The Belknap Mountains are a small
mountain range in the
Lakes Region of
New Hampshire in the
United States. The range lies in the towns of
Gilford,
Gilmanton, and
Alton in
Belknap County
Belknap County () is a county in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. As of the 2020 census, the population was 63,705. The county seat is Laconia. It is located in New Hampshire's Lakes Region, slightly southeast of the state's geographic center. ...
. The highest peak,
Belknap Mountain, with an elevation of above sea level, is the highest point in Belknap County.
Belknap Mountain State Forest covers the central part of the range, including the summit and slopes of Belknap Mountain.
The range extends for approximately in an arc that begins at
New Hampshire Route 11A
New Hampshire Route 11 is a east–west state highway in New Hampshire, running completely across the central part of the state. Its western terminus is at the Vermont state line in Charlestown, where it continues west as Vermont Route 11. The e ...
in Gilford and runs south, then curves east through the northern end of Gilmanton, before ending in the town of Alton, where it overlooks
Alton Bay
Alton Bay is an unincorporated community in the town of Alton, New Hampshire, United States, and is located on Alton Bay, a cove of Lake Winnipesaukee which forms the southernmost point on the lake. The village is part of the Lakes Region, a popu ...
of
Lake Winnipesaukee.
The named summits in the range, from northwest to southeast, are
Mount Rowe (),
Gunstock Mountain
Gunstock Mountain is the second highest peak in the Belknap Mountains of central New Hampshire with an elevation greater than 2240 feet (683 m). It is located north of Belknap Mountain, the highest point in the range. It is home to the Gunsto ...
(), Belknap Mountain, Straightback Mountain (), and
Mount Major (). A cluster of several unofficially named summits with elevations ranging from are on the main crest of the range between Belknap Mountain and Straightback Mountain, surrounding Round Pond, itself located near the crest of the range at above sea level. A secondary ridge extends southwest from Belknap Mountain to the Gilford/Gilmanton line, containing, from north to south, the summits of Piper Mountain () and Whiteface Mountain ().
The range is entirely in the
Merrimack River watershed. The northeast side of the range drains via several small brooks to
Lake Winnipesaukee, the outlet of which is the
Winnipesaukee River
The Winnipesaukee River is a river that connects Lake Winnipesaukee with the Pemigewasset and Merrimack rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire. The river is in the Lakes Region of central New Hampshire. The river's drainage area is approximately .
...
, which drains westward to form the Merrimack. The west side of the range drains via the
Gunstock River into Lake Winnipesaukee, and the extreme southwest end of the range, near Whiteface Mountain, drains west via the
Tioga River to the Winnipesaukee River. The south side of the range, including Round Pond, drains south via the
Suncook River
The Suncook River is a river located in central New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the Merrimack River, which flows to the Gulf of Maine.
Course
The Suncook River begins at the outlet of Crystal Lake in the town of Gilmanto ...
to the Merrimack.
Mount Rowe and Gunstock Mountain form the slopes of
Gunstock Mountain Resort, a major ski area for central New Hampshire.
References
External links
Belknap Range Trails(hiking map)
(land ownership map and data)
{{Merrimack River
Landforms of Belknap County, New Hampshire
Mountain ranges of New Hampshire