If you’ve spent any time hiking in New England, chances are someone’s told you to check out Mount Monadnock. Maybe they even said it’s one of the most climbed mountain in the U.S. Regardless, I finally checked it off my list on an unseasonably warm Thursday in April—and wow, what a day for it.

Bluebird skies. No ice. No spikes. And most importantly, no regrets.

I opted for the classic route up the White Dot Trail and came down via the White Cross Trail, which I’d recommend if you’re not into testing your ankle stability on the descent.

Here are some stats:

The loop that I did was 3.9 miles with 1772 feet of elevation gain. The mountain’s elevation is 3245’ with 360 degree views.

White Dot is a bit of a cardio challenge, with some solid scrambles toward the top. Let’s just say there were a few spots that required more than just my dignity—I needed my hands too. I have yet to figure out a good way to attach the poles I use to my day pack so they were kind of in the way for a lot of the steep scrambles on the ascent. My knees thanked me for having them on the trip down!

That said, it’s absolutely doable for most people with determination (and snacks). I saw several kids under 8 hiking with their parents—some of them crushing it, others loudly voicing their discontent about “too many rocks.” I chuckle whenever I hear a child voicing what my inner mind wants to say out loud on the trail.

The summit views were spectacular—clear skies all the way into Massachusetts, Vermont and the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It’s one of those rare days in April where you feel like you’ve cheated the system. No snow, no ice or clouds and just enough of a breeze to cool you down at the summit.

A few things to note:

There is an entrance fee of $15 per car (6 passenger max) but the New Hampshire State Parks license plate gets you in for free. There are nice facilities here so it’s worth the money.
Reservations are strongly recommended as this trailhead gets busy. I’m glad I had a reservation.
It was surprisingly busy for a Thursday. That could have been because it was school vacation week in Massachusetts, and Monadnock is close enough to the border to draw a crowd.
If you’re choosing between White Dot and White Cross for your descent, go with White Cross. It’s more of a rock-hop than a scramble, and your knees will thank you later.
Bring plenty of water, wear decent shoes, and mentally prepare for the fact that this “easy mountain” is actually kind of a beast. In a good way.
Bring bug spray & sunscreen, especially as these warm spring days become more frequent.
There is a cute store at the trailhead that sells Monadnock State Park merchandise, drinks, stickers, and snacks!
The bathrooms are very nice with real plumbing!

Mount Monadnock lives up to the hype—but don’t let its popularity fool you into thinking it’s a walk in the park. It’s a rocky, scrambly, gorgeous New England classic, and you’ll earn every step of those views.