Gretchen Stuppy Carlson
Cannon Mountain in the White Mountains of New Hampshire offers impressive views and a challenging trail with a variety of terrain and routes. We’ve skied this mountain, hiked around it and summited in multiple ways. In this guide we’ll share the different options for hiking Cannon Mountain and share photos from doing one of the loop hikes on a very cloudy August day.
Please note that the views from Cannon are excellent as you are looking across at Franconia Ridge.
Looking for more local NH content? You might like:
- Guide to the NH 48 – 4000 Footers: Hike the Whites!
- 52 With a View: The Best Hikes in New Hampshire
- 11 Best Hikes in the White Mountains of New Hampshire
Stats for Cannon Mountain Hiking Trails
As mentioned there are several different routes you can take to reach the summit of Cannon Mountain. All the routes are challenging hikes (unless you take the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tram). The routes below are both loops, but you can also do each trail as an out and back route.
Cannon Loop up to Lonesome Lake, Cannon Mountain High Trail (can also take the Kinsman Ridge Trail) and down the front side of Cannon Mountain) Distance: 7.2 miles Elevation Gain: 2,400 feet Difficulty: Challenging
This route involves walking on the bike/walking path parallel to 93. This adds some distance but is an easy walk. This is the route we took and is described in more detail below.
Loop past Lonesome Lake via Kinsman Ridge and Cannon High Mountain Trail. Distance: 5 miles Elevation Gain: 2,300 feet Difficulty: Challenging
This route is the shorter option but is about the same elevation gain.
Things to Know About Hiking Cannon Mountain
Where to Park to Hike Cannon Mountain
We parked at the small lot at the base of Cannon Mountain ski resort for hikers. The main lot is specifically for the tram, but there is a well marked lot for hikers. It is also possible to park at the bare of the trail to Lonesome Lake but this lot is small and can fill up.
Taking the Tram to Cannon Mountain and Hiking
You can take the tram to the top of Cannon Mountain and come back down on the tram. You can’t hike to the top and then come down by tram! If you are taking the tram up and down, you can do a short hike around the summit.
Is Cannon Mountain Hard?
Yes – n matter how you hike to the top of Cannon, it is a steep hike with a lot of rock scrambling.
Is there a restaurant on Cannon Mountain?
Yes – there is a restaurant on the top of Cannon Mountain. This is open to both people who hike up and who take the tram.
Can dogs do this trail?
Yes – we did this hike with our dog on leash.
Details of the Loop Hike up Cannon Mountain
We did this train in mid-August with 8 people including several teens and a 12 year old. We all found this hike a bit of a slog in the clouds specifically because we had no views. Otherwise this hike is challenging but rewarding.
We parked at the small lot next to the Cannon Mountain tram and walked the path parallel to 93 down to the start of the lake to Lonesome Lake. This is right at the campground. This part of the trail is flat walking for most of the way, although you will take a rather overgrown trail along the side of the lake.
The hike up to Lonesome Lake is steadily uphill but is not too steep at any section. You can cut off a small section of the trail but we chose to hike up to the lake and then ascend to the Cannon High Trail. The other option is to ascend via the Kinsman Ridge Trail – both trails are steep with scrambling. In the wet, these trails were slippery and challenging including the ladder section on the Cannon High Trail.
Once you reach the summit, you can enjoy the views (or not) from the fire tower and grab a snack before ascending back to the base of Cannon Mountain to the parking lot. This two mile section is also very steep with scrambling so be prepared for a longer walk, especially if it’s wet. The trail doesn’t level out until very close to the bottom.
Looking for more hiking ideas? Follow us on Pinterest.
