Middle Sister Mountain NH via Champney Falls Trail
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Middle Sister Mountain NH Hike Details
Trail: Champney Falls Trail > Champney Falls Cut Off > Middle Sister Trail > Piper Trail
Miles: 7.2 miles (9.2 miles with Mount Chocorua)
Hours: 4.5 hiking; 5 hours total (with Chocorua)
Level: Moderate/Difficult
Middle Sister Mountain NH Hike Overview
Middle Sister Mountain (3,340’) neighbors the iconic Mount Chocorua near the Kancamagus Highway and is on the 52 With a View List. Although its neighbor Mount Chocorua is one of the most hiked mountains in New Hampshire, Middle Sister Mountain is much less visited. But the 360-degree views are just as beautiful!
Note: Although Champney Falls Trail is a popular hike, it is not easy. Most of the trail gradually gains 2,400 feet of elevation, but the trails near Middle Sister Mountain and Mount Chocorua are exposed and steep with rock scrambles.
Middle Sister Mountain NH via Champney Falls Trail
August 5, 2023
**Always remember to leave no trace. It is crucial to pack out what you pack in and throw away your trash properly.
Middle Sister Mountain had been on my bucket list for a while because it is on the 52 With a View List, and I heard the views were breathtaking. Since it is neighbors with Mount Chocorua, I decided to hike them together via Champney Falls Trail.
I started the hike with a friend on a beautiful Saturday morning in August. We arrived at the trailhead around 8:30 AM and had plenty of parking spots. Champney Falls Trail is one of the most hiked trails in the area, so on weekends, parking can be a nightmare if you arrive late.
We began the hike soon after we arrived and immediately had a small river crossing. The area received a few inches of rain the previous week, but we did not have an issue rock-hopping across. The trail also had a few other river crossings, but none were too difficult to cross, which was nice because I do not like river crossings, haha!
The first 1.5 miles of the trail were uneventful besides the river crossings and went by quickly with gradual elevation gain. We soon came to the Champney Falls junction and decided to take a quick detour to visit the waterfalls. This portion of the trail was beautiful! It follows along the river and has many small waterfalls along it. Soon enough, we came to Champney Falls and crossed the river to go deeper to see Pitcher Falls. Both waterfalls were beautiful, but Pitcher Falls was my favorite.
We stayed here for a bit, exploring the waterfalls, before heading back up past Champney Falls to loop around to the trail. The trail immediately after Pitcher Falls has a steep rock staircase, but it was easy to ascend. Once we were back on Champney Falls Trail, the elevation started gaining more steeply, but honestly, this trail was not overly steep until the top.
The next 1.5 miles went by quickly, and before we knew it, we arrived at a trail junction. We turned left off Champney Falls Trail and began the short hike to Middle Sister Mountain. The trail was slick because of recent rain and had a few rock slabs to navigate. This section had beautiful moss and offered a few views along the way. We soon arrived at another trail junction and turned left towards Middle Sister Mountain. This section of the trail has a short rock scramble but nothing too crazy.
Once we arrived at the summit of Middle Sister Mountain, I was in awe of the breathtaking 360-degree views! It also has the foundation of an old fire tower which we explored before finding a spot to enjoy a snack. We could see Mount Chocorua in the distance, which seemed much further than it really was.
If we were only hiking to Middle Sister Mountain, we would head back the way we came. Since we were adding Mount Chocorua to our hike, we went back to the trail junction and continued on Middle Sister Trail towards Piper Trail. This section of Middle Sister Trail was exposed and had a few rock scrambles to descend, but it was not overly strenuous. We hiked back into the forest and arrived quickly at the Piper Trail Junction.
After turning onto Piper Trail, we quickly hiked above the treeline and could see Mount Chocorua. This section of the trail was not well marked, and we saw many people rock scrambling their way up the side of it. The actual trail wraps around the right side of Mount Chocorua. We, unfortunately, were following other people and eventually turned around because the section became a little too sketchy. Another hiker on the summit pointed to where we needed to go, which we were incredibly thankful for. We scrambled down a small section of the trail and steeply ascended the last push to the summit.
It was my second time on Mount Chocorua, but the views still took my breath away. The 360-degree views are unmatched, and I quickly remembered why so many people love hiking it. We saw fewer people on the summit than I anticipated, which was nice! We enjoyed lunch at the summit while talking to other hikers before deciding to make our way down the trail.
The hike down was pretty uneventful and quick, and we passed many hikers, especially when we got closer to Champney Falls. Soon enough, we were back at the parking lot! The parking lot was packed when we got back, and we saw many cars parked along the street. We were thankful we started when we did!
Have you hiked Middle Sister Mountain, or is it on your bucket list?
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.
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