Cold Spring RV
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Campground · 6.7 mi from the trail
New Hampshire · Hiking · Near Derry
Summit Trail
- 1.1 mi
- round trip
- 776 ft
- climb
- 1,279 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr–Oct
- best months
Summit Trail is a moderate out-and-back hike in New Hampshire's South Uncanoonuc, about 0.3 miles from the town of Mountain Base. The route is roughly 2.1 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 776 feet, and it reaches a high point of 1,279 feet. The steepest stretch comes early, around 0.37 miles in, with a grade of 18 percent. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Weare, which sits about 560 feet lower, show July highs around 80°F with lows near 60°F. That station's September averages run to a high of 71°F and a low of 50°F, so expect cooler temperatures on the summit. The hike takes about an hour. Several other trails start close by, including Link Trail at 0.3 miles and KenLaw Trail and Walker Trail at 0.4 miles. Climbers can find Manchester Area Bouldering about 1.7 miles away.
Around this trail
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If it rainsStruthious Bandersnatch, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Struthious Bandersnatch, CC BY-SA 3.0 (commons)
More in DerryBest time to go · Apr–Oct
Best time to visit Summit Trail
Best months: April–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
31° / 13°
Feb
34° / 14°
Mar
42° / 23°
Apr
55° / 33°
May
67° / 45°
Jun
75° / 55°
Jul
80° / 60°
Aug
78° / 58°
Sep
71° / 50°
Oct
58° / 38°
Nov
47° / 30°
Dec
37° / 20°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Weare, NH, 10.3 mi away at 720 ft. The station sits about 600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: ihamr, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Incline Trail
Next door
0.47-mile out-and-back trail in New Hampshire with 605 ft elevation loss.
HIKE
KenLaw Trail
Next door
2.52-mile out-and-back trail in New Hampshire with 1,373 ft elevation gain
Photo: ihamr, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Lo Flo Trail (PLC)
~2 min drive
1.58-mile loop in New Hampshire with 283 ft gain and 274 ft loss.
HIKE
Hemlock Trail
~10 min drive
0.74-mile out-and-back trail in New Hampshire with 47 ft gain.
Photo: ihamr, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)White Dot Trail
~2 min drive
0.65-mile out-and-back trail in New Hampshire with 718 ft of elevation gain.
Photo: ihamr, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Accessible Trail
~10 min drive
0.9-mile out-and-back trail in New Hampshire with 131 ft elevation gain.
Photo: ihamr, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Woodland Loop
~10 min drive
0.87-mile loop trail in New Hampshire with 169 ft gain and 144 ft loss.
Photo: ihamr, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Rhododendron Loop
~10 min drive
0.40-mile loop trail in New Hampshire with 99 ft of elevation gain.
HIKE
Link Trail
Next door
0.65-mile out-and-back hike in New Hampshire with 83 ft gain.
HIKE
Walker Trail
Next door
0.32-mile out-and-back hike in New Hampshire with 172 ft elevation gain.
Route details
- Distance
- 1.1 mi round trip
- Climbing
- About 776 ft
- Summit
- 1,318 ft
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time
- About 1 hour
Other routes up South Mountain
Questions about this route
How long is the Summit Trail on South Mountain?
About 1.1 mi round trip.
How much elevation gain is on the Summit Trail?
About 776 ft of climbing round trip.
How hard is the Summit Trail?
It is rated moderate.
How long does the Summit Trail take?
About 1 hour round trip.
How many routes go up South Mountain?
3: Incline Trail, Walker Trail and Summit Trail.
Conditions and forecast on South Mountain
Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
