Mount Isolation

Elevation: 4,003ft

Distance: 12miles

Mount Isolation was the last mountain on my list of 48 peaks over 4,000 feet in New Hampshire, and it was undoubtedly an emotional journey. It was the only mountain my beloved dog, Java, had left to summit before he passed away. It took a lot of courage to do this hike without him. I spread a small amount of his ashes at the summit and carried some in my pocket, so it felt like he was with me the entire time.

We hiked up the Glen Boulder Trail and continued on the Davis Path. I enjoyed the views along the Davis Path, and while the trail wasn’t too difficult, we gained significant elevation on the Glen Boulder Trail, only to descend a couple of thousand feet to reach the Mount Isolation summit.

After summiting, we debated whether to go back up the Davis Path or continue down the Isolation Trail to the Rocky Branch Trail. If you park at the Glen Boulder Trailhead, I don’t recommend this loop, as it turns the hike into a 16-mile trek with a long walk back along Route 16. In retrospect, we should have gone back up the Davis Path, despite the long climb. Additionally, the Isolation Trail and Rocky Branch were quite wet and somewhat buggy.

Overall, all the trails we took were very dog-friendly. Regardless of the trail you choose, expect a long hike – even the shortest route is over 12 miles.