South Doublehead (2,939 ft) rises on the eastern fringe of the White Mountains above the town of Jackson, paired with its taller neighbor North Doublehead (3,050 ft) along a short wooded ridge. The summit area is ledgy, and a spur path leads to an overlook that earns the peak its place on New Hampshire's 52 With a View list: broad views sweep across the Presidential Range with Mount Washington prominent to the northwest.
Three trails converge on the Doubleheads. The most popular approach links the Old Path, New Path, and Doublehead Ski Trail into a 4.1-mile loop with roughly 1,700 feet of gain. Hikers who prefer to ascend the steeper terrain go counterclockwise, tackling the Old Path first, which gains nearly 1,000 feet in just 0.6 miles from the loop junction over rocky, sometimes loose footing. A shorter out-and-back via the New Path covers 2.7 miles and 1,350 feet of gain to South Doublehead alone. From the col between the two peaks, a quick detour leads to North Doublehead and the historic Doublehead Cabin, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s and available for overnight reservations.
Fall brings the peak's most rewarding conditions: overlook views over foliage are outstanding and crowds stay lighter than on the major 4,000-footers nearby. In winter the Ski Trail doubles as an active ski descent, so hikers should keep to the sides. The trailhead sits on Dundee Road in Jackson and has parking for roughly a dozen cars.
