Mt. Belknap via East Gilford Trail (Yellow)

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This route follows two well-blazed trails to the summit of Mt. Belknap with beautiful view across the lakes area, Round Pond, and the Belknap range. Mt. Belknap is one of the 12 Belknap Range Peaks required to earn the Belknap County Sportsmen’s Association’s Belknap Range Hiker patch.

Trail conditions are updated frequently at www.newenglandtrailconditions.com. NOTE: The parking area is not plowed in winter and parking is VERY Limited on Bickford Road. Therefore, carpooling is highly recommended. There is NO PARKING on Wood Road especially in the driveway leading to the house at the end of the road.

Starting from the small parking area on Wood Road, head out on the East Gilford Trail (Yellow), which starts off with a gentle incline through deciduous woods. As it begins to get steeper, the going becomes rockier and there are some scrambles.

Several other Belknap Range trails intersect along the way, making it easy to connect and create a longer route. After a fairly steep rocky stair-step portion, the trail crosses a few sections of ledge from which, on a clear day, spectacular views can be had across Lake Winnepesaukee and beyond. Beware—these ledges are slippery when wet!

Beyond the ledges, the trail transition to the Warden's Trail (Green) and continues at a gentle incline to the fire tower at the summit. This can be climbed to get an even better 360-degree view of the area, including Squam Lake and Mt. Washington (it's the one with all the clouds on an otherwise clear day!).

Deciduous woods

If you're interested in the geology of the Belknap Range read “Stepping-Stones Across New Hampshire: A Geological Story of the Belknap Mountains” by Jay Long, a life-long summer resident of the area.