Ultimate Guide to Pack Monadnock: Everything You Need to Know

Pack Monadnock is in Miller State Park, the oldest state park in New Hampshire, and is one of the best hikes in southern New Hampshire, offering incredible views overlooking the surrounding area. Although Pack Monadnock has stunning views, it is often overlooked because of its neighbor Mount Monadnock, the second most hiked mountain in the world.

I honestly overlooked Pack Monadnock because I always hiked Mount Monadnock instead. I finally decided to explore more mountains in the area and quickly fell in love with Pack Monadnock! Despite its beautiful views, it was not crowded, which was a nice change of pace.

The best part about Pack Monadnock is you can hike or drive to the summit! If you want to visit Pack Monadnock, you are in the right place! This guide has everything you need to know to hike or drive to Pack Monadnock.

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Pack Monadnock Overview

Pack Monadnock stands at 2,290 feet in Miller State Park near Peterborough in Southern New Hampshire. There are two ways to get to the summit: hiking or the auto road. I have explored the summit using the hiking trails and auto road and honestly enjoyed both!

Pack Monadnock Auto Road

If you would rather skip the hike and enjoy the beautiful views from Pack Monadnock, you are in luck! Pack Monadnock has a seasonal 1.3-mile auto road you can pay to drive to the summit. It is the easiest way to get to the summit!

Once at the summit, you can walk around to various overlooks and climb the fire tower to get more stunning views. Pack Monadnock also has a small store and bathrooms at its summit.

Hiking Pack Monadnock

Although there are a few different ways to hike to Pack Monadnock, the most common is the Wapack Trail and Marion Davis Trail Loop. The loop is a moderate 2.6-mile round-trip hike with 800 feet of elevation gain.

You can hike the loop in either direction, but I enjoyed following it clockwise since the Wapack Trail is the more difficult trail. As you approach the summit, you get your first taste of the views, but the best are at various viewpoints at the top of Pack Monadnock along the Summit Loop. I will dive into the details of the hike below!

Below are a few of the other hikes near Pack Monadnock:

Marion Davis Trail (out and back): 2.7 miles round trip
North Pack Monadnock and Pack Monadnock Traverse: 5.3 miles round trip
North Pack Monadnock from the top of the auto road: 5.3 miles round trip

What to Pack for Hiking Pack Monadnock

Although Pack Monadnock is not the tallest mountain in New Hampshire, it is not an easy hike. You should have supportive shoes with good traction, like hiking boots, layers for the time of year you are hiking, and a backpack with water, snacks, and layers. And last but not least, make sure to pack the Ten Essentials.

Guide to Hiking Pack Monadnock

**Always remember to leave no trace. It is crucial to pack out what you pack in and throw away your trash properly. It is also crucial to only hike on the designated trails to avoid damaging restoration areas and fragile vegetation.

If you want to hike to Pack Monadnock, I recommend hiking the Wapack Trail and Marion Davis Trail Loop. Although you can hike either trail as an out-and-back, I enjoyed hiking both as a loop. Most people follow the trail counterclockwise, but I liked hiking it clockwise since the Wapack Trail is more strenuous than the Marion Davis Trail. You really cannot go wrong with any way you hike to Pack Monadnock though!

The hike to Pack Monadnock begins at the bottom of the auto road in Miller State Park. Both trails start here, so you need to look for the signs for the Wapack Trail to the left to start the hike.

The beginning of the Wapack Trail is pretty steep right out of the gate but rewards you with a viewpoint early on at about 0.2 miles. The trail has a lot of roots and rocks, which makes it moderately challenging, but I found it fun!

The Wapack Trail is, in my opinion, the more difficult trail along the loop, but it is relatively short. It alternates between steep and gradual, which is always nice to give your legs a bit of a break. As you approach the summit, the trail becomes steeper, but before you know it, you are at the top of Pack Monadnock!

Once you are at the summit, I recommend hiking the Summit Loop to the various viewpoints on Pack Monadnock. The views are stunning, and I loved exploring each overlook. On a clear day, you can see Mount Monadnock, Mount Washington, Boston, and Vermont.

Pack Monadnock also has a fire tower on its summit. I recommend walking up to the top of the fire tower to get even more views of the surrounding mountains. The stairs are steep, but the views at the top make the effort worth it.

Since there are many trails on Pack Monadnock, it can be easy to stray off course. When you are ready to start the descent, you can go toward the bathrooms. The Marion Davis Trail begins just past the bathrooms.

The first section of the descent is the steepest but quickly turns gradual as you make your way to the parking lot. The descent along the Marion Davis Trail was quick and uneventful, but it was a nice change from the challenging ascent.

If you want to visit Pack Monadnock, this guide is the perfect place to start planning! It has everything you need to know to drive or hike to Pack Monadnock.