from Mount Wallingford, wetlands
Easy 1.5 mile walk along Merrimack River, silver maple floodplain forest, and wetland habitats, plus benches for views or resting.
- Monson Center, Hollis/Milford
Easy 2-3 mile walk, cultural history of abandoned colonial settlement, nice wetland and field views, plus benches.
MONADNOCK REGION
- Ashuelot River Headwaters Forest, Lempster
Moderate hike along the Silver Mountain Trail that is 1 mile, round-trip, with dramatic westward views overlooking Lempster and the Connecticut River Valley beyond
- Gap Mountain Reservation, Jaffrey/Troy
Strenuous ~2.5 mile round trip climb to rocky summit of Gap Mountain, great views of Mount Monadnock. Two options for reaching the summit- either north trail, or south, similar difficulty.
- Heald Tract, Wilton
Easy 1.6 mile hike adjacent to wildlife pond, or moderately strenuous 4.0 mile loop with beaver pond, varied habitats
- Hedgehog Mountain, Deering
Moderate 1.2 mile round trip climb to ledges on Hedgehog Ridge, views of Contoocook Valley
- High Blue, Walpole
Moderate 2.4 mile hike to highest point in Walpole, beautiful fields, vernal pool, several viewpoints
- High Five, Deering
Easy 0.7 mile climb on woods road to spectacular panoramic views
- Madame Sherri Forest, Chesterfield
Moderately strenuous 2 mile loop to scenic Indian Pond and/or easy 0.2 mile hike to remnants of Madame Sherri’s “castle”
- McCabe Forest, Antrim
Easy 1.7 mile hike, partially along Contoocook River
- Mount Monadnock, Dublin
The Dublin Trail is a very strenuous climb for experienced hikers only. 4.4 miles.
- Welch Family Farm and Forest, Hancock
This moderate, 2-mile trail includes a stop at the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire marker installed in 2021 to honor the family of James Due. The Dues were one of the first African American families to settle in Hancock in the 1700s, and were subject to many prejudices.
DARTMOUTH/LAKE SUNAPEE REGION
- Andrew Brook Forest, Newbury
Strenuous 4 mile round trip climb along Andrew Brook to beautiful Lake Solitude on the eastern slope of Mount Sunapee
- Black Mountain Forest, Sutton
Moderately Strenuous to Strenuous for length and steepness - a steady climb along the Lincoln Trail on woods roads and narrow forest trails to a nice lookout at Baker's Ledge, 4.2 miles round trip.
- Hay Reservation, Newbury
Moderately strenuous 2.4 mile round trip climb to summit of Sunset Hill, views of Lake Sunapee and old cellar holes
- Langenau Forest, Wilmot
Moderate 2 mile loop through mixed forest types, beaver pond, streams, views of Mount Sunapee
LAKES REGION
- Cockermouth Forest, Groton/Hebron
Strenuous 3.6 mile round trip climb on trails and woods roads to Bald Knob, great mountain views
- Cooper Cedar Woods, New Durham
Easy 0.7 mile walk, partially on boardwalks, through rare Atlantic Cedar Swamp habitat
- Eagle Cliff Forest, Sandwich
Strenuous, steep 1.2 mile climb to overlook with fantastic views of Squam Lake
- High Watch Preserve, Effingham/Freedom
Strenuous 3-mile hike that climbs up the southeast side of Green Mountain.
- Moody Mountain, Wolfeboro
Easy 1.4 mile rolling trail through old field white pine, spruce, beech and red oak - once a former pastureland
- Moose Mountains, Brookfield/Middleton
Moderately strenuous 2.5 mile round trip climb on trails and woods roads to summit of Phoebe’s Nable Mt., beautiful views, former farm fields
- Morse Preserve, Alton (Evelyn H. & Albert D. Morse, Sr. Preserve)
Moderate 1.7 mile hike to fantastic views of Lake Winnipesaukee and White Mountains
- Mount Major, Alton
Strenuous 3.3 mile hike with some rock scrambling to reach stunning views of Lake Winnipesaukee and White Mountains beyond.
- Weeks Forest, Gilford
Easy to moderate 2 mile hike on old logging roads and trails, fields, forests
WHITE MOUNTAINS & NORTH COUNTRY
- Ammonoosuc River Forest, Bethlehem
A short trail that is .90 mile, roundtrip, and accesses the Ammonoosuc River
- David Dana Forest, Dalton
Moderately strenuous 1.5 mile hike to entrance of an abandoned gold mine
- Bretzfelder Park, Bethlehem
Easy 0.5-2 mile hikes, interpretive nature trails, wildlife viewing at pond, and covered picnic area.
- Lost River Reservation, North Woodstock- * NOTE: LOST RIVER GORGE AND TRAIL ENTRANCE CLOSE AFTER OCTOBER 20*
The Kinsman Notch Ecology Trail is a half-mile loop of easy to moderate hiking difficulty. *Want to go inside the gorge? Select this hike and you will receive a free ticket to Lost River Gorge & Boulder Caves! (Note that new members also receive two free passes when they join.)*
- Peabody Forest & Bald Cap Peak Forest, Shelburne
Strenuous 3 mile round trip hike paralleling Peabody Brook to a 100+ foot waterfall, Giants Falls.
- The Rocks, Bethlehem
Moderate 1.2-2 mile hike with historic buildings, and chance to explore grounds with scenic mountain views, formal garden, and program center with gift shop (during open hours)