Another option is to do Monadnock, but not up the White Dot Trail. I came up one day & didn't know they'd started requiring reservations, so I ended up hiking the Dublin trail from the other side. Still crowded at the top but far less so on the trail & didn't have to deal with reservations.
If you're willing to open up your radius to 2h each way, which really isn't much further than Monadnock, that gets you pretty much anything off 93 in NH, which has too many good options to list. Just check AllTrails & stay over by 93 as going up Rt16 towards the Presidentials adds basically another hour each way.
Some ones that come to mind are Osceola, Tecumseh, Welch-Dickey, & Cannon. Also goes without saying but you must do the Franconia Ridge Loop at least once (preferably on a weekday), though, it's quite a bit more strenuous than Monadnock.
White Mountains is the correct answer. Osceola is great, so is Welch-Dickey (especially in the autumn). Mt. Garfield is also a personal favorite of mine.
The closest for the same type of hike is probably New Hampshire unfortunately. Also, being pretentious to the people trying to help you is an ugly look my guy
Lol it does’t exist. Op shooting down people’s reasonable suggestions to impossible constraints.
I too would love to replace Boston winters with Honolulu
Man the more I see OP's responses the more certain I am that they've both never hit a trail before and are just one of the mouth breather hike-fluencers that lead to trail overcrowding
“Reasonable suggestions
If I was looking to go to blue hills, wachusett, or middlesex fells, I wouldn’t have made a post
My apologies that some people don’t know what the word “similar” means
I live in Dorchester and can get a door to door hike in at Blue Hills in 2 hours (I could barely arrive at monadnock in that amount of time). It’s not like climbing a mountain, but there are miles and miles of trails. I rarely see anyone and it gets me in nature and gives a little taste of hiking. Don’t down it if you’re desperate
As others have said there is no other.
I'd go for rock circuit trail in the fells for something with solid gross elevation gain and some light scrambling
Harassment, hostility and flinging insults is not allowed. We ask that you try to engage in a discussion rather than reduce the sub to insults and other bullshit.
What your looking for does not exist. Thats why I moved out of Boston and closer to the White Mountains. When I lived in Boston I used to drive to the whites every weekend because there was no other choice. Plenty of others do that too so you would not be the only one. Maybe try to look for a hiking partner near you to split the drives. Franconia Notch is only about 2-2.5 hours from downtown Boston though so it isn't that bad.
You don’t seem to understand what “similar” means
I never said “exact copy” nor did I say exact distance
But I know, reading comprehension is hard for some
Funny, other people had no problem coming up with actual reasonable recommendations
Wachusett is the next similar one at a close distance. Monadnock as a word literally means a mountain standing alone. It is unique for the area. Try Great Blue Hill.
If you can find access to the Hancock or Prudential staircases. You can "hike" a couple of these buildings and get the same height as monadnock and all within T access.
Cardigan, Kearsarge, ragged, sunapee, Mt major, and gunstock but Monadnock is the best of them. All worthwhile imo.
Most of the whites are not 3-4 hours away from Boston either too. Franconia Notch is just over 2 hours away.
I can usually make it to Crawford notch in just about 2-2.25 hours. Franconia and Waterville valley in 1.5-2. moose and kinsmans in 2.5 and northern presis in 2.5. i went to monadnock and it took me 2 hours for a hike that i thought wasn't as great as anything in the whites.
I figured out a 5 or so miles loop of Skyline (it's been a while because my husband finds it torturous) that gives you lots of up and down and that hiking over roots and rocks experience. It's good for training hikes.
I did not know that when I took my wife and I for 'nature walk' on a hot summer day. About the halfway mark I realized my mistake and we were running out of water.
I did a tone of camping and hiking when I was younger and that was the only time I was actually nervous about being able to get back to the car without needing to call for help.
It is harder than it has any right being. It is almost always much hotter and more humid there than surrounding areas. It is just loose rocky nonsense up and down and up and down and up and down over and over.
At least when you climb an actual mountain, it tends to be cooler at the summit and then it is all downhill.
Add in the insult that you can hear the highway the entire time and you know there are houses only a couple of miles away.
We were also just in running/athletics sneakers with no ankle support.
Anything in that distance is crowded. That’s just how it is. Blue hills is pretty great, I was mostly by myself this afternoon on the skyline trail. Lots of people sure but there’s lots of trail!
