That’s right, “Little” Monadnock. Not to be confused with its big brother lying to the northeast. I heard about this mountain for the first time when I started searching for some of the other Monadnocks in New Hampshire, and I always wondered about it. Everybody who hikes mountains knows about Monadnock Mountain, and hikers in southern New Hampshire are largely familiar with the “Pack” Monadnocks, including North and Middle Pack. But I didn’t know much about Little Monadnock and have never met anyone who has hiked it. Today felt like a good day to check it out.
I try to get out and explore a mountain once a week, and I usually set my eyes on something new. If I can’t get a new peak, then I opt for a different route up a mountain I’ve ventured before. Everybody’s got their obsessions—I guess mine is new landscapes. Less than an hour from my house, Little Monadnock looked like it would help me get the exercise I craved without having a huge drive, while checking the box on my need for new land.
A daddy longlegs was the only one around to greet me at the quiet trailhead.
Rhododendron State Park
The Little Monadnock Trail is accessed via Rhododendron State Park in Fitzwilliam, NH. After following the dirt road (Rockwood Road) for a few minutes, you come to a little parking lot with a small kiosk. There’s a donation box requesting $4 to help service the park, and I dropped a $5 bill in. Who carries four ones around? Who has cash on them at all, for that matter? Finding the fiver in my wallet was a pleasant surprise.
Studying the map, it was unclear to me where the second trail started from the parking lot, but it looked like either one would take me to where I needed to go, so I snapped a pic of the kiosk map and started on my way. Quickly in, I discovered why it’s called Rhododendron Park. There are rhodies EVERYWHERE. Many of them form a whimsical tunnel for you to pass through, and they ended up being my favorite part of the adventure. If I pass this way again, I would definitely stop and tour the Rhododendron Loop Trail, especially when the rhodies are in bloom. There’s also a Wildflower Trail connected to it, maintained by the local garden club, and I bet that looks fantastic when it’s in bloom as well.
Rhodies Everywhere! Great natural tunnels to pass through along the Rhododendron Loop Trail.
The Little Monadnock Trail
But today wasn’t about flowers. Well, not directly. Heading up the Little Monadnock Trail, I had two thoughts about the trail. Much of the lower sections were very well-trod, with soft patches of pine needles embedded with a deep red hue reminiscent of some of the trails I’ve hiked in California. And passing under the rhododendrons reminded me of kayaking under mangroves in Florida. Are mangroves related to rhododendrons? How strange to be reminded of such extremely different states while on a trail in New Hampshire. But maybe I just have an overactive imagination. Mangroves aren’t even from the same plant family as rhodies, so forget that theory. (I looked it up.)
The way up Little Monadnock took me a little over an hour. I wasn’t rushing, and I felt like on any other day, it probably would be a forty-five-minute climb if I put a little more kick into it. That’s the nice thing about finding a climb closer to home though—you don’t have to rush. When you head out to reduce your stress with a little nature hike, you don’t need to add right back to it with the logistical stress of getting there and trying to squeeze it in between your responsibilities.
No Disappointment Here
I had read some disappointment from other hikers online about the lack of views from Little Monadnock, so maybe that’s why I wasn’t disappointed. I had low expectations. The actual summit doesn’t have much besides an open bald face, but below that is a ledge with a neat view of Mount Monadnock peeking through the trees. And the trail is so quiet. It cuts through the Rosalind & Fred Slavic Wilderness Preserve, which is absolutely lovely. Because you’re not near a major road and it’s clearly not a frequented location like the famous Mount Monadnock, there are no car sounds coming from the valley below. No motorcycle whirrs echoing off the hills. It’s just you and your steps, and the sounds of the woodland creatures.
But what I liked the most about the hike was the rhododendron tunnels. Natural tunnels transport you and send a tingle down your spine that makes you feel like you’ve gone on a little adventure. In this case, a Little Monadnock adventure. It was worth the scouting trip.
A cool view of Mount Monadnock from a ledge on Little Monadnock.
Ascent Details – Little Monadnock (via Rhododendron State Park)
- Trailhead: Rhododendron State Park, Fitzwilliam, NH
- Route: Little Monadnock Trail up, down to Rhododendron Loop Trail, and then out
- Distance: ~3 miles round trip
- Elevation: 1,890 ft summit
- Elevation Gain: ~792 ft
- Time: 1.5–2 hours (moderate pace)
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Highlights: Rhododendron tunnels, quiet wooded trail, ledge views toward Mount Monadnock
Scouting Mountains in New Hampshire?
If you are looking for more stories or mountains to tackle in New Hampshire, head over to In the Mountains, or search in the side bar to see if you can find what you’re looking for. If there’s a mountain in NH you don’t see on the site that you want to know more about, drop a comment and let me know—maybe I’ll check it out next!
Never ceases to amaze me how many stone walls there are in New Hampshire, even high up on a mountain like Little Monadnock!