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Monadnock Trails; News, Weather, and Recent Hikes
Current Weather Conditions:
More Weather Information
Mountain Weather and Climate
The weather conditions on top of Monadnock average about 10 degrees cooler than the valleys below not including wind chill. In spring and fall be prepared for brisk cold conditions on top, bring a windbreaker and fleece. In the summer the afternoons can be hot, be sure to bring at least 2 quarts of water. Allow at least 3-4 hours to hike directly up and down the mountain, if storms are likely there isn't any shelter and the mountain is very exposed so choose another day. In winter do not wear any cotton and be prepared for sub-zero wind chills and icy trail conditions.
Weather Alert
A recent windstorm may have brought down trees which may obscure the way on some side trails.
Current Trail Conditions
Winter conditions now prevail on Monadnock. As of mid-December the mountain is covered with snow and ice and will likely remain that way until April. Hikers need to be dressed and prepared for winter conditions. Crampons are recommended if the mountain is covered with glare ice. Hikers should be prepared for deep snow and wear no cotton clothing which doesn't quickly dry up and can make one hypothermic. Hikers should wear wool or synthetics, and dress in layers. Hikers should also see current weather conditions linked on this web site before hiking to dress appropriately. In winter, conditions can range from above freezing to more commonly sub-freezing with strong winds to sub-zero conditions. Side trails under a deep blanket of snow may be difficult to follow. The cross country ski trails are now well marked with blue diamonds. Main trails can be icy because snow gets compacted by many hikers. All trails on Monadnock are now open after being closed because of the severe ice storm of December '08. Trail access may be limited in winter as only the State Park Headquarters is maintained year around. The Old Toll Road from 124 is plowed for private use of residents and parking may be limited in winter, you may even need a shovel. Marlboro, Dublin as well as Gilson Pond Trailheads aren't maintained.
Trails are being blazed with Markers
The hiking trails as well as the Cross Country Ski Trails are getting blazed. The Cliff Walk has been marked with orange disks. The Ski Trails have been marked with blue diamonds. The Great Pasture Trail was recently marked with yellow markers and soon all the trails will be blazed so people will not as likely get lost on the trails.
Ice Storm Update: All trails are now Open
All the trails are now open. The December '08 severe ice storm has created significant damage throughout southern New Hampshire. The ice storm caused a complete closure of the state park this winter, however the Halfway House Trails from 124 were not hit bad. The severe damage to the forest is still quite evident hiking in Monadnock State Park Reservation, although now the trails are cleared. The damage high on the mountain from the recent event has not done any more than typical damage, however, the lower elevations and hardwood zones look worse hit from this particular storm. The trails in the state park reservation on the southeast side of the mountain and cross country ski trails were severely impacted as well as other trails accessing the mountain. All hiking trails as well as the cross country ski trails are now re-opened. The ski trails were cleared during volunteer trail week sponsored by the Forest Society, July 11th-15th. The White Cross Trail from Falcon junction to Spruce Link is closed see: Monadnock Trail News below.
Monadnock Trails News
Some Current Trails are Abandoned or Changed
Monadnock State Park 2009 has now closed / abandoned a few more trails.
The White Cross Trail from Falcon Spring junction/White Dot Trail (lower junction) to Spruce Link is now closed, a 2.2 mile course to the summit. Spruce Link to White Cross is now the White Cross for a hike 2.1 miles to the summit with the White Dot Trail being 1.9-2.0 miles to summit. The reason for this is to simplify search and rescues because searchers would have to check 2 trails instead of the current 3 courses to the summit. Another reason is to keep Falcon Spring from being polluted by hikers on the path directly over the spring. Some people drink from it, which isn't recommended. White Cross via Falcon junction is closed and likely wont be re-opened.
The Smith Connecter from White Cross Trail across White Dot Trail to Red Spot Trail has been removed from maps. This is a lesser used trail but a fine open hike with continuous views of the summit leading to and from the Red Spot and Pumpelly Trails. This area is one of the remaining areas of the plateau not to be reforested. Some hikers hiking the White Dot Trail end up going the wrong way according to the rangers. This is a trail that has been used by hikers accessing the summit when rangers have closed the summit, in one case resulted in hikers that had to be rescued. The Smith Connector from White Cross to Bald Rock will remain maintained.
Many trails have been abandoned / closed in the past on Monadnock. Some have faded to obscurity and some can still be followed. See Monadnock's Abandoned Trails Page.
Hinkley Trail to be extended
from Poole Road to Birchtoft Trail
The State Park has extended the Hinkley Trail to the Birchtoft Trail along an existing cross country ski trail. The purpose of this is for hikers that descend to headquarters but need to get back to Gilson Pond Campground. The rangers will direct them to the Hinkley Trail to Birchtoft back to Gilson Pond. The Hinkley Trail would serve as a connecter trail much like the Parker Trail if someone heads down the wrong way between headquarters and the Old Toll Road. The current signs for the Hinkley Trail from Poole Road is set well back from the road and hikers will need to scan the woods to find the Hinkley Trail sign but once on the trail it is well marked.
Below: Smith Connector (section no longer on current map)
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New Monadnock Trails 2009 Map
On this site there is a new 2009 InteractiveMap that is updated to the current layout of trails. There have been some recent changes to the trails. The 2009 Map covers all the currently maintained trails as well as many points of interest. A MonadnockMap that was posted recently that included a number of abandoned trails is still available on the AbandonedTrails page. The reason for this is to keep it more simple for inexperienced hikers so they don't get lost. The State Park Rangers rangers also objected to the map, saying that I should change it. The vast majority of hikers don't explore Monadnock much, anyway. The primary tracts of land were granted for public pleasure. There is much more to see in a hike of Monadnock than the summit.
Below: Monte Rosa
Monadnock Trails to visit:
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