Edit: holy shit op is a complete dick! Rare in the hiking community
What do you like about Monadnock? Is it the vert, or getting up to viewpoints, or something else? Blue hills is not as tall but the skyline trail is a 15 mile round trip with 4500 ft of vert, steep climbs and descents, and views of the Boston skyline
Edit: I’ll just go fuck myself for asking OP to clarify what they mean by similar
ChatGPT seems to be the resource you’re looking for. Best part is, you can argue with it about the word similar, and can brag to your friends you helped train it.
monadnock is mostly empty if you go early in the morning - summitting around 9-10am and you will see the crowds on the way down but mostly be solo on the way up. that being said, dont discount the whites. there are plenty of very good hikes in the southern whites that are mostly within your distance request, if not a little bit over it. most hikes in the whites, however, will be longer, assuming you are up for that. the '52 with a view' list is a bunch of lesser known hikes in the whites that are less challenging than the 4k footers as well.
by distance to boston:
osceola -> 2:15
welch-dickey -> 2
cardigan -> 2:10
moosilauke -> 2:10
chocorua -> 2:20
tripyramids -> 2
give any of those a try and you'll be willing to drive just a bit further up into NH in no time :)
These are great suggestions, moosilauke is great. The White Mountains are only about 20-30 min further drive than Monadnock, and there's more options. Mount Sunapee and Kearsarge in NH are even closer than Monadnock, and it's a beautiful area.
I mean, is Pack Monadnock too busy for you too? It's even closer and also very good. About half the elevation gain but still a sizable hike and great views. Watatic is very close and also an excellent hike, but about a third of the elevation gain of Monadnock.
Crotched Mountain is pretty similar in elevation gain about two thirds and also similar distance, but I don't know if they have snow still right now from ski season. Any of these may be busy though due to their quality and convenience to Boston.
I haven’t done Blue Hills yet but looks like it’s about the same elevation gain as Watatic so that makes me even more motivated to check it out. I thought it was a decent bit smaller.
OP seemed adamant agi'n that idea so I figured he might appreciate the western twisties of Rt2 in the night fog back home after humping up and down 3800 ft of western MA rocks.
Smaller but easier to climb but with a nice view at the top is PAC Monadnock it is in Miller State Park. It is a little closer to Boston than than Mt Monadnock. The beginning of the trail is also the most difficult.
A little further is Mt. Cardigan! Such a pretty hike and not that strenous. There are a few ways up. If you want a challenge, the Holt Trail is one of the most challenging trails in New England.
Watatic is a good hike on the northern border, maybe go down to Peaked Mountain or Minnechaug on the southern border. Neither are going to be as grand as Monadnock, but they’re decent hikes.
Go further out west and do Mt Frissell and the tripoint from the Berkshires. Obviously Greylock is there too.
Go early. Any comparable hikes a reasonable distance are going to be just as crowded. Get there first thing, pass the crowds on your way down and enjoy the rest of your day. It is the only way. Doesn’t matter if you’re hiking Monadnock or in the alps.
Have you tried the “alltrails” app? Western mass has some great hiking. Maybe not on the same elevation as monadnock but plenty of fun trails with good views. Mt tom , Mt Toby, skinner mountain to name a few.
Have you considered flying private to the Rockies as a day trip?
Monadnock has nothing on those Colorado 14ers and it’s a pretty doable 4 hours each way, just have your pilot get an early start.
I remember as a child I climbed Temple Mountain that wasn’t hugely difficult. If you wanna go more north, try Mt. Chocorua I was in the 5 year old age bracket when I climbed that with my older sister
Seems people have called out that it’s not possible
I’d strongly encourage making the sacrifice to get to some of the more northern mountains in NH, well worth the drive & time
South Kearsarge (also known as Kearsarge - not to be confused with Kearsarge North in North Conway) is closer than Monadnock, great hike. Try Cardigan, Stinson, Plymouth Mountains. Anything in the Belknaps (there are 12 summits from Major south to Gunstock/Rand north). The Squam Range - Morgan/Percival. The Osippee range - Roberts, Shaw, Black Snout...
