Mt. Moriah, located in Gorham, New Hampshire is one of the NH 48 4,000 footers in the White Mountains! Mt. Moriah is a great hike. It’s tough, rewarding and a lot of fun.

My partner and I just hiked Mt. Moriah in mid October, it was challenging and fun! For the hike, we took Mount Moriah via Carter Moriah Trail up and back. We hiked up on a beautiful Fall morning and ended up to a very foggy and cold summit. In this post, I’m going to tell you everything you want to know about hiking Mt. Moriah in the New Hampshire White Mountains!

How to Hike Mt. Moriah (NH 4000 Footer)

Mt. Moriah Hike Stats

• Distance: 9 miles 
• Elevation gain: 3,268 feet 
• Route type: out + back 
• Difficulty level: intermediate
• Scenic view: for us very foggy but we heard it’s nice on a clear day. Views were beautiful lower down when the fog/clouds cleared.
• Fun + safe mountain for beginners?: no, there are some rock faces that you wouldn’t want to do as a beginner. 
• Conditions: rock faces, muddy (towards top), rocky, fun!

Mt. Moriah via Carter Moriah Trail Parking

The parking for this hike is in a quiet area near some houses. Just outside of downtown Gorham. 

Trailhead parking, this is where you want to be!

The trail is very easy to find from the parking lot.

The Carter Moriah Trail

This is our 17th 4000 footer and we both thought this hike was brutal…it’s uphill for the majority of the hike. You get a few breaks here and there but we felt like it was up most of the time. 

The viewpoints as you climb are beautiful!

As you hike, it starts off up and down then the last 3 miles are pretty much just up. You have to climb a few big rock faces. They have a good angle but be sure not to do this hike when it’s just rained, these rocks will be very slippery and dangerous!

Tips about hiking the Carter Moriah Trail

• You want to wear hiking boots with very good grip for the rock faces 
• Be ready to climb uphill for a while! 
• Not overly busy
• The trail gets muddy towards the top
• We read and heard from others there are great views at the top! (foggy for us so no views)
• Hiking poles would be very helpful on the hike down
• Use AllTrails to track your hike

Hiking down

A lot easier than hiking up! Just keep an eye out for roots and rocks now that your legs are going to be tired. I was worried the rock faces would be difficult on our way down but they ended up being much easier than I anticipated.

We took a break at one of the lower rock faces to take in some views. You will see there’s a nice place to sit with lots of room and great views!

How long does it take to hike Mt. Moriah?

AllTrails says it takes on average about six hours to hike, we hiked it in 5 and ½ hours with a lot of little breaks …more so than usual! 

Just take your time, the hike up is tiring but you can do it!!

Know before you go

• Moose Brook State Park is only 10 minutes down the road and has a great campground if you are looking for a place to stay the night!
• Stop for post hike beers and food at Big Day Brewing, only minutes away from the trailhead
• Make sure to check the weather forecast before committing to this hike. If it had just rained or will rain when you are hiking it will be very difficult. There are a lot of big rock faces you have to climb up and down that will be slippery and dangerous if wet.
• Prepare for cold weather at the top! Be sure to bring extra layers, a coat, gloves and a hat to bundle up at the top if needed.

Have fun on your hike!

Hiking Moriah is a amazing adventure and something you will always remember doing! Set aside a day for this hike, take your time and have so much fun! Be safe, pack lots of snacks, water, first aid and lots of layers and be sure to take lots of pictures!

Check out my guide- 10 Must-Have Hiking Essentials: Your Ultimate Guide for a Safe Adventure to assure you are fully prepared!

Follow along on Instagram to see more hiking posts and reels! Check out this Reel on hiking Mt. Moriah.

Be safe & have fun! Happy Trails 🥾