The auto road up Mt. Kearsarge in Rollins State Park in Warner, New Hampshire, is gated shut and will probably stay that way until Memorial Day approaches. See the Rollins page on the New Hampshire State Parks web site for updated information.  That doesn’t block pedestrians and bicyclists, though. If you’re ready for a three-and-a-half-mile uphill walk on a paved road, followed by a half-mile hike on a ledgy trail (total elevation gain from park gate: roughly 1700′), this is the place. Download a map from the State Parks website and enjoy the trip.

Yesterday, armed with plenty of sunscreen, I took the walk and reaped the views. For a plodder like me, it was two hours each way, plus time on the summit. Time well spent, indeed.

I didn’t pack bug repellent, and I should have. Lesson learned.

While there were eight other cars parked outside the gate when I arrived, I encountered other people on the road only occasionally. I was passed by an ambitious bicyclist, twice. At one of the pullouts about halfway up the road, I stopped to watch some turkey vultures gliding aloft. They’re quite beautiful when in flight, however homely they are close up. The only sounds along the way were the breeze through the trees and a rustle of leaves from some nearby critter. I haven’t been anyplace so peaceful since my last trip to Second Connecticut Lake.

A few details: there was a pit toilet along the auto road not far from the park gate, which is always good to know before setting off for a few hours of walking. There’s an admission fee to the park ($4, subject to change), and when the park gate is closed in the off-season, there’s an iron ranger (donation box) where you can place your fee on an honor-system basis. At the upper end of the auto road, if the last half-mile hike is not to your liking, there’s a parking lot and picnic area with views to enjoy, though not the panorama seen from the summit.

Note: This Mt. Kearsarge is not to be confused with a remote peak of the same name in northern New Hampshire.

Getting to Rollins State Park: Take I-89 to exit 8; follow signs to NH 103 toward Warner. In town, turn onto Kearsarge Mountain Road; look for brown signs pointing to Rollins State Park. After several miles, the town road ends at the Rollins gate.

Post revised in 2026 to update web links.