Hiking Mount Crescent in Randolph, NH, a Hidden Gem in the White Mountains
Mount Crescent Trail Guide - Quiet White Mountains Hike with Presidential Views
Discover Mount Crescent in Randolph, NH — a hidden White Mountains hike with stunning Presidential Range views and fewer crowds.
Mount Crescent in Randolph, New Hampshire is one of the best-kept secrets of the White Mountains hiking scene. Rising to 3,251 feet, this moderate hike offers stunning views of the Presidential Range — Mount Adams, Madison, and Jefferson — without the heavy foot traffic of more popular peaks. Whether you’re looking for a quiet loop hike, a scenic fall foliage climb, or a winter snowshoe adventure, Mount Crescent delivers big mountain views in a peaceful setting.
Mount Crescent offers multiple approaches, but we chose the Mount Crescent Trail - Crescent Ridge Trail Loop for a roughly 3.1 mile hike with around 1,300 feet of elevation gain. Along the way you’ll climb through forests, reach open ledges, and enjoy panoramic views across the White Mountains.
Mount Crescent Trail Description
The hike begins at the Mount Crescent Trailhead in the Randolph Community Forest in Randolph, New Hampshire. There’s plenty of parking and the Peek Path enters the woods near the back, upper corner of the parking area. From here you’ll hike about 0.3 miles to the first trail junction with the Peek Path, the Cook Path, and the Mount Crescent Trail.
We began to follow the Mount Crescent Trail and quickly came to the next trail junction with the Castleview Loop. The Castle View is only a few hundred feet from the trail junction though, so take the slight detour to check it out. On a clear day you have a view from the top of a large boulder out across the valley to Mount Adams.
Keep climbing on the Mount Crescent Trail and you’ll come to the next trail junction, at the base of Mount Crescent itself. Here we took a right and began following the Crescent Ridge Trail, which heads east climbing gently at first, and then more steeply to the summit of Mount Crescent.
The trail will take you up and over the summit and then down slightly to the trailhead between the Crescent Ridge Trail and the Mount Crescent Trail. There’s also a short side trail to the North Viewpoint. This view is not to be missed and is the most spectacular on the hike. There’s even a log bench to sit down at take in the view on.
From the trail junction, we began descending on the Mount Crescent Trail to the South View. This view from open rocks, looks directly across the valley to the peaks of the Northern Presidentials - Madison, Adams, and Jefferson and their associated ridges and ravines. The tops of the peaks were hiding in the clouds when we were there, but even so the view was tremendous.
There’s a short, steep rock scramble to descend from the South View. After that the trail descends steeply back to the trail junction with the Crescent Ridge Trail where you began the loop. From that trail junction we descended back down, past the Castleview Loop Trail, and back to the first trail junction with the Mount Crescent Trail, Peek Path, and Cook Path.
We decided to change it up a bit and continued to descend on the Mount Crescent Trail, which ends on the Community Forest Road and after taking a right on the road, it’s just a short walk back to the trailhead where you started.
Why We Loved Hiking Mount Crescent
Mount Crescent is an under-the-radar hike that delivers big on views. Whether you’re looking for a quieter trail away from the bustle of Mount Washington, a great foliage hike in fall, or a scenic snowshoe adventure in winter, this summit has it all.
Mount Crescent Loop Hike Summary
🧭 Trailhead: Mount Crescent Trailhead, Randolph Hill Road, Randolph, NH (Google Maps)
🗺️ Route: Peek Path —> Mount Crescent Trail —> Crescent Ridge Trail —> Mount Crescent Trail —> Randolph Community Forest Road
🥾 Distance: 3.1 miles round-trip
📈 Elevation Gain: ~1,300 feet
⚠️ Difficulty: Easy - Moderate
🗺️ GPS Information: Trail Route in GPX Format
For More Information on Hiking the Mount Crescent Loop - You can find the Mount Crescent Loop on:
Hikes near Mount Crescent Loop in the White Mountains
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Gear we used on the Mount Crescent Loop hike:
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Important Hiking Considerations:
Weather: Check the weather forecast before your hike and be prepared for changes in conditions.
Safety: Some sections of trail can be steep and rocky, others can be muddy, so use caution and always watch your footing.
Leave No Trace: As with any outdoor activity, remember to follow the principles of Leave No Trace. Pack out any trash, stay on the trail, and be respectful of the natural environment.
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