The word "monadnock" is derived from an Abenaki word used to describe a mountain. Loosely translated, it means "mountain that stands alone", although the exact meaning of the … See more

Mount Monadnock lies on the divide between the Connecticut River and Merrimack River watersheds. The northern slopes of the … See more

Most of the mountain has been protected and is not subject to development. The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests is … See more

The transcendentalists
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Margaret Fuller visited the mountain and wrote fondly of it. Emerson was a frequent … See more

Due to fires in the early 19th century which burned a majority of the top 300 feet (90 m) around the summit, there is little soil cover on the peak and surrounding uplands. Soils are mapped as Rock Outcrop over a large area around the summit, while low … See more

Mount Monadnock is open to hiking, backpacking, picnicking, and snowshoeing. Backcountry skiing is possible on some of the lower trails. A seasonal campground east of the mountain … See more

Beside Emerson and Thoreau, other artists and writers have been inspired by Mount Monadnock, including:
• William Preston Phelps (1848–1917) was known as "the Painter of Mount Monadnock".
• Many … See more