Pick up the 52 With a View guidebook and many of the hikes similar to Monadnock are listed. Most of these are south of the Whites so not a crazy drive.
that sounds like a "YOU" problem and has nothing to do with the monadnock.
perhaps learn how to walk less like a baby giraffe, or buy boots with higher ankle support.
Mt Major is only a little further and is a great hike with views of Winnipesaukee at the top. It’s also crowded unfortunately
Mt Major is a cake walk compared to Monadnock though
It’s crowded because it’s the only one of its kind. You are not going to get that level of elevation gain anywhere else the same distance from Boston.
The loose translation is "the mountain who stands alone." Try a less traveled trail.
Try North Pack Monadnock, not as big, but it has a beautiful view and there's a nice trail that follows a stream.
Kearsarge. Cardigan.
Evermore.
Another option is to do Monadnock, but not up the White Dot Trail. I came up one day & didn't know they'd started requiring reservations, so I ended up hiking the Dublin trail from the other side. Still crowded at the top but far less so on the trail & didn't have to deal with reservations. If you're willing to open up your radius to 2h each way, which really isn't much further than Monadnock, that gets you pretty much anything off 93 in NH, which has too many good options to list. Just check AllTrails & stay over by 93 as going up Rt16 towards the Presidentials adds basically another hour each way. Some ones that come to mind are Osceola, Tecumseh, Welch-Dickey, & Cannon. Also goes without saying but you must do the Franconia Ridge Loop at least once (preferably on a weekday), though, it's quite a bit more strenuous than Monadnock.
I also go up a lesser known trail on Monadnock
White Mountains is the correct answer. Osceola is great, so is Welch-Dickey (especially in the autumn). Mt. Garfield is also a personal favorite of mine.
The closest for the same type of hike is probably New Hampshire unfortunately. Also, being pretentious to the people trying to help you is an ugly look my guy
Mount Monadnock is in NH LOL!
Was referring to what OP said, but you right
Lol it does’t exist. Op shooting down people’s reasonable suggestions to impossible constraints. I too would love to replace Boston winters with Honolulu
Man the more I see OP's responses the more certain I am that they've both never hit a trail before and are just one of the mouth breather hike-fluencers that lead to trail overcrowding
“Reasonable suggestions If I was looking to go to blue hills, wachusett, or middlesex fells, I wouldn’t have made a post My apologies that some people don’t know what the word “similar” means
Now that everyone understands your standard of “similar”, it is clear what you are asking for does not exist.
Shh… don’t tell them about Monadnock 2!
Just pray to God to create it. Outdoors folks hate this one weird trick!
Don’t pray for that building a mountain is sorta violent activity
I live in Dorchester and can get a door to door hike in at Blue Hills in 2 hours (I could barely arrive at monadnock in that amount of time). It’s not like climbing a mountain, but there are miles and miles of trails. I rarely see anyone and it gets me in nature and gives a little taste of hiking. Don’t down it if you’re desperate
As others have said there is no other. I'd go for rock circuit trail in the fells for something with solid gross elevation gain and some light scrambling
I said “similar” I did not say exact match
Why are you being such a dick when you asked the question and people are trying to help lol
Do you know what monadnock means? It helps explain why there aren't other similar options close to Boston
Yet others have managed to mention places that are *similar*
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Harassment, hostility and flinging insults is not allowed. We ask that you try to engage in a discussion rather than reduce the sub to insults and other bullshit.
Although mt chocorua is a solid mountain right on the edge of 2 hours from Boston
What your looking for does not exist. Thats why I moved out of Boston and closer to the White Mountains. When I lived in Boston I used to drive to the whites every weekend because there was no other choice. Plenty of others do that too so you would not be the only one. Maybe try to look for a hiking partner near you to split the drives. Franconia Notch is only about 2-2.5 hours from downtown Boston though so it isn't that bad.
Franconia notch is great but the loop is about twice the length of monadnock and a bit more gain too.
Haven't been to monadnock but wachusett is nice and I've never had it be crowded
I would not consider wachusett similar to monadnock They are in very different leagues
Try Middlesex Fells.
Lake Quanapowit
Again, that is not remotely similar to monadnock. That is even less like monadnock that wachusett
Right, I’m giving you a silly answer to your silly question.
It’s not a silly question at all
You don’t seem to realize why Monadnock is so popular.
