Cannon Mountain via Hi-Cannon Trail
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Cannon Mountain Hike Overview
Cannon Mountain (4,100’) sits in the western White Mountains and is one of the most popular ski resorts in New Hampshire! Although many people visit in the winter to ski on it, Cannon Mountain has many hiking trails to reach its summit. This guide goes over a popular loop to the summit that includes exploring one of the most beautiful lakes in the region.
Trail Details
Trail: Hi-Cannon Trail > Kinsman Ridge Trail > Lonesome Lake Trail
Length: 5.6 miles
Elevation Gain: 2,330 feet
My Trail Time: 4:15 hours hiking; 5:15 hours total
Hike Overview
Cannon Mountain is one of the shortest 4,000-footers, but do not let that fool you into thinking this hike is easy! This hike to Cannon Mountain gains 2,300 feet of elevation in 2.8 miles, so this hike gets STEEP. There are a few relentless steep sections made of dirt which makes it difficult to find good footing.
Although the summit of Cannon Mountain is not completely above the treeline, it has an observation tower on the summit, offering gorgeous views of the surrounding mountains. Also, in the summer and fall, Cannon Mountain has a scenic gondola ride for anyone who does not want to hike, and you are likely to see crowds from that at the tower.
Looking to track your hikes while completing the New Hampshire 4,000 Footer List?
Whether this is your first or tenth time completing the list, this journal is designed to help you track, reflect, and celebrate each summit!
Each journal includes:
- individual pages for each mountain
- space to log stats about the hike
- sections to journal about your favorite moments
- completion tracker to celebrate your progress
- and fun extras like Hiking Bingo!
Cannon Mountain Hike via Hi-Cannon Trail Guide
June 3, 2018
**Always remember to leave no trace. It is crucial to pack out what you pack in and throw away your trash properly.
Alex and I started our journey to the summit of Cannon Mountain at 9:30 AM on a beautiful June day. It was in the low 70s with no humidity which was perfect hiking weather! The Lonesome Lake trailhead was almost full, but it was nothing compared to the trailhead to Lincoln and Lafayette is across the street. That parking lot is always packed.
The first 0.3 miles of Lonesome Lake Trail was very easy (such a tease) until it intersected with Hi-Cannon Trail. If we were to continue left, it would have brought us to Lonesome Lake. We opted to go right onto Hi-Cannon Trail and head to Cannon Mountain’s summit first, so we could enjoy Lonesome Lake afterward. We heard parts of the Hi-Cannon Trail were eroded, but we decided to hike it anyway.
We gained over 1,500 feet of elevation in the first mile once on Hi-Cannon Trail, so our legs burning! It doesn’t help that this trail lacks great traction, so our calves wanted to fall off.
Hi-Cannon trail eventually switched from being eroded to having loose rocks which didn’t make the traction better. The only thing we could do was be mindful of where we were putting our feet. I can’t tell you how many times we looked up for one step and slipped.
We soon came up to the iconic ladder, which was incredibly helpful to climb over rock slabs. And yes, it was steep, so don’t look down. Once we got to the top of the ladder, we had to scurry across a thin piece of wood to rock scramble some more. As I said, don’t look down. Vertigo is a real thing, and no one needs that while on a steep incline!
At the end of Hi-Cannon Trail, we came to the intersection of Kinsman Ridge Trail which we followed to the right to head to Cannon Mountain’s summit. This part of the trail was a relief compared since it was much more gradual.
As we approached Cannon Mountain’s summit, we were surrounded by people casually dressed without any sweat on their foreheads. We forgot people could take the tram to the summit. Luckily, Cannon Mountain’s summit wasn’t too packed when we arrived, and we were able to get a seat right by the edge of the observation tower to enjoy the views while eating lunch.
We descended down Kinsman Ridge Trail until it intersected with Lonesome Lake Trail. Lonesome Lake Trail was steep, and part of it was completely gone due to erosion. I hope they fix the trail soon!
Once we approached Lonesome Lake, we took a short break to visit the hut and wander around the lake. Some of the trail around the lake was really wet due to recent rainfall, so there were bugs everywhere.
After we enjoyed the views from the lake, we continued our descent. The rest of the Lonesome Lake Trail was gradual and such a nice break for our legs. And before we knew it, we were back at the trailhead!
Have you hiked Cannon Mountain before? What trail did you take to the summit?
Hey, I’m Nichole!
I am the creator behind Nichole the Nomad, the home of my explorations around the world, mountain hikes, and beautiful pictures taken along the way. I have a deep passion for capturing the world in a beautiful light and sharing my experiences.
I created this blog to share my travels, show how beautiful the world is, provide tips and tricks for traveling, and encourage you to explore. Whether you want to travel across the world or explore what’s in your backyard, I hope this blog inspires you to get outside and find your adventure!