Hedgehog Mountain - 2,532'

Hike date: 05/22/2021

Description: Hedgehog Mountain has two great spots for views: the actual summit and the Eastern Ledges. From the summit, there is an outlook facing west towards the Sleepers and the Tripyramids, with Mount Osceola visible in the distance. The viewpoint facing southeast from the summit is very similar to the view from the Eastern Ledges, though the latter is much more open. From this perspective, you can find views of Mount Chocorua, Mount Paugus, Square Ledge, and the seemingly massive Mount Passaconaway.

Be sure to check out our YouTube video of our hike to Hedgehog Mountain which you can find here!

Trails Used: This loop hike uses the UNH Trail from start to finish, forming a lollipop-shaped loop hike.

Trail Summary: We chose to do this loop in a counter clockwise direction, visiting Allen’s Ledge first before crossing over the summit and visiting the Eastern Ledges on our way down. The loop can be done in either direction. Parking for this hike is off of the Kancamagus Highway in a lot that is marked by a sign that says “UNH Trail”. From the lot, you’ll start on a gravel path for a quick second before taking a left onto the UNH Trail at the junction. The next quarter mile of the hike is flat; perfect for getting the legs warmed up and ready to go! Soon the UNH Trail bears right at a junction into the woods and starts an easy climb on gentle terrain to the loop junction. We really enjoyed this section of the trail because we saw TONS of frogs - small and big - every few minutes! After another 0.6 miles, you’ll reach the loop junction. We took a right here and continued up the eastern part of the UNH Trail (and would later descend from the western part back to this same junction) - we didn’t find either way more challenging than the other, so you can do this hike clockwise or counter clockwise! The eastern part of the trail continues climbing at moderate grades over nice terrain for a bit. In 0.3 miles, you’ll come to a spur path that leads to Allen’s Ledge; it’s definitely worth a quick side trip as there is a nice view towards Bear Mountain, Table Mountain, and the Moat Mountain ridge.

After hopping back on the main trail, it is about another 0.8 miles to the summit. After Allen’s Ledge, the trail got steeper and rougher, climbing over a mix of roots and rocks. As you near the summit, you’ll find yourself in a more open area of the mountain with the grade easing up - this is how you’ll know you’re close! At the summit, there is a short path on the right that leads to a ledge that has a limited view. As mentioned in the description, you can see towards the Sleepers and the Tripyramids, with Mount Osceola visible in the distance from this spot. There’s also a decent view of Hancock Mountain and Mount Carrigain. Head back to the trail and take a few more steps and you’ll find yourself at a ledge with a better view (and a great spot for lunch). From this spot, you can see views of Mount Chocorua, Mount Paugus, Square Ledge, and Mount Passaconaway, which towers above you right in front of you! After some snacks, it was time to continue on our hike!

Continuing on the UNH Trail off the summit of Hedgehog Mountain, the trail has a few scrambles and switchbacks as it makes a steep descent into the woods. Soon the trail flattens out briefly and you’ll find yourself walking along really large cliffs on your left. After traversing through the woods for a bit, you’ll emerge from the trees and onto the open area of the Eastern Ledges. If you turn around, you can look up to the summit and see where you just came down from! This spot has similar views from the ledge at the summit, but it is more open and panoramic than up above. Here, the peaks of Mount Chocorua, Mount Paugus, Square Ledge, and Mount Passaconaway feel much closer and a bit larger too. After enjoying the view and getting some photos, we made our way across the ledges and back into the woods - there was one short section where we were hiking along the edge of a cliff. After the ledges, it is a nice moderate decent back to the loop junction. There was one spot on the descent where we walked through some large boulders that was pretty cool. At the loop junction, it’s a quick 0.8 miles back to the trailhead! This was a great loop with a lot of different spots to soak in some great views!

Alternative routes:

We have not yet done any alternative routes to the summit of Hedgehog Mountain. This page will be updated once we have!

We have not yet climbed Hedgehog Mountain in the winter, but once we do, we will update this page with our full report!

Questions? Comments? Want to share your take on this hike? Get in touch with us using the contact page!

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