Little Monadnock – Rhododendron State Park
| Date: | 9-1-2024 |
| Location: | Fitzwilliam, NH |
| Distance: | 3.17 mi |
| Elevation Gain: | 660′ |
| Total Time: | 2 hr 47 min |
| Parking: | 10+ cars |
Liberty and I took a little drive to Rhododendron State Park in Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire to take a quick hike up Little Monadnock Mountain.
We arrived at the trail head in the middle of a hot humid Sunday. There was only one other car in the lot. The lot could hold 10+ cars and there are some pit toilets there too. This is a short hike, so we packed some water and headed out on the trail.
We started taking a stroll through some of the giant Rhododendron’s. This had a very jungle feel to it. They covered the trail making it feel like we were walking through a tunnel.
From there the trail is flat for the next half mile or sow. At some points it does do a little climbing but nothing too bad.
When we arrived to where the climbing starts, we were greeted by a nice slippery and slimy scramble up a 10 foot rock. Going up was not bad but coming down took some time to make sure footing was solid.
We kept climbing for about another half mile. The trail is pretty rooty and rocky and slippery after the rains last night. Most of the elevation is on this section of the hike. We finally made it to the ridge trail. From here it is just a short quarter mile to the summit.
At the summit there is a sign posted on a large granite rock that is the high point. Here Liberty and I took a break for some water. The heat and humidity had us sweating quite a bit. After a few pictures we started to make our way down.
As always, heading back goes a little quicker. We made it down to the junction with the trail that goes back to the state park.
This is a fun trail. I’m looking forward to going back again during the wintertime with my snowshoes or BCX skis to play around. I would also like to go back in July when the Rhododendrons are in bloom and explore the network of walking trails.
