Blue Mountain, also known as Bunnell Mountain, rises to 3,724 feet in the remote northern corner of New Hampshire, set between North Stratford and the Nash Stream watershed. The summit lies within the Vickie Bunnell Preserve, a 10,330-acre Nature Conservancy property that encompasses 13 peaks above 3,000 feet, 28 miles of stream frontage, and significant sub-alpine spruce-fir forest habitat at higher elevations.
Reaching the summit requires off-trail navigation through dense boreal forest. No formal hiking trail leads to the top; access relies on old logging roads as starting points before a full bushwhack to the wooded summit. One documented approach involves portions of the Carter Ledge Trail and Middle Sister Trail and covers roughly 8 miles round trip with around 2,500 feet of elevation gain over difficult terrain. A western approach departs from Brown Road off Meridian Hill Road in North Stratford, following rough forest roads to the preserve boundary before the final push. The summit is heavily forested with no significant views.
The preserve is open year-round for hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing, though access roads are closed to wheeled vehicles from December 10 through April 10. Snow lingers well into spring at this latitude, and hikers should carry a GPS track, as navigation landmarks are sparse in the dense cover near the top.