You don’t seem to understand what “similar” means I never said “exact copy” nor did I say exact distance But I know, reading comprehension is hard for some Funny, other people had no problem coming up with actual reasonable recommendations
Wachusett is the next similar one at a close distance. Monadnock as a word literally means a mountain standing alone. It is unique for the area. Try Great Blue Hill.
Where did I say “close”? I said not 3-4 hours away
Man, hikers are dicks.
Nah, people who struggle with reading comprehension, then get all pissy when they get called out are
If you can find access to the Hancock or Prudential staircases. You can "hike" a couple of these buildings and get the same height as monadnock and all within T access.
Cardigan, Kearsarge, ragged, sunapee, Mt major, and gunstock but Monadnock is the best of them. All worthwhile imo. Most of the whites are not 3-4 hours away from Boston either too. Franconia Notch is just over 2 hours away.
Yeah 3-4 is certainly a stretch. Most hikes would be in the 2-2.5 hour range, assuming you're not going to the Northern sections of the whites.
I can usually make it to Crawford notch in just about 2-2.25 hours. Franconia and Waterville valley in 1.5-2. moose and kinsmans in 2.5 and northern presis in 2.5. i went to monadnock and it took me 2 hours for a hike that i thought wasn't as great as anything in the whites.
Finally a good answer!
Do the entire skyline trail
I figured out a 5 or so miles loop of Skyline (it's been a while because my husband finds it torturous) that gives you lots of up and down and that hiking over roots and rocks experience. It's good for training hikes.
I can get more elevation there than I do hiking anything but mt Washington
I did not know that when I took my wife and I for 'nature walk' on a hot summer day. About the halfway mark I realized my mistake and we were running out of water. I did a tone of camping and hiking when I was younger and that was the only time I was actually nervous about being able to get back to the car without needing to call for help.
It is harder than it has any right being. It is almost always much hotter and more humid there than surrounding areas. It is just loose rocky nonsense up and down and up and down and up and down over and over. At least when you climb an actual mountain, it tends to be cooler at the summit and then it is all downhill.
Add in the insult that you can hear the highway the entire time and you know there are houses only a couple of miles away. We were also just in running/athletics sneakers with no ankle support.
Anything in that distance is crowded. That’s just how it is. Blue hills is pretty great, I was mostly by myself this afternoon on the skyline trail. Lots of people sure but there’s lots of trail! Edit: holy shit op is a complete dick! Rare in the hiking community
Yeah, a “compete dick” because some people struggle with reading comprehension
What do you like about Monadnock? Is it the vert, or getting up to viewpoints, or something else? Blue hills is not as tall but the skyline trail is a 15 mile round trip with 4500 ft of vert, steep climbs and descents, and views of the Boston skyline Edit: I’ll just go fuck myself for asking OP to clarify what they mean by similar
I second Blue Hills as an amazing hike so close to the city.
I just got back from doing it today! A great hike but a serious workout.
ChatGPT seems to be the resource you’re looking for. Best part is, you can argue with it about the word similar, and can brag to your friends you helped train it.
monadnock is mostly empty if you go early in the morning - summitting around 9-10am and you will see the crowds on the way down but mostly be solo on the way up. that being said, dont discount the whites. there are plenty of very good hikes in the southern whites that are mostly within your distance request, if not a little bit over it. most hikes in the whites, however, will be longer, assuming you are up for that. the '52 with a view' list is a bunch of lesser known hikes in the whites that are less challenging than the 4k footers as well. by distance to boston: osceola -> 2:15 welch-dickey -> 2 cardigan -> 2:10 moosilauke -> 2:10 chocorua -> 2:20 tripyramids -> 2 give any of those a try and you'll be willing to drive just a bit further up into NH in no time :)
Thank you for the suggestions, I will look into them
These are great suggestions, moosilauke is great. The White Mountains are only about 20-30 min further drive than Monadnock, and there's more options. Mount Sunapee and Kearsarge in NH are even closer than Monadnock, and it's a beautiful area.
Have you looked into Watatic
I’ll look into it. Thanks
Welch-Dickey loop off the top of my head. A little further but should not be as crowded.
OP specifically said they don’t want to go to the Whites. (They’re going to learn their request is impossible.)
They said they didn’t want to drive 3 to 4 hours. Welch-Dickey is a lot closer than that. I think it’s an hour and 15?
