Gunstock Mountain, Belknap Mountain, Piper Mountain Loop in Belknap Mountain State Forest, NH

Hike Gunstock Mountain, Belknap Mountain, Piper Mountain Loop Belknap Mountain State Forest, NH

Class 1 5.4 miles 1900 gain 2-4 hrs Loop Jul 8, 2023
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Gunstock Mountain, Belknap Mountain, Piper Mountain Loop GPX Track

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I was hoping for a slight change from the rocky, higher-elevation White Mountains peaks and a view toward nearby Lake Winnipesaukee, so a trip to the Belknap Range seemed like a fun idea. Belknap Mountain is the high point, but my loop would also reach Gunstock Mountain and Piper Mountain, two unranked peaks on the shoulders of the range high point. With such a nice trail system, I certainly didn't want to drive to nearly the summit, which is an option if you're looking for a quick out-and-back. You can also extend this hike significantly to explore the various trails in the range.

I parked on the side of the road and hiked on pavement for a short time before noting the orange-blazed Gunstock Mountain Trail. Surprisingly steep for how popular this hike is, the trail works its way up to the summit of Gunstock Mountain. Along the way there were a couple of little overlooks, some slightly rockier sections, and a well-marked winter bypass trail detour. Not realizing the summit hosted a functioning ski lift for access to a restaurant, I only stuck around long enough to take in a nice view formed by the ski lift scar toward Lake Winnipesaukee. It was a nice grassy summit even if framed by manmade structures.

Noting Belknap Mountain poking up through the trees so the southeast, I continued along the wide ridgeline using the yellow-blazed trail down from Gunstock Mountain to its saddle. I picked up the blue-blazed trail up to Belknap Mountain. The forest here is low enough elevation that it sort of misses out on the mossy, lush stuff found farther north that I've been enjoying so far this trip. It was still a pretty forest regardless. An active fire tower rests atop Belknap Mountain, and it was currently open to the public, so I took a minute to take the stairs and snag a few photos from this better viewpoint.

A cluster of merged trails at Belknap Mountain's summit confused me for a minute, but I puzzled out that taking the doublely-labeled yellow/white-blazed trail would lead toward my third peak, Piper Mountain. I continued then along an orange-blazed trail, which gained elevation on the way up toward Piper Mountain. I met with the red-blazed Piper Mountain Trail, my descent route, but the trail had already brought me most of the way to up Piper Mountain so I figured I might as well head toward its summit just a short distance away. The landscape here was very pretty, wide slabs of rock poking out of low shrubs.

I backtracked to the Piper Mountain Trail and took this through interesting terrain, blazes painted onto rock rather than trees since the landscape was mostly open for some time. I then descended back into the forest and made my way to the paved road. A bridge led over a nice creek crossing, marking the end of the hike.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Gunstock Mountain
2240 ft
220 rise
2
Belknap Mountain
2382 ft
1842 rise
3
Piper Mountain
2044 ft
224 rise

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Leaving pavement and started up the Gunstock Mountain Trail.
Leaving pavement and started up the Gunstock Mountain Trail.
Starting gradually, the Gunstock Mountain Trail begins ascending more rapidly.
Starting gradually, the Gunstock Mountain Trail begins ascending more rapidly.
Pretty deciduous forest along the Gunstock Mountain Trail.
Pretty deciduous forest along the Gunstock Mountain Trail.
A detour for a winter ascent alternative. Stick to orange blazes in the summer.
A detour for a winter ascent alternative. Stick to orange blazes in the summer.
Continuing to ascend along the Gunstock Mountain Trail.
Continuing to ascend along the Gunstock Mountain Trail.
A brief overlook before the summit.
A brief overlook before the summit.
Image 6 from gallery
Another nice overlook where a guy was smoking a cigarette (lol wtf).
Another nice overlook where a guy was smoking a cigarette (lol wtf).
A little switchback on the way to Gunstock Mountain.
A little switchback on the way to Gunstock Mountain.
Approaching Gunstock Mountain's busy summit.
Approaching Gunstock Mountain's busy summit.
A view toward Lake Winnipesaukee.
A view toward Lake Winnipesaukee.
Gunstock Mountain, view toward Belknap Mountain.
Gunstock Mountain, view toward Belknap Mountain.
Onward to Belknap.
Onward to Belknap.
A trail junction, keep right on the white-blazed trail.
A trail junction, keep right on the white-blazed trail.
Ascending to Belknap Mountain on a well-constructed and maintained trail.
Ascending to Belknap Mountain on a well-constructed and maintained trail.
View back toward Gunstock Mountain while hiking through a short bedrock-lain section.
View back toward Gunstock Mountain while hiking through a short bedrock-lain section.
More forest hiking to the summit.
More forest hiking to the summit.
Belknap Mountain lookout tower seen ahead.
Belknap Mountain lookout tower seen ahead.
Heading up the lookout tower.
Heading up the lookout tower.
Belknap Mountain summit, view north.
Belknap Mountain summit, view north.
Onward using the dually-blazed white and yellow trail.
Onward using the dually-blazed white and yellow trail.
Pretty bedrock amongst the forest.
Pretty bedrock amongst the forest.
Descending from Belknap Mountain.
Descending from Belknap Mountain.
Piper Mountain seen ahead.
Piper Mountain seen ahead.
Ascending toward Piper Mountain.
Ascending toward Piper Mountain.
The landscape surrounding Piper Mountain is like this for its majority, lots of clearings with bedrock and small shrubs, more sparsely-forested.
The landscape surrounding Piper Mountain is like this for its majority, lots of clearings with bedrock and small shrubs, more sparsely-forested.
Onward to Piper Mountain.
Onward to Piper Mountain.
Belknap Mountain seen top right.
Belknap Mountain seen top right.
Now descending along the Piper Mountain Trail (blazed red).
Now descending along the Piper Mountain Trail (blazed red).
Descending from Piper Mountain.
Descending from Piper Mountain.
This portion of the hike is mostly just through the forest.
This portion of the hike is mostly just through the forest.
A nice creek crossing using a bridge, which spit me out on pavement and back to the trailhead.
A nice creek crossing using a bridge, which spit me out on pavement and back to the trailhead.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!