Foss Mountain is the perfect hike for toddlers ready to hit the trail on their own two feet, for older kids who want to pick blueberries, or anyone looking for a great view with little effort. Put simply, Foss Mountain has it all: a gentle walk, astounding views for a mountain this small, and acres upon acres of blueberries which are ripe for the picking June through August. You will not be disappointed.

From the parking area, cross the road and proceed through the gate. The trail winds its way through blueberry fields right from the beginning. These fields are commercially harvested, so please do not stop and pick berries here—there are plenty of wild blueberries at the summit.

After a few hundred feet the trail ascends gently up into the woods, passes through another few hundred yards of woods, and emerges onto a 33-acre granite knob lushly carpeted with wild blueberry bushes as far as you can see.

At the information kiosk, turn right to hike the last few dozen yards to the summit. As you pick your way slowly up to the summit, you can imagine yourselves as characters in Blueberries for Sal, except hopefully you won’t surprise any bears!

At the summit (0.25 mile), expansive views in all directions make it seem as if you are on top of the world, even though the peak is only 1,647 feet high. Ossipee Lake spreads out below the mountain to the south, and Mount Chocorua in the Sandwich Range, Mount Washington in the Presidential Range, and Mount Shaw in the Ossipee Range are all clearly visible. Spread out for a sunny picnic and fill up on blueberries for dessert. When it’s time to go, just head back the way you came.

The Foss Mountain Alpaca Farm on Foss Mountain Road is definitely worth a stop. The owners raise alpacas and ragdoll cats, and they welcome visitors to come see and pet the animals. White Lake State Park on NH 16 has an excellent public beach, perfect for an after-hike swim. 

Stop in for picnic supplies on NH 153 in Eaton before your hike up Foss Mountain. The bacon in our BLTs from the Easton Village Store was still hot when we arrived at the summit! Nearby Conway also has a wide variety of pubs and restaurants.