Mt Chocorua and Middle Sister Loop Hike - White Mountains, NH

As a working parent, business owner, mother to two toddlers and a 1 year old doberman, my schedule is constantly overflowing and I'm rarely alone. I jumped on an opportunity to visit four properties in Maine for work, with one of them being just  over the New Hampshire border and a 20 minute drive from one of New Hampshire's popular peaks. 

It was a quiet Sunday morning, the first weekend of November and I had an extra hour as we moved the clocks back for Daylight Savings. I kissed my sleeping babies goodbye and wished my husband luck as I put my bags in my Atlas by 5am and made the 4.5 hour drive north to the White Mountains of New Hampshire. I was going to tackle all of my site visits Monday and planned an epic Sunday to myself. I found a hike close to my first site visit, found a hotel in North Conway on hotel tonight, and headed north with a 10am planned start at the trailhead. 

A quiet car ride with an audiobook is just what many parents need after a long week of working and parenting. As I neared the parking area, I could see the mountain in front of me and was giddy for a long day in the mountains, no kids, no dogs, no headphones, just my pack of snacks and water along with my thoughts. 

Mt. Chocorua (3,490 feet) makes the 52 With a View List and is one of the most popular and prominent mountains in the Whites. It's easy to recognize with its peak and there are several ways to climb this sub 4,000 wonder. A lot of people chose the shorter distances, but the mountain loop lovers tend to take the long way for the chance to tackle the infamous Carter Ledge trail (scrambling across an open ledge above a cliff on the Terrifying 25 list) and enjoy a stop at Middle Sister. This loop has it all - diverse terrain, series of scrambling, open views, a ridge walk, and relatively quiet trails in the stick season. It's a White Mountain Win. I hiked it on a Sunday (November 3, 2024) and saw two people on the way up, several different groups along the traverse, and one person on the way down by the cabin. 

Mr. Chocorua Views

This is a gorgeous hike with so many 10/10 reviews, constantly being claimed as a favorite hike in the Whites for hikers who aren't afraid of 3,000 feet of elevation and mileage just under the double digits. I would highly recommend downloading the AllTrails map before you head out as you do have to pay attention to the trails to complete the loop (Piper trail~> Nickerson Ledge trail~> Carter Ledge trail~> Middle Sister trail~> Champney Falls/Piper trail to Chocorua summit~> Liberty trail~> Hammond trail~> Weetamoo trail~> Piper trail). I left AllTrails on and referred to it several times to make sure I was still on the right trail with all the downed leaves, or I was taking the right turn.  

Trail Directions (Counter Clockwise Loop): Counter clockwise seems to be the highly suggested direction so you can enjoy the views first and go UP the steeper Carter Ledge instead of down. Park in the Piper Trail Parking Area off Route 16. Follow the Piper Trail just over a mile until you get to the intersection of the Nickerson Ledge Trail. Follow the Nickerson Ledge Trail which will then meet up with the Carter Ledge Trail (on the Terrifying 25 list, exposed and steep with scrambling). Follow the Carter Ledge Trail until you can turn left onto the Middle Sister Trail. You will hop on the Champney Falls Trail for a quick second before following the Piper Trail the rest of the way to the summit. Enjoy the views on Chocorua before heading back down via the Liberty Trail and eventually cutting back towards the parking area on the Hammond Trail and Weetamoo Trail which will meet back up with the Piper Trail you started on. * The trail was slippery with all the downed leaves and I relied on AllTrails quite a bit to make sure I was on the right trail as it is a bit hard to tell in some area. 

Parking: Piper Trail Parking Area off Route 16, Fee parking area and pit toilet - large lot (cash required)

Difficulty: Hard - this is a long hike, with a decent amount of elevation that includes steep sections, scrambling, ledges, and exposed areas. Carter Ledge Trail - on the Terrifying 25 list. Most of it is not terrifying and gorgeous, but there is one tricky spot with no great handholds and a long slide down that will make most hikers quite nervous. 

Mileage: 9.6 mile loop. AllTrails will tell you 8.9 but almost everyone agrees its about 9.5. I clocked the loop at 9.6 miles.  

Moving time - 3:50:48, elapsed time - 4:42:58

Elevation: 3,218 ft gained

Dogs: Experienced dogs that are okay with scrambles. I read through the AllTrails comments and some dogs struggled with the scrambles and some were fine. Consider leaving your dogs at home or be willing to turn around if necessary. I've also found that harnesses with a handle are really helpful for more technical hikes with dogs. 

Kids: NOPE - It's long, technical, and a lot of hiking for kids. I also wouldn't attempt this with any kids in carriers as there is some scrambling and technical areas that I was grateful to be solo on. 

Jim Liberty Cabin off the Liberty Trail

On your way down, the trail takes you past the Jim Liberty Cabin. The Jim Liberty Cabin is located 1/2 mile from the summit. The cabin is a one room structure with 3-triple bunks that sleep a total of nine people. There is no water source, but there is a toilet 300 feet down the Liberty Trail. The cabin is first come first served and no fires are allowed.