Limitless Adventure at Winslow State Park
What’s up, everybody? My name is Ian, and this is Limitless Adventure. Today, we’re here at Winslow State Park to go on a nice winter hike up Mount Kearsarge.
Even though the gate is closed in the off-season, you can still park just below and make the short walk up the auto road to the trailhead. The picnic area here sits on an 1,800-foot plateau, and already you get some killer views before you even step foot on the trailhead.
There are two different routes you can take to the summit from this side. We’re going to take the Barlow Trail. Even though the Barlow Trail is quite a bit longer than the Winslow Trail, it’s not as steep and provides more views as you get closer to the summit.
Even though the trail isn’t too difficult, there are some challenging sections, so you’re going to want to come prepared with snowshoes or even spikes. Just about a mile and a quarter in, we made it to this rocky ridge up above the treeline. You can see the communications tower up ahead, which means we’re not far off from the summit.
It took us about two hours to make it to the summit with a couple of stops. Let’s head up the fire tower for a better view. Panoramic views up here are incredible, but it’s pretty windy, so you’re going to want to pack extra layers to stay warm. There’s also this nice little depression up here where you can get out of the wind and take a quick break before you head back down.
Rollins State Park is located on the other side of Mount Kearsarge, so make sure you take the right trail to get back to Winslow. We’re taking the Barlow Trail again on the way back—make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to get down before dark. Round trip down to the car is over five miles, and if you’re thinking about doing some winter hiking, Winslow is a great place to start.
For more information on what to pack and how to prepare for your winter trip, visit hikesafe.com. And until next time, I’m Ian, and this is Limitless Adventure.
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