Mount Paugus South Peak, at 3,100 feet, sits in the Sandwich Range Wilderness between Mount Passaconaway and Mount Chocorua. Its open rocky summit earns a spot on the NH 52 With a View list, with sightlines sweeping south to the Lakes Region and across the surrounding Sandwich Range ridges. Autumn brings particularly vivid foliage in the valleys below.
The most common approach departs from the Ferncroft Trailhead off Ferncroft Road in Wonalancet. The Kelley Trail climbs through dense forest with brook crossings and a short boulder scramble before meeting the Lawrence Trail for the final pitch to the summit. A gentler alternative is Old Mast Road, which provides a gradual descent back to the trailhead. The full Ferncroft loop covers roughly 8 miles and around 2,500 feet of elevation gain. From the north, a route via Bolles and Whitin Brook Trails off the Kancamagus Highway links up with the Lawrence Trail and can include Big Rock Cave and nearby Mount Mexico.
The summit is open ledge ringed by trees; moving a short distance along the rock finds better sightlines. Trails are well-signed throughout, though cell service is limited so downloading a map beforehand is worthwhile. The peak is dog-friendly.
