North Kinsman

North Kinsman – White Mountains, NH

Elevation –  4,293 feet

We embarked on an enjoyable loop hike to reach the summit of South Kinsman, which also included Cannon Mountain and South Kinsman summit. The entire loop covered 11.5 miles and took us around 10.5 hours. We began our hike at the Lafayette Campground parking lot, taking the Lonesome Lake Trail towards the Kinsmen Ridge Trail. During the first couple of miles, there are several trail intersections, so be sure to follow the signs pointing to “Cannon Mtn summit.”

Our hike started at 8 am, and we reached Cannon Mountain summit by 10:30 am. Unfortunately, thick clouds obscured our view, but on a clear day, you would be able to enjoy 360-degree views from the viewing tower. We continued on the Kinsmen Ridge Trail towards North Kinsman. By the time we reached North Kinsman, the clouds began to clear, offering us some fantastic views. We arrived at North Kinsman around 1 pm, and South Kinsman by 2 pm. South Kinsman provided impressive 360-degree views, making it an excellent final peak before our descent.

On our way back, we hiked down to the Kinsman Pond Shelter, then took the Fishing Jimmy Trail to the Lonesome Lake Trail, and finally returned to the parking lot. Although it was a lengthy hike, it was certainly manageable as a day hike. We didn’t feel rushed and arrived back at our car before 7 pm.