Belknap Mountain is the highest point in Belknap County at 2,384 feet, rising south of Lake Winnipesaukee within Belknap Mountain State Forest. Named for Jeremy Belknap, the 18th-century preacher and author of The History of New Hampshire, the mountain punches well above its elevation class: with nearly 1,850 feet of topographic prominence, it ranks among the fifty most prominent peaks in all of New England. Its geology is equally distinctive; the Belknap Mountains formed from Jurassic volcanic activity 150-200 million years ago as part of the White Mountain Magma Series, and their exposed rocks represent the greatest variety of igneous stone in the White Mountains region.
The summit hosts an active fire tower, staffed during periods of elevated fire risk from April through November, and climbing the 34-foot steel structure rewards with a full 360-degree panorama: Lake Winnipesaukee's many bays and islands fill the foreground, while the White Mountains rise to the north and the Lakes Region spreads to the south. Four color-coded trails converge on the summit from the Gilford side, with additional access via the East Gilford Trail and the Boulder Trail. The popular Blue/Green Loop covers roughly 2.2 miles with 740 feet of gain. Trails are generally clear of snow by late April and hike well through November.
