South Kinsman – White Mountains, NH

Elevation –  4,358 feet

To reach the summit of South Kinsman, we embarked on a pleasant loop that also included Cannon Mountain and North Kinsman summit. The entire loop covered 11.5 miles and took us about 10.5 hours. We parked at the Lafayette Campground parking lot and hiked up the Lonesome Lake Trail towards the Kinsmen Ridge Trail. During the first couple of miles, there are numerous trail intersections, so be sure to follow the signs directing you to “Cannon Mtn summit.”

We began our hike at 8 am and reached Cannon Mountain summit by 10:30 am. Unfortunately, thick clouds hindered our view, but on a clear day, you would be able to enjoy 360-degree views from the viewing tower. We then took the Kinsmen Ridge Trail over to North Kinsman. As we approached North Kinsman, the clouds started to dissipate, revealing beautiful views. We arrived at North Kinsman around 1 pm, and by 2 pm, we reached South Kinsman. South Kinsman offered stunning 360-degree views, making it an excellent final peak before descending.

We hiked back down to the Kinsman Pond Shelter and then took the Fishing Jimmy Trail to the Lonesome Lake Trail, which led us back to the parking lot. Although it was a lengthy hike, it was definitely achievable as a day hike. We didn’t feel rushed and arrived back at our car before 7 pm.