Potash Mountain NH via Potash Mountain Trail
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Potash Mountain NH Hike Overview
Potash Mountain (2,680’) is a beautiful mountain in White Mountains along the Kancamagus Highway and is on the 52 With a View List. Although it is one of the smaller mountains in the area, it does not lack beautiful views! Potash Mountain offers views of Mount Passaconaway, the Tripyramids, and the northern section of the White Mountains.
Trail Details
Trail: Potash Mountain Trail
Length: 4.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,390 feet
My Trail Time: 2 hours hiking; 2.5 hours total
Hike Overview
The Potash Mountain Trail is the most popular way to reach the summit, and although it is not overly strenuous, it makes you work for the views! The trail gains over 1,400 feet of elevation, making it a steady climb to the summit. It also has a river crossing at the beginning of the trail that can be difficult to cross after heavy rainfall or the snow melts.
Potash Mountain NH via Potash Mountain Trail Guide
November 5, 2022
**Always remember to leave no trace. It is crucial to pack out what you pack in and throw away your trash properly.
Potash Mountain had been high on my hiking bucket list after I hiked its neighbor, Hedgehog Mountain. The first weekend in November had warmer temperatures than usual (in the 70s!), so I knew it was the perfect time to hike Potash Mountain.
We started the hike around 9:30 AM and were one of only a handful of cars in the parking lot. I was excited to hike a quiet trail! The hike to Potash Mountain began on Downs Brook Trail, which was a wide and open trail. We passed UNH Trail to our left, leading to Hedgehog Mountain, and continued on the Downs Brook Trail for 0.2 miles before arriving at another trail junction. We turned right onto Potash Mountain Trail, and after a short walk, we arrived at the infamous river crossing.
The river wasn’t too difficult to cross, but the water was high. I’m not a fan of river crossings because they make me nervous, but I did okay on this one! We stuck to a rock path that was closest to the trail, although we saw many groups of hikers on our descent crossing down the river. Once we crossed the river, the ascent began!
The last two miles of the hike were a steady incline to Potash Mountain. We only passed one other junction with an old logging road. The rest of the trail was rocky and muddy, and because it was late fall, the leaves covered the ground and made it slippery. I fell because it was slick, but I was luckily okay!
Near the summit, the trail followed along an open ledge which offered the first views! Soon after, we arrived at the steepest section of the Potash Mountain Trail, which was the final push to the summit. It had exposed rock slabs that made my calves burn. But the effort was worth it for the views! Potash Mountain had stunning views overlooking the White Mountains, and we were the only ones on the summit! Although the temperature was warmer than usual, the winds were high. We bundled up and enjoyed a snack with views.
After about a half-hour on the summit, we saw dark clouds quickly moving in, so we decided to begin our descent. The descent was quicker than I expected, and we passed many groups of hikers. Before we knew it, we were back at the river crossing! We saw a few groups of hikers struggling to find a way across, but we had no problem using the original path we took. The last section of the trail flew by, and we arrived at the parking lot quickly.
Many people say Hedgehog Mountain has better views than Potash Moutain, but they both have gorgeous views, in my opinion! I would love to hike it again on a cloudless day!
Have you hiked Potash Mountain in New Hampshire?
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!