Sugarloaf Mountain (Stratford NH) via Sugarloaf Mountain Trail
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Sugarloaf Mountain (Stratford NH) Hike Overview
Sugarloaf Mountain (3,703’) is in northern New Hampshire in the Nash Stream Forest area, making it one of the most northern mountains on the 52 With a View List. The trail is one of the least technical on the list compared to most New Hampshire trails, but it is steep and makes you work for the views. Although the summit does not have 360-degree views, it offers breathtaking views looking into New Hampshire and Maine.
Trail Details
Trail: Sugarloaf Mountain Trail
Length: 4.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 2,200 feet
My Trail Time: 2 hours hiking; 2.25 hours total
Hike Overview
Sugarloaf Mountain is one of the northernmost mountains on the 52 With a View List near Stratford, New Hampshire. The trailhead is just over 8 miles down Nash Stream Road, which is a dirt road that is only open seasonally. Two parking areas are near the trailhead: one at the bridge before the trailhead and the other near the trailhead sign. Both are small, but since this is not a popular trail, finding parking is not usually an issue.
The trail begins along a snowmobile trail before ascending steeply to the summit. Although the trail is not technical, it is steep and makes you work for those views! The trail just before the summit travels through a stunning forest with ferns, which you will fall in love with.
The summit has two viewpoints, one near the trail and the other just past the summit sign. The views are breathtaking looking into New Hampshire and Maine.
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Sugarloaf Mountain (Stratford NH) via Sugarloaf Mountain Trail Guide
June 21, 2025
**Always remember to leave no trace. It is crucial to pack out what you pack in and throw away your trash properly.
We had a stunning Saturday without rain (thank goodness), so we decided to take advantage of it and check off another mountain on the 52 With a View List! For some reason, I left the northernmost mountains on the list to do last, so I have spent so much time driving to these trails, haha! But the views made it worth it.
We arrived at the trailhead around 10 AM, which was a later start for us because the drive was long, and we only saw one other car near the trailhead. We were excited to have a peaceful day on the trail!
The beginning of Sugarloaf Mountain Trail passed by what I think was a private home before crossing a bridge and passing a gate. The trail followed along a wide snowmobile trail for 0.1 miles before coming to a trail junction, where we continued right to stay on Sugarloaf Mountain Trail.
Sugarloaf Mountain Trail followed the snowmobile trail for about another 0.3 miles past a small waterfall until it finally split off. The trail continued straight and began its relentless climb to the summit. I believe most of the trail followed an old Jeep path, so it was not technical, but it made our legs burn!
The first half of the steep ascent had a few wet sections from the recent rain but nothing that was overly muddy. After that, it was smooth sailing (well, it was steep, smooth sailing) until the last mile.
This entire hike is steep, but the last mile of the Sugarloaf Mountain Trail was the steepest. My calves were BURNING! And to make matters worse, the bugs were AWFUL! A bug net and bug spray did not even help, unfortunately.
The trail entered into a small clearing where an old fire watchman’s tower used to stand, and we saw some of its remains on the right side of the trail. I always think it is cool to see stuff like that!
Sugarloaf Mountain Trail then travels back into the forest as it ascends steeply toward the summit. This section had more rocks in the trail than previously, but it was still not technical.
Then we traveled through my favorite section on the trail which was surrounded by ferns. It was a bit overgrown with quite a few blowdowns, but we navigated easily through it.
Just before the summit, the trail finally ascends more gradually before climbing a few rock slabs and dropping us out on Sugarloaf Mountain. As you can imagine after a steep hike, we were very happy to finally be at the summit, and we had it all to ourselves!
The views from Sugarloaf Mountain were breathtaking! Immediately coming off the trail, we had a clearing with incredible views looking into Maine and New Hampshire.
But my favorite views were just past the summit sign on the ledges looking towards the White Mountains. We had a clear day, and we could see pretty far. I spent most of my time on these ledges because I could not get over the views.
Unfortunately, the bugs were awful, so we did not stay too long on the summit. We enjoyed a quick snack before beginning our descent.
Because the trail was not technical, we flew down the trail, beating our ascent time. We passed only two other groups of hikers on our descent, so it was an incredibly quiet hike. And before we knew it, we were back at the trailhead!
I think Sugarloaf Mountain would be a stunning hike in the fall, and if I am ever in the area, I might hike it again to experience its fall foliage!
Have you hiked Sugarloaf Mountain?
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!