Cannon Mountain via Kinsman Ridge Trail

The Cannon Mountain via Kinsman Ridge Trail is 4.2 miles round trip, starting at Cannon Mountain Tramway Parking. At AMC book time (half the distance in hours plus 30 minutes per 1,000 ft of climbing), that works out to roughly 2-4 hours. Most parties take longer than book time on rough or above-treeline terrain, in winter, or with a heavy pack.

The Cannon Mountain via Kinsman Ridge Trail climbs about 2,204 ft over 4.2 miles, an average of roughly 529 ft of gain per mile. That figure is cumulative ascent across the whole out-and-back, not the difference between the trailhead and the high point.

HikerNerd rates the Cannon Mountain via Kinsman Ridge Trail Challenging on a six-tier scale from Easy to Most demanding. The rating comes from the route itself: its 4.2 miles, 2,204 ft of gain, and the steepest quarter mile of trail, with routes known for scrambles or ledges rated a step harder. It is the same scale our NH 4,000-footer difficulty ranking uses. Above-treeline exposure, water crossings, and winter conditions can still make a well-rated route the hardest day of your year, so check current conditions before committing.

The Cannon Mountain via Kinsman Ridge Trail summits 1 named peak: Mount Cannon.

The Cannon Mountain via Kinsman Ridge Trail starts at Cannon Mountain Tramway Parking. Check the trail alerts on this page before you drive: trailhead access and parking in the White Mountains change with closures and construction.