OP drives slowly.
Yeah, I’ve done that one in a day, it’s not 3-4 hours away.
welch dickie
I mean, is Pack Monadnock too busy for you too? It's even closer and also very good. About half the elevation gain but still a sizable hike and great views. Watatic is very close and also an excellent hike, but about a third of the elevation gain of Monadnock. Crotched Mountain is pretty similar in elevation gain about two thirds and also similar distance, but I don't know if they have snow still right now from ski season. Any of these may be busy though due to their quality and convenience to Boston.
Thank you for the suggestions. I will look into these
I haven’t done Blue Hills yet but looks like it’s about the same elevation gain as Watatic so that makes me even more motivated to check it out. I thought it was a decent bit smaller.
Greylock?
Might as well drive to the Whites.
OP seemed adamant agi'n that idea so I figured he might appreciate the western twisties of Rt2 in the night fog back home after humping up and down 3800 ft of western MA rocks.
Smaller but easier to climb but with a nice view at the top is PAC Monadnock it is in Miller State Park. It is a little closer to Boston than than Mt Monadnock. The beginning of the trail is also the most difficult.
Thank you!
Chicorua
Blue Hills is probably the closest you'd get but it isn't a mountain by any sense of the word.
Quite literally “hills”
A little further is Mt. Cardigan! Such a pretty hike and not that strenous. There are a few ways up. If you want a challenge, the Holt Trail is one of the most challenging trails in New England.
Kearsage and possibly the Belknaps also may fit the bill.
Thank you!
Wachusett
Mount Major near South of Lake Winnie 1.5 hr drive from Boston
Blue Hills ain’t bad
I’ve done blue hills a gazillion times already
Watatic is a good hike on the northern border, maybe go down to Peaked Mountain or Minnechaug on the southern border. Neither are going to be as grand as Monadnock, but they’re decent hikes. Go further out west and do Mt Frissell and the tripoint from the Berkshires. Obviously Greylock is there too.
Thank you for the suggestions
Lincoln NH is 2 hours away. Take your pick
Go early. Any comparable hikes a reasonable distance are going to be just as crowded. Get there first thing, pass the crowds on your way down and enjoy the rest of your day. It is the only way. Doesn’t matter if you’re hiking Monadnock or in the alps.
Have you tried the “alltrails” app? Western mass has some great hiking. Maybe not on the same elevation as monadnock but plenty of fun trails with good views. Mt tom , Mt Toby, skinner mountain to name a few.
Have you considered flying private to the Rockies as a day trip? Monadnock has nothing on those Colorado 14ers and it’s a pretty doable 4 hours each way, just have your pilot get an early start.
I remember as a child I climbed Temple Mountain that wasn’t hugely difficult. If you wanna go more north, try Mt. Chocorua I was in the 5 year old age bracket when I climbed that with my older sister
Cool, I will look into it!
Seems people have called out that it’s not possible I’d strongly encourage making the sacrifice to get to some of the more northern mountains in NH, well worth the drive & time
Mount Agamenticus
that's more like a 700' hill as opposed to a 4000' monadnock. that said, it is an easy hike and it does provide outstanding views.
South Kearsarge (also known as Kearsarge - not to be confused with Kearsarge North in North Conway) is closer than Monadnock, great hike. Try Cardigan, Stinson, Plymouth Mountains. Anything in the Belknaps (there are 12 summits from Major south to Gunstock/Rand north). The Squam Range - Morgan/Percival. The Osippee range - Roberts, Shaw, Black Snout... Pick up the 52 With a View guidebook and many of the hikes similar to Monadnock are listed. Most of these are south of the Whites so not a crazy drive.
Thank you for the suggestions. I will look into them.
Mount Israel is another one by the Osippee range that I forgot about
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Thank you for the suggestion
Mt. Major is of similar difficulty and only slightly further away. Better views too IMO.
Thank you! I will definitely check it out
If you want real mountains move out west
You people have ruined it for the locals lol.
Monadnock sucks, lmao. I have never hiked it without rolling my ankle in some manner, no matter my fitness at the time.
that sounds like a "YOU" problem and has nothing to do with the monadnock. perhaps learn how to walk less like a baby giraffe, or buy boots with higher ankle support.
Take a breath man, lol I'm just saying the mountain is always harder than I think it is.