New Hampshire – Hiking Mount Major with My Retriever Bella |

Yesterday was a slice of heaven up on Mount Major State Park near Alton Bay, New Hampshire. We hiked the main blue trail which is 1.5 miles to the summit at 1785 ft. Or 1100 feet high from the trail head.

map image courtesy Gunstock Mountain Resort

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/new-hampshire/mt-major

My new Labrador puppy Bella is just about 4 months old and growing like a weed. Note for road trips in the car, be sure to carry some chew stuff as that helped Bella pass the time. Stop for potty calls and carry bags for her waste.

She was leashed and my companion for the hike to the top of Mount Major and she handled it like a champ! I took a backpack with a first aid kit and lots of bottled water, enough for both of us. I am teaching her how to drink from a water bottle with a pop lid. She gets it! Glug glug! I purchased a harness for her so she did not have any neck strain.

What a great day! Calm wind, cool autumn air with oak, spruce scents filling the air along the trail. Acorns were falling as we hiked and could hear them patter to the ground around us. You just wanted to bottle the air to take home! Mount Major is perhaps one of the closest and unique trails to hike and can be climbed by most anyone, kids and seniors alike with good footwear and those exercised.

View of Lake Winnipesaukee from top of Mount Major

Her blue harness took strain off her neck while on Mt Major trail

The harness was a terrific purchase and was aided by Petco folks to find one that fit her now, and added growth for her later. She loved the trip and hikers wanted to pet her (puppies do that) . Great socialization on the trail with other pets too. You need good footwear for the trail as there are loose rocks and granite as well as tree roots on the trail. We took our time and made the summit under 2 hours. It is very steep near the blue trail summit with exposed granite to walk up so be careful.

Love the kisses!

We stopped in Alton Bay at a Drive In style outdoor restaurant for lunch of fried Ipswich Clams and some dog biscuit and small vanilla ice cream for Bella. She loved the Ice Cream! She slept all the way home an hour and a half drive. We stopped a Calef’s country store for their famous thick sliced Virginia ham for wife and dinner of ham and beans and lots of cold beer. Wow! Bella chowed down on her puppy food!

Happy Hiking!