Hiking Mount Monadnock: A Quick Change in Plans and a Brother Who is up for Anything
Similarly to Blue Hills and a few other hikes I have completed over the course of my life, Monadnock was not on my original list of mountains to hike this summer. I received a text that my hiking partner was not going to be able to make it, hours before I was supposed to embark on my originally planned journey . I did not learn my lesson from my journey at Blue Hills Reservation and immediately descended into full panic mode. Not only did I not have a partner to hike with, but I could tell I was going to miss out on Little Bigelow again.
After about an hour of pacing around my room, I consulted with the only other person who is consistently up after midnight, my 15 year old brother.
Somehow, my brother was totally up for the task and was awake at the crack of dawn to embark on my next challenge: Mount Monadnock.
I found Monadnock through my hiking app “All Trails” and didn’t know much when I decided to hike it. All I knew is that my mom hiked it with me when I was a baby and it was the perfect amount of milage to help me reach my goal. It was also less than a two hour drive away from my house, so everything was falling into place.
The first thing one should know when getting ready to hike Mount Monadnock is that you must make a reservation ($15) for parking in advance. We did not know this, but the wonderful parking attendant helped us find a spot anyways. Monadnock is only super busy on weekends, but it is good to note that it is a popular mountain, and we were sharing the trail with quite a few people.
The view from the top of monadnock is so special because it is the tallest mountain around, and from the top, it feels like you are on the only mountain that you can see. Once we summited Monadnock, and we took in the absolute breathtaking view, it was time to make our way back down from the White Dot trail to Plumpelly Trail.
My brother and I took a longer way down, only passing about three groups of people. We knew immediately that this trail was the road less traveled, and yet, we proceeded, it was too late to turn back. We took a loop that brought us around a pond and back up towards the parking lot, making our 4 mile trip into an almost 9 mile trip. Sam, my brother, was bored out of his mind and kept picking up walking sticks (he built up quite the collecting, but we follow the rules of leave no trace, so he had to leave them on the trail), and I was getting nervous about the sun setting.
After a brisk walk through the woods with two dead phones and no sense of direction, we were finally back to the base of the mountain. The sun was just setting, and we were able to see the first glimpse of the sunset that was about to ensue right behind the mountain. The amenities at the base are spectacular with a full bathroom, campsite, and camp store right next to the parking lot, and the people are very welcoming. I would definitely recommend this trail for any hiker, no matter their experience.
Overall, this trip which started in a panic at midnight the night before, turned out to be one of the best hikes I have been on yet, and I am over the moon excited for my next adventure.
For Those Who Wander 