North Kinsman Mountain - 4,293'
Hike Statistics
Total Distance: 10.0 miles (with South Kinsman Mountain)
Elevation Gain: 3,655 feet
Hiking Time: 8 hours, 30 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate
Season: Winter
Hiking this peak in winter? Click here!
Hike date: 02/22/2019
Description: North Kinsman Mountain is the second highest peak on the Kinsman-Cannon Ridge. The ledges just below the wooded summit offer great views of Mount Lafayette and Mount Lincoln. Using the below route, you will have the opportunity to make an optional side trip to Bald Peak and enjoy breathtaking views.
Trails Used: Ascend via Mount Kinsman Trail to Kinsman Ridge Trail over the summit of North Kinsman. Continue on Kinsman Ridge Trail to South Kinsman. Descend by turning around and going back the same way you came.
Trail Summary: This route approaches the Kinsmans from the west and is an in-and-out. The trailhead parking lot is off of NH 116; a short road leads to a big dirt parking lot. Although the elevation gain is higher from this side, the Mt. Kinsman Trail climbs moderately the entire duration (3.7 miles) and is much gentler than the approach from the east. The trail starts out pretty flat, making its way through a nice forest. The lower portion of this trail is old logging roads, so the terrain is never anything crazy. After 0.6 miles, you’ll come across an old sugarhouse on the side of the trail, which has an ominous feel to it. One note of caution: this trail has been rerouted several times, so sometimes route finding can be somewhat challenging. There are lots of small signs and blocked off old trails to watch for. After another 0.9 miles, you’ll come to a brook crossing which isn’t too difficult. The trail continues to climb moderately, and crosses another brook in an additional 0.6 miles. Here, there is a small signed path that leads down to Kinsman Flume, which is a cool pit stop. After this path, the trail continues for a very short bit before coming to the junction where you can take a spur path to Bald Peak. It is 0.2 miles one way and ascends easily to a lookout that offers decent views.
After this junction, it’s 1.6 miles until the junction with the Kinsman Ridge Trail. The trail continues to climb at moderate grades with good footing, though there is a section or two that could be considered a bit steeper with some tougher footing. After climbing steadily, you’ll finally reach the junction. At this point, you’ve gained about 2,800 feet of elevation. At the junction, take a right and you’ll be at the summit of North Kinsman in 0.4 miles and about 450 feet elevation gain. This portion of the trail is very rough - ascending steeply across rocks and ledge scrambles. The summit of North Kinsman offers nice views from the outlook.
There is A LOT of snow in February in the White Mountains!
An open area along the trail with some unbroken snow
Enjoying our snowy hike
The view from near North Kinsman looking towards Franconia Ridge (in the clouds)
Looking towards South Kinsman from a viewpoint along the Kinsman Ridge Trail
After a nice break, continue along the Kinsman Ridge Trail for another 0.9 miles and you’ll reach the summit of South Kinsman. Coming off of North Kinsman, the trail descends steadily into the col and climbs moderately up to the summit of South Kinsman. Along the way, there are several fine views that you can see through the scrub or by going down spur paths. The summit of South Kinsman is bare and open, offering fantastic views. To descend, go all the way back following the same route you used to ascend. The descent from North Kinsman back to the junction is steep, so use caution. The descent down the Mt. Kinsman Trail is very moderate and should allow for a quick descent.
No views by the time we got to the summit of South Kinsman
Winter Wonderland in the scrub surrounding South Kinsman
Quick selfie with the summit cairn on South Kinsman
Alternative routes:
We have not yet done any alternative routes to the summit of North Kinsman Mountain. This page will be updated once we have!
Hiking North Kinsman Mountain in the winter
There are two common routes to hike the Kinsmans: from the east taking the Fishin’ Jimmy Trail to make an optional loop or from the west taking the Mount Kinsman Trail as an in and out. For this winter hike, we opted to take the trail less traveled by ascending via the Mount Kinsman Trail because it makes for a more leisurely hike. From the summits of both peaks, you can enjoy excellent views of Franconia Ridge.
We have a complete blog post on our experience winter hiking North Kinsman Mountain, which you can check out by going here!
Questions? Comments? Want to share your take on this hike? Get in touch with us using the contact page!
As experienced hikers, we always make sure that we are hiking with The Ten Essentials which include navigation, a headlamp, sun protection, first aid, a knife, shelter, extra food, water and clothes. Overtime, we have discovered some items that we always bring on our hikes and consider them to be our personal, expanded ten essentials.