Over three weekends from April to May, we hiked all 12 peaks in the Belknap Range in New Hampshire.
After winter ended, all we wanted was to enjoy the spring weather and walk among the blooming trees and flowers. We hiked a couple of peaks in the Belknap Range, beginning with Mount Major and fell in love with the region. As we started mapping out another route to hike in the area, we found out that there is actually a Belknap Range Hiking List that consists of 12 peaks that we were already a quarter of the way done with. So we decided to spend the next two weekends hiking all 12 peaks in this range.
West Quarry, Rand, Klem, Mack, and Anna
Hike Date: May 1, 2021
We enjoyed blue skies with fluffy clouds for this middle of 3 hikes to complete our Belknap Range Hiker list.
Stats
Route
Segment Distance | Total Distance | Route Description |
| 0 mi | 0 mi | Start at Steinwachs Trailhead at the end of Reed Road |
| 1.3 mi | 1.3 mi | Reed Road Trail to Dave Roberts’ Quarry Trail |
| 0.5 mi | 1.8 mi | Dave Roberts’ Quarry Trail to West Quarry Mountain |
| 0.9 mi | 2.7 mi | Dave Roberts’ Quarry Trail to Mt. Rand |
| 0.5 mi | 3.2 mi | Dave Roberts’ Quarry Trail to Mt. Klem |
| 0.2 mi | 3.4 mi | Dave Roberts’ Quarry Trail back to Klem-Mack Loop |
| 0.5 mi | 3.9 mi | Klem-Mack Loop to Mt. Mack |
| 1.3 mi | 5.2 mi | Red Trail (part of Belknap Range Trail) to Mt. Anna |
| 0.4 mi | 5.6 mi | Blue Trail (part of Belknap Range Trail) to Marsh Crossing |
| 0.4 mi | 6 mi | Marsh Crossing to Dave Roberts’ Quarry Trail |
| 0.5 mi | 6.5 mi | Dave Roberts’ Quarry Trail back to Reed Road Trail |
| 1.3 mi | 7.8 mi | Reed Road Trail back to parking lot |
Map
This Belknap Range Trail Map should help you pick your own route on the extensive trail network if you choose.
This hike was really pleasant. The sun peeked out a few times and we saw very few people on trail, making it a perfect day of hiking in solitude. We opted to hike this as a lollipop, starting at Steinwachs Trailhead, heading up to West Quarry, then looping in a circle to cross over Mts. Rand, Klem, Mack, Anna, and then back to West Quarry and down the same trail again.
We parked at a rather large parking lot off the left side of Reed Road and walked a few minutes up to the start of the trailhead where the road dead ended. The first section of trail was not very picturesque (eroded and overgrown), but luckily, it was short. As soon as we turned right onto a proper hiking trail, it was much better.
We gained elevation by hiking up some very gentle and long switchbacks along the side of East Quarry Mountain. We did not go over East Quarry, but turned right just before the summit to head over to West Quarry Mountain, which is one of the 12 on the Belknap Range list.
From there, we took the ledges route on our way to Mt. Rand. These were fun and provided a couple views along the way, but are easily avoided with an alternate parallel trail if ledges aren’t your thing. We passed quickly over Mt. Rand, with its summit in the trees, and enjoyed some views just a bit further down the trail.
After that, we made great time to Mt. Klem, another viewless summit in the woods. Here, we met a few other hikers doing the more popular Klem and Mack loop.
The next section of trail on the Klem-Mack Loop between those peaks might have been our favorite stretch of the day. It was filled with lush greenery, something we’d clearly missed all winter, and some open areas with views as we walked.
Past Mt. Mack, we descended Red Trail, part of the Belknap Range Trail that traverses the whole area, and enjoyed a relatively easy climb through the woods to Mt. Anna and another hand painted wooden summit sign. Here, at our last new peak for the day, we paused to refuel with lunch before the rest of the hike out.
We quickly reached Marsh Crossing Trail and took that back to West Quarry Mountain, the first peak we climbed earlier in the morning. That gave us one last rocky ascent before it was all downhill back to the parking lot on Reed Road.
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