Middle Sister is the central peak of the Three Sisters, a trio of summits on the northern ridge of Mount Chocorua in the White Mountain National Forest near Albany. At 3,340 feet, it earns a spot on the NH 52 With A View list and delivers on that promise: the open summit offers sweeping views across the southeastern White Mountains from Conway to the Ossipee hills and south into Maine, with Chocorua's rocky cone rising as a close neighbor to the south.
A fire tower operated on the summit from 1927 to 1948, and the concrete footing survives as a relic of that era. The peak is rocky and open, providing good sightlines with a summit character distinct from the forested humps that surround it in the region.
Several routes reach the top. The Middle Sister Trail is the most direct approach, departing from near White Ledge Campground off Route 16 and briefly joining the Carter Ledge Trail before ascending the north side of the peak; the round trip covers roughly 9.6 miles with about 2,000 feet of gain. A more demanding option uses the Carter Ledge Trail, which crosses an exposed open ledge above a cliff and is unsuitable for those uncomfortable with heights. A third line of approach climbs from the southwest via the Champney Falls Trail, convenient for hikers continuing to Chocorua. Snow and ice linger on the ledge sections well into spring, adding hazard to early-season visits.
