Belknap hike

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hikeritz

Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2004
Messages
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Location
Hopkinton MA
I'm dropping my son off at Scout camp in Gilmanton NH in a few weeks and thought I'd stay up north for a quick overnight. Last year I ran up Mt. Major after the drop-off and wondered about heading off the backside to explore the Belknap range. Can anyone offer any helpful insights into this area? Can I leave a car overnight at the Mt. Major parking lot? Are there other trails into the Belknaps (over by Gunstock ski area perhaps) that might be better to explore? I've got plenty of other options (Whiteface, Sandwich, Israel, the Squam range) but wanted to give the Belknaps a shot.
 
Fun hikes in Belknap

I don't have my map of trails in the area here at work, but here are a few thoughts from memory: When hiking Major consider adding Straightback to your route. It's a nice, open summit. There are several trails up Major besides the major (pun intended) route most people take. I like to go up via the trail at the end of Jesus Valley Road, head over to Straightback, then to Major, and back down to my car. This might not be easy without a copy of the map. Another area is Mt. Shaw, where there are also numerous trails. I think the local land conservation trust organization sells maps.
 
Major to Belknap

There is a trail that goes down the back of Major to Straightback, and then on to Round Pond and then up Belknap. The area around Round Pond is absolutely gorgeous. The pond and area around was once the property of the Boy Scouts back in the 50s. May still be. Back in the 80s the trail was pretty easy to follow but brushy in places. If Carole on this site sees this she may help out here since it is in her back yard as it once was in mine. If I'm not mistaken, the trail has been maintained in recent years. Please post your findings here if you go. If you would like some company, give me a shout. On parking at the Major lot. Park on the side of the access road near the highway so your car can be seen by vehicles passing on Rte 11. Cars up in the lot, out of sight, have been known to have been broken into.
 
Until carole makes the definitive reply...

A guidebook editor and former 4K chairman says Mt Shaw is the most underclimbed mountain in NH. There are also other trails on the Castle in the Clouds property, map posted at the Shannon Brook trailhead http://hikenh.netfirms.com/TDShanno.htm or available from the Castle in the Clouds gift shop.

The Belknap Range is loaded with trails, you can buy a trail map at the Gilford Public Library and maybe from the fire lookout on Mt Belknap. The range traverse is a nice day hike but requires a car spot.
 
Day hike

Back in the 80s I used to hike up Major over to Belknap to chat with the guy in the fire tower and then back out via Major in a nice medium day hike. Course then I was a young man of 45 :) As a teenager I used to wander all over that little range of hills. My house was near the entrance of the Belknap Recreation Area. Now Gunstock. My grandfather was killed in a blasting accident while working on the big ski jump at the "Area" with the WPA.
 
Both areas mentioned – Belknap Range and Ossipee Range – offer some very fine hikes. Having a map with the trails is very helpful as you can hike for an hour or all day and only begin to see their beauty. To my understanding you can no longer get a map for the Belknap Range at the Belknap tower but still maybe able to at the Gilford Library as RoySwkr mentioned.

From Mt. Major you can go all the way over to Belknap and Gunstock by a choice of routes or you can make a loop hike starting at any one of the trailheads in the range, visit some lovely peaks and valleys with grand views, and return to your car. The Boy Scouts still own a large area around Round Pond and no camping is allowed on their property. The main routes are well signed and blazed.

The Ossipee Range, also has a variety of trails, terrain and views.

If you want more detailed info you can send me a PM. Either way I would be interested in your thoughts on the trails and their conditions if you hike either range.
 
Boy Scout Property

carole said:
The Boy Scouts still own a large area around Round Pond and no camping is allowed on their property. The main routes are well signed and blazed.

The Hidden Valley Scout Reservation owns the part of the range from Round Pond to somewhere between Anna and Straightback but has granted a conservation easement to the state (for tax reasons, I'd guess). They maintain a large network of trails (the entirety of which I hiked one summer as a camper there - my first ascent of Mt. Major was from that side) but only the ones over the summits are open to the public.
I believe that the Boy Scouts were the source of all of the names of peaks on their property: Mack, Anna, etc. (there are no official USGS names) - I know for sure that Mt. Klem was named for a Scoutmaster from my hometown when it was "discovered".
 
Thanks

Thanks to one and all for the feedback. Since I was driving up on a Sunday (and a holiday weekend), the Gilford Library was closed and I couldn't get a map. I considered just going in from Mt. Major anyway, but wound up driving up to Whiteface and going up the Flat Mt. Pond trail for the night. I strung a hammock up at a nice spot by the stream and enjoyed a very pleasant night out in the woods (except for the bugs!). I have to go back up north this Saturday to retrieve my son from the Scout camp, so I may try to swing by the Gilford Library then to get a map for a future trip.
 
Map of the Belknaps

A map can be purchased at the Alton public library for only a few dollars. They are a great tool to help explore the wonderful Belknap Range.
 
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