Black Cap

Altitude at a glance

Altitude note (estimate): using the standard lapse rate of about 3.5°F per 1,000 ft, expect the summit to be roughly 6°F colder than the trailhead, before wind chill. Above treeline, wind can make it feel far colder.

Effort score: 672 ft/mi — Moderate

Effort score = elevation gain ÷ straight-line distance from the nearest USFS trailhead to the summit (feet per mile). Trails wind, so real trail grades are gentler than this number. Under 500 Gentle · 500–999 Moderate · 1,000–1,499 Steep · 1,500+ Very steep. Use it to compare peaks, not as a trail grade.

Who manages this mountain

Green Hills Preserve, managed by The Nature Conservancy.

Land unit from the USGS PAD-US database at the summit point; ranger district from USDA Forest Service boundaries. Office address and phone from the Forest Service offices page.

Parking & trailheads

The nearest Forest Service trailheads:

• Kearsarge North Trailhead — 2.5 mi from the summit (straight line), elevation 689 ft Get directionsApple Maps
• Weeks Brook Trailhead — 2.7 mi from the summit (straight line), elevation 557 ft Get directionsApple Maps
• Province Brook Trailhead — 4.8 mi from the summit (straight line), elevation 948 ft Get directionsApple Maps

Trailheads: USDA Forest Service. Pass requirement: WMNF list of fee sites; at other trailheads we don't know of a fee. Check the official page before you go.

Views & popular hike

Views: Rocky summit with views of Maine and the White Mountains.

Source: Wikipedia, “Black Cap (mountain)”.

Safety

Consider a hikeSafe card. It's sold by NH Fish and Game and helps cover the cost of a search and rescue if you need one, under NH rules. Carry the ten essentials, tell someone your plan and know when to turn back.

Huts, shelters & campgrounds nearby

• Artist Falls Lodge (Hut) — 2.2 mi
• Swan's Falls Campground & Saco River Access Facility (Campground / campsite) — 4.5 mi
• Eastern Slope Camping Area (Campground / campsite) — 5.0 mi
• Canal Bridge Campground (Campground / campsite) — 5.8 mi
• Glen Ellis Family Campground (Campground / campsite) — 6.5 mi
• Green Meadow Camping Area (Campground / campsite) — 6.8 mi

Within 15 miles, straight line. Data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Check with the operator for reservations, fees and seasons.

Real estate nearby

Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), typical home, as of the month shown; when Zillow has no figure for a town, we show the Census ACS 5-year median home value (table B25077). Income: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year 2020–2024 (via Census Reporter), table B19013. Population: same ACS 5-year release, table B01003.

Closest golf courses

• North Conway Country Club — 3.5 mi
• Linderhof Country Club — 7.3 mi
• Wentworth Golf Club, Jackson — 8.7 mi

Straight-line distance. Data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Trails & mileage

This peak is outside USFS trail data. Check the land manager below for official trail info.

Summit sunrise & sunset by month

Computed for the summit coordinates with the NOAA solar formula, Eastern Time (DST applied). *Rule of thumb: be heading down at least 2 hours before sunset; start early enough to reach the summit before this time.

Best month to hike

Sep — the month with the fewest wet days (≥1 mm precipitation) among months where the average summit high reaches 50°F.

2006–2025 daily ERA5 reanalysis from the Open-Meteo archive, adjusted to summit elevation. Reanalysis smooths mountain weather; summits like Mount Washington are often colder and windier than shown.

Getting there & parking

Nearest towns

• North Conway — 3.1 mi
• Jackson — 8.4 mi
• Eaton — 10.1 mi

Trailheads & parking (USFS)

• Kearsarge North Trailhead — 2.5 mi from summit, 689 ft · Directions
• Weeks Brook Trailhead — 2.7 mi from summit, 557 ft · Directions
• Province Brook Trailhead — 4.8 mi from summit, 948 ft · Directions

Check the USFS trailhead page for parking rules and any recreation pass required.

Closest airports with scheduled flights

• Portland International Jetport (PWM) — about 47.2 mi straight line
• Augusta State Airport (AUG) — about 65.5 mi straight line
• Lebanon Municipal Airport (LEB) — about 68.4 mi straight line

Campgrounds & places to stay

KOA campgrounds

• Twin Mountain / Mt. Washington KOA Holiday — 28.8 mi, Carroll · Directions
• Lincoln / Woodstock KOA Holiday — 30.9 mi, Woodstock · Directions
• Littleton / Franconia Notch KOA Holiday — 41.2 mi, Lisbon · Directions

National Forest campgrounds

• Covered Bridge Campground — 9.0 mi
• Blackberry Crossing Campground — 9.5 mi
• White Ledge Campground — 10.1 mi

Nearby ski areas

• Cranmore — 2.2 mi 1200 vertical ft · 60 trails · 7 lifts · 170 acres
• Attitash — 8.3 mi 1750 vertical ft · 76 trails · 8 lifts · 311 acres
• King Pine — 12.8 mi 350 vertical ft · 17 trails · 6 lifts · 50 acres

Hike + ski pairing: hike Black Cap in summer or fall, then come back in winter to ski Cranmore, 2.2 miles away.

Hiking clubs & trail groups

Peaks nearby

• Cranmore Mountain — 1.3 mi, 1,668 ft
• Kearsarge North — 3.7 mi, 3,268 ft
• North Moat Mountain — 7.4 mi, 3,196 ft
• Mount Doublehead — 8.3 mi, 3,053 ft
• Chandler Mountain — 10.3 mi, 3,325 ft