In the world of casual mountain climbing, hikers endeavor to climb all mountains on a list like the famous 4000-footers. Many hikers complete
lists for the sense of accomplishment, or because they want to compete with friends, or because it's a fun way to get outdoors and exercise.
Here at NH Family Hikes, we believe in all of these reasons, but more than anything we believe you should work through a list simply because
each step will be a memorable experience of mountain grandeur. We believe it's better to pursue a hiking list more for the places it will take
you than for the list as a whole. Given that perspective, the Belknap 12 is an essential. Simple and easy to complete in just six hikes, this
mini collection displays the shamefully underrated and unrecognized hills of the Belknap Range and its sensational trail network. Throughout
this small-scale journey, you will discover the surprising variety of the Belknaps and experience the tranquility of Round Pond, the sweeping
views from the Belknap Fire Tower, the forest glades of Quarry Mountain, the extensive open ledges of Straightback Mountain, and the exciting
number of isolated locations to experience on these hills which many hikers have never heard of.
You can find all of the Belknap 12 here on NH Family Hikes, but you will find them grouped in a neater arrangement on this page.
In addition to our suggestions on how to get started with your quest, you will find three tables with varying information on each mountain. The
first table lists statistics for each hike required to collect all 12 and has clickable rows to bring you to each one's separate guide.
This is by no means a complete reference, but we think it's a suitable reference for beginners. Please note that you may fashion nearly
unlimited different routes to each peak, but we present our one recommended route for each one.
Unlike many other popular hiking lists, the Belknap 12 does not require exceptional amounts of endurance, but none of the hikes are pleasure strolls either. The longest one is eight miles and ascends (not continuously) 2000 vertical feet. You should begin by trying out one of the easier treks, such as Belknap Mountain or Mt. Anna. Remember, you only need to visit the Belknaps six times to complete the list. You could easily complete them in a row and flip between the three western-end hikes (Belknap, Gunstock/Rowe, and Whiteface/Piper) and the three eastern-end hikes (Anna, Mack/Rand/Klem, and Quarry/Straightback/Major) for variety. Or, you could casually visit the Belknaps over a longer amount of time, since even without the award at the end, all of these hikes are worth visiting on their own.
Please visit the Belknap County Sportsmens Association website for information about how to receive your achievement patch when you finish.
The following table lists route statistics for each hike to one or more Belknap peaks. Everything listed here describes the particular routes we recommend for climbing each one. Each combination of mountains or route to such can always be altered by consulting other guides. Difficulty listed here is subjective and relative to the set of all Belknap peaks; it is not a general classification. Click on any row to view our guide for that hike.
| Mountains | Round-trip Distance | Elevation Gain | Difficulty | Special/Unique Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belknap | 2.2 mi | 700 feet | Easier | Views from clearing near parking area. Fire tower. Ledge outlooks. |
| Gunstock/Rowe | 4.7 mi | 1500 feet | Medium | Multiple viewpoints. Ski area. |
| Piper/Whiteface | 5.6 mi | 1140 feet | Medium | Grassy clearing with views. Open ledges. |
| Klem/Mack/Rand | 7.5 mi | 1600 feet | Harder | Beautiful remote lake. Excellent views in different directions from two peaks. |
| Quarry/Straightback South/Major | 7.7 mi | 1950 feet | Harder | Forest and marsh scenery and scattered outlooks on Quarry Mountain. Panoramic views on Straightback and Major. Many beautiful open ledges. Interesting boulders. |
| Anna | 3.8 mi | 850 feet | Easier | Marsh with views. Interesting cave. Ledges with views. |
This table provides an overview of the character of each hill's summit.
| Mountain | View Type | View Rating | Summit Type | Summit Structures/Markings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belknap | Open in all directions | 8/10 | Forested and ledgy | Fire tower |
| Gunstock | Directional view from ski area | 7/10 | Cleared | Ski area |
| Piper | Directional views from multiple open ledges | 6/10 | Forested and ledgy | A cairn |
| Klem | Directional view from clearing | 7/10 | Forested | Sign on a tree |
| Mack | Directional view from ledges | 5/10 | Forested | Cell towers |
| Quarry | Limited directional views from multiple viewpoints | 4/10 | Forested | Sign on a tree |
| Straightback South | Wide views from ledges | 7/10 | Mostly open and ledgy | Signpost |
| Rand | Very limited view from trail | 3/10 | Forested | Sign on a tree |
| Major | Open in all directions | 8/10 | Mostly open and ledgy | Stone foundation |
| Rowe | Directional view from clearing | 6/10 | Forested | Cell tower |
| Whiteface | Wide views from clearing | 7/10 | Cleared | None |
| Anna | Directional view from ledge | 6/10 | Forested | Signpost |
This table provides quantitative information about the mountains.
| # | Mountain | Elevation | Prominence* | Isolation** | Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belknap Mountain | 2382' | 1852' | 15.6 mi | Gilford |
| 2 | Gunstock Mountain | 2250' | 240' | 0.6 mi | Gilford |
| 3 | Piper Mountain | 2044' | 244' | 0.7 mi | Gilford |
| 4 | Mt. Klem | 2001' | 471' | 1.5 mi | Gilford |
| 5 | Mt. Mack | 1945' | 175' | 0.5 mi | Gilford/Gilmanton |
| 6 | Quarry Mountain | 1894' | 144' | 0.5 mi | Alton |
| 7 | Straightback Mountain, South Peak | 1890' | 60' | 0.4 mi | Alton |
| 8 | Rand Mountain | 1883' | 193' | 0.3 mi | Gilford |
| 9 | Mt. Major | 1786' | 196' | 0.7 mi | Alton |
| 10 | Mt. Rowe | 1690' | 195' | 0.9 mi | Gilford |
| 11 | Whiteface Mountain | 1670' | 220' | 0.8 mi | Gilford |
| 12 | Mt. Anna | 1670' | 80' | 0.3 mi | Gilmanton |
*Prominence is a measure of how much a mountain stands out. If a mountain has a prominence of
500', that means if you are standing on the summit and you want to walk to a higher place, the very minimum vertical distance you must descend in order to
climb up to another place higher than the summit is 500 feet.
**Isolation is a measure of how alone a mountain is. If a mountain has an
isolation of 0.5 miles, that means the nearest place that is higher than the mountain is half a mile from the summit.