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Twin Peaks: The Uncanoonuc Mountains

mharding221
Nov 4, 2015
3 min read

Nestled in the forests of Goffstown, NH, a hike up the Uncanoonuc Mountains is perfect for days when you'd like a moderately challenging hike, but are short on time. Although the name comes from a Native American word meaning "woman's breast", these twin mountains are mainly similar in elevation.

The North and South Uncanoonuc Mountains reach elevations of 1324 ft. and 1321 ft. respectively, and each offer a few different trails with different access points and parking areas. Here's the rundown of my favorite spots and how they rate.

(click to enlarge)

South Uncanoonuc: If you follow Mountain Base Road, it'll lead you to a dirt parking area on the edge of Uncanoonuc Lake. From here, the Incline Trail will be directly in front of you, and the Summit Trail begins a short walk past this to the right. The Incline Trail used to run a tram up it for skiers, back in the early 1900s, so as you might imagine, it is a straight, steep (probably 45 degree) trail.

I found a large stick just off the trail at the base to use as a walking stick, which was good because I needed it! The trail is covered in egg-sized rocks which aren't packed down hard, so they're easy to slip on. But like I said, this is a straight shot up the mountain so you definitely won't get lost!

The Summit Trail, by contrast, is a picturesque wooded trail with a pretty gradual incline throughout. Shortly before the summit, we stumbled upon an old abandoned shack apparently destroyed by weather and looters alike. Broken glass and other debris littered the house and the surrounding area. Stepping carefully past this, to our right was a short path with a small view of Goffstown and Manchester. The path just past the shack led us to the summit. To be frank, this was the most disappointing summit I've ever hiked to; it's covered in radio towers and antennas, without even a nice rock or a grassy area to sit and have a picnic. But hey, at least it got you out of the house right?

The Incline Trail could be done by ages 9 and up, but the easier Summit trail could be traversed by a 6 year old.

North Uncanoonuc: White Dot Trail. The parking area I used for this hike was a bit tricky to find. If you go down Mountain Road, about a mile and a quarter away from Mast Road, you'll see a small dirt parking area, about three or four car widths wide, on the left side of the road (check out my map above). Across the street you'll see the beginning of the White Dot Trail - although you'll have to go several feet into the woods before you'll spot the marker for it. In the parking lot, I found a discarded walking stick, which I (thankfully) decided to use. The trail's pretty well marked, mostly with white circles tacked to trees. It's a very serene area, but the first half of it is a pretty steep mixture of roots and rocks. You will definitely feel your legs burn and you'll want to use a sturdy walking stick. For these reasons, I don't recommend this trail for anyone under 9 years old.

A little more than halfway up, the incline becomes easier and the woods thin out

a bit before you reach the top, which allows views of South Uncanoonuc, Goffstown, and some of the more northerly mountains. Overall, a beautiful and slightly challenging hike.