When hikers ask which trails in New Hampshire are worth a full day — or several — the conversation always circles back to the same handful of routes. Below we've ranked the ten longest hiking trails in New Hampshire by total mapped distance, drawing from the 11,346 trails OutsideAtlas currently tracks in the state. Each entry includes the distance, what makes the route distinctive, and an honest note on who should actually attempt it.
New Hampshire is dominated by the White Mountains — the Presidential Range, Franconia Ridge, and the steepest, most weather-prone mountains east of the Mississippi. The AT through the Whites, the Presidential Traverse, and the Pemigewasset Loop are New Hampshire's legendary long-distance routes. June through October for high routes; Mount Washington has hurricane-force winds year-round.
Our rankings here are data-driven — pulled from the 11,346 mapped entries OutsideAtlas tracks in New Hampshire — but the data has limits worth being honest about. OpenStreetMap distance tags are crowd-sourced and inconsistent. A route may appear longer or shorter than the official measurement, especially when long-distance trails (like state and national scenic trails) are tagged in segments rather than as a single relation.
The Ranking
Ranked from #1 to #10. Click through any entry for the full trail page — map, elevation profile, weather forecast, and direct OpenStreetMap source link.
#1. Long Trail
At 0.30 mi, Long Trail tops the list — a route built for hikers who plan in days, not hours. Expect 0.30 mi on a genuinely demanding grade. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. Plan as a multi-day if you're not used to single-push 20+ mile days; resupply or shuttle logistics matter here. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Long Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#2. NET/M&M Trail/ Tully Trail (white yellow)
At 0.10 mi, NET/M&M Trail/ Tully Trail (white yellow) lands at #2 — a route built for hikers who plan in days, not hours. Expect 0.10 mi, dirt surface on a forgiving grade. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Plan as a multi-day if you're not used to single-push 20+ mile days; resupply or shuttle logistics matter here. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the NET/M&M Trail/ Tully Trail (white yellow) trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#3. NET/M&M Trail/ Tully Trail (white yellow)
At 0.10 mi, NET/M&M Trail/ Tully Trail (white yellow) lands at #3 — a route built for hikers who plan in days, not hours. Expect 0.10 mi, dirt surface on a forgiving grade. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Plan as a multi-day if you're not used to single-push 20+ mile days; resupply or shuttle logistics matter here. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the NET/M&M Trail/ Tully Trail (white yellow) trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#4. NET/M&M Trail/ Tully Trail (white yellow)
At 0.10 mi, NET/M&M Trail/ Tully Trail (white yellow) lands at #4 — a route built for hikers who plan in days, not hours. Expect 0.10 mi, dirt surface on a forgiving grade. Compared to similar trails in New Hampshire, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Plan as a multi-day if you're not used to single-push 20+ mile days; resupply or shuttle logistics matter here. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the NET/M&M Trail/ Tully Trail (white yellow) trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#5. NET/M&M Trail (white)
At 0.10 mi, NET/M&M Trail (white) lands at #5 — a route built for hikers who plan in days, not hours. Expect 0.10 mi, dirt surface on a forgiving grade. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Plan as a multi-day if you're not used to single-push 20+ mile days; resupply or shuttle logistics matter here. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the NET/M&M Trail (white) trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#6. NET/M&M Trail (white)
At 0.10 mi, NET/M&M Trail (white) lands at #6 — a route built for hikers who plan in days, not hours. Expect 0.10 mi, dirt surface on a forgiving grade. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Plan as a multi-day if you're not used to single-push 20+ mile days; resupply or shuttle logistics matter here. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the NET/M&M Trail (white) trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#7. NET/M&M Trail (white)
At 0.10 mi, NET/M&M Trail (white) lands at #7 — a route built for hikers who plan in days, not hours. Expect 0.10 mi, dirt surface on a forgiving grade. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Plan as a multi-day if you're not used to single-push 20+ mile days; resupply or shuttle logistics matter here. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the NET/M&M Trail (white) trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#8. NET/M&M Trail (white)
At 0.10 mi, NET/M&M Trail (white) lands at #8 — a route built for hikers who plan in days, not hours. Expect 0.10 mi, dirt surface on a forgiving grade. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Plan as a multi-day if you're not used to single-push 20+ mile days; resupply or shuttle logistics matter here. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the NET/M&M Trail (white) trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#9. NET/M&M Trail (white)
At 0.10 mi, NET/M&M Trail (white) lands at #9 — a route built for hikers who plan in days, not hours. Expect 0.10 mi, dirt surface on a forgiving grade. Compared to similar trails in New Hampshire, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Plan as a multi-day if you're not used to single-push 20+ mile days; resupply or shuttle logistics matter here. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the NET/M&M Trail (white) trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#10. Tully Trail (yellow)
At 0.10 mi, Tully Trail (yellow) lands at #10 — a route built for hikers who plan in days, not hours. Expect 0.10 mi, dirt surface on a forgiving grade. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Plan as a multi-day if you're not used to single-push 20+ mile days; resupply or shuttle logistics matter here. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Tully Trail (yellow) trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.Planning your New Hampshire trip
A few pieces of context are worth keeping in mind specifically for New Hampshire. June through October for high routes; Mount Washington has hurricane-force winds year-round. Mount Washington has recorded the highest non-tornadic wind in the world; weather-driven hypothermia and rapid storms are the leading hazards.
Always cross-reference the official land-manager page before driving out — closures, fire restrictions, and seasonal road access can change quickly. Our trail pages link directly back to the OpenStreetMap source so you can see the tags we're working from.
If you're new to hiking generally, our beginner's guide covers footwear, layering, and the day-pack basics. For safety planning on bigger objectives, the ten essentials guide is worth twenty minutes of reading.
More New Hampshire hiking guides
If you found this useful, the rest of our New Hampshire coverage continues below.
- Steepest trails in New Hampshire — Hikes with the most elevation gain in the state.
- Best beginner hikes in New Hampshire — Easy, well-marked trails for first-time hikers.
- Most challenging hikes in New Hampshire — Expert-rated routes for experienced hikers only.
- Best national parks in New Hampshire — Federal parks and recreation areas ranked.
- Best waterfall hikes in New Hampshire — Trails leading to named falls, ranked by accessibility.
- Best dog-friendly hikes in New Hampshire — Where leashed dogs are explicitly welcome.
- Best family hikes in New Hampshire — Short, easy trails sized for kids and grandparents.
Rankings like this are starting points, not verdicts. Trail conditions change, new routes get tagged, and what was the toughest trail in New Hampshire last year might not be next year. We refresh these articles when the underlying data shifts meaningfully.
Got a correction, a route we missed, or a question? Drop us a note via the contact page. We read every email and we'd rather hear it from you than miss it.
