mount chocorua

Although I have not had the opportunity to enjoy the views from the top (both of my trips up the mountain have been on socked in days), the hike itself is pleasant and fun. The trail is mostly easy with limited icy sections even in winter. The top of the mountain is rocky and should offer excellent views on a clear day. The top does get icy and might be best done with some sort of friction device (crampons worked for me this past trip but only because of the amount of snow - I did it a couple years back without friction devices and it was hard due to the icy coating on all of the rocks but not so much as to make crampons all that useful). Must do for a winter tour of the region.

We are four middle-aged desk jockeys who try our best to stay in reasonable shape, and like to challenge ourselves on occasion. We picked a good challenge climbing Chocorua in November. The day was dry and cold, 33 degrees at the trailhead, and the Champney Falls trail was in good shape with only a dusting of snow from the night before. The water output of the falls was low at this time of year but still a beautiful site. About halfway up we needed put on crampons as the trail was covered in sheets of thin ice in places and it was getting difficult to climb with any degree of speed; we were picking our way very slowly over the rocks. Once past the treeline we began the scramble over the rocky summit, following the small yellow paint stripes that barely marred the coarse granite. The last two-tenths of a mile were a bit more work for our wives as the wind was whipping pretty strongly. We made it to the summit in 3.5 hours, a little slower than the guides suggest but not bad considering the trail conditions. The windchill at the top made it feel like 5 degrees so we did not stay long. We found a sunny, dry ledge sheltered from the wind to eat our lunch - no sandwich ever tasted better. We took the same trail back down and made it to the parking lot in 2.5 hours, the crampons even more valuable for this leg. Chocorua is a tough climb for the occasional hiker and the weather differences between the base and the summit point out the importance of planning properly and carrying the gear needed to meet all conditions. Extra layers were needed at the summit and we had them. The payoff at the top is stunning, the views are incredible. I highly recommend Mount Chocorua as a hiking destination; it is not a climb for the faint of heart but delivers a true feeling of accomplishment once you are back on level ground.

Hiked with about 8 others/.some steepness/but worth it.views at top panoramic and gorgeous! I would love to return during the fall.

We arrived at the Trailhead at 9:00am. The bathrooms clean & in order. This was my wife 's first time up the mountain. We choice the Piper Trail off of Rte 16 in Albany, NHTai was forecasted by we choice to go anyway. We did experience some showers by for the most part it was merely cloudy with breaks on sun. Because it was wet I choice this trail because of it's SE exposure, meaning any sun would directly dry up our footing as we made our way up. At hand top it was very windy. We stayed only for a few minutes as showers started to get the rocks wet again. We didn't want to encounter slippery footing, so we made our way back down without incident. This is a great hike and one does want to be in good shape. 9.6 miles round trip with a 2700' vertical makes for a great trip.

This hike is fairly strenuous but the views at the top make it well worth doing. The footing is tricky at times, especially close to the top when you're climbing up rock. It'll take the better part of your day to do this hike as you'll need a little rest time at the summit. Would definitely do again

Hiked up Mount Chocorua in July. Pretty strenuous hike especially the "staircase" of stone and the flat stone. The 4.5 mile hike up to the top was worth it, the top is above the tree line and all rock. The view is absolutely spectacular. Plan for a long day of hiking and do not take pets,

A lot longer of a hike than Mt Monadnock, but I found this one to be easier, (perhaps I am getting better at hiking...doubtful). My wife and I took 5:30 to climb up and back on Monadknock, and this one took me 4:30 to climb up and back (not including summit sitting time). An immediate crossing of the water, slick rock, and mud pits but this hike wasn't too bad if your careful and look for ways around. Went up Champney Falls to Piper Trail and back again. Wasnt too bad on the knees, Great Views. Good amount of people going up (left 10am), not too many on the way down until I hit the falls again.

The long climb is well worth the effort. My favorite trail is the Champney Falls trail. A bit longer than the Piper trail, but not as steep. The views are tremendous at the top, especially during the foliage season.

I love Mt. Chocorua, but any guide that tells you a trail is "easy to moderate" is lying. Getting to the top is "moderate to hard"--and pretty hard near the top--whichever way you go!

We've done many, many hikes and this is, by far, our favorite. We took our border collie with us. What a trooper he was! He scrambled up steep granite cliffs like he had glue on his feet. It's a moderately tough hike but, if the weather is good, it's about as perfect a hike as you'll ever take!

This is a moderate hike up a well maintained trail. On a sunny day you can see for miles and the view alone makes the climb well worth it, Be sure and pack plenty of water and snacks as there are no facilities at either end, If you want to up the pace and can handle a harder climb (we did it with our 3 children 10, 14,15) then try the Three Sister Trail to the top. Plan a whol;e day if you do the latter, Three Sisters up and regular trail down.

I hiked to the peak of Mount Chocorua this fall with my children, ages 12 and 7. They both love hiking and were excited for it, so even though it was three hours up and two hours down, they had a blast! The trail was well marked and easy to follow, but it was definitely a workout! The views of the White Mountains from the top were absolutely stupendous, well worth the trip. We took the trail off of the The Kancamagus Highway. We brought our bathing suits so we could splash around in Champney Falls on the way down. We even found a "natural water slide" down 10 feet of mossy rock landing in a small pool of water. The kids loved it! You can get trail maps at the Ranger Station at the start of the Highway (off Rt.16 in Conway), or visit: http://www.mountainsummits.com/mountains/newhampshire/chocorua.htm for more info.

We took our two boys hiking on Mount Chocorua recently. We were joined by another family who had three sons. So between the two families, we had five boys from age 5 - 11. All the boys made it up to the top without much struggle. I was quite surprised at the rocky climb at the end...but well worth it to see the views at the top. The path to the top was clear and well marked. We stopped at a beautiful little waterfall. This hike is a challenge for the novice hiker. i had to keep asking my 6 year old to wait up for me!

Popular mountain, but worth the hike for views going up and at the top. Ample parking. We took the Champney Falls Trail up and back, using the Champney Falls Loop in the way down. The Loop was muddy from recent rains and lots of people tracking through. Good steep hike with nice views; well marked. Trail narrow in places, which was hard when we met large groups. Several trails come together at the boulder top, but there was plenty of space for everyone to sprawl out for lunch. I prefer to not share my hiking time with crowds, so we were on the path early, and met most people when we were heading back down. Spectacular views for fall color.

I've hiked Mt. Chocorua many times through the years as a kid and later as an adult. It's a great hike for all ages, but it is a good amount of work. The trail is very rocky for much of the hike and it is a lot like climbing stairs the entire way up. There is some amount of shimmying up and down large sections of rock, requiring balance and good footing, but nothing that requires any skill. The top is rocky and provides awesome views. On sunny days you can sit up there, but it can get very windy, sometimes so windy you won't want to venture beyond the tree line.I wouldn't recommend this for children under 6 or so, unless they are well established hikers already. For adults, I'd say this will be fine for anyone in reasonable shape, and a good challenge for someone who is trying to get into better shape. For those in great shape its probably no sweat. We saw some teenage boys running up it!