Young adults are finding themselves more and more involved in the politics and the doomsday news of their time. Partisan tension has been steamingly high for what seems like forever, and we see teenagers finding themselves lost in the world of social media as Americans as a whole are feeling more anxious. however, there’s an escape–It’s called hiking. Clearly, there’s more than one escape from the world to discover, but this one works and that’s why this column is about it.

Mount Monadnock is versatile; depending on the trail you take your experience can be entirely different. If you come up the mountain through the Marlborough trail, you’ll be met with a much more direct, open, and rocky path as opposed to trails like Lost Farm or Parkers trail.

A good middle ground between of these experiences is represented by the most popular routes, White Dot and White Cross. These two trails are connected to each other across the mountain and are predominantly rocky, forest-like, direct, and open routes, designed for less experienced hikers to have an enjoyable path without the burden of having to look around carefully to find the next marking to continue the trail.

When each trail reaches near the summit, they become distinctively similar. The summit of Mount Monadnock is very open and rocky, which is very prone to heavy cold winds; so dress warm if you plan on camping out for a little- which you can do. Being the highest point in southern New Hampshire, it also has a great view of the surrounding ranges and is a sure spot for some aweing nature photography.

If you are looking for a good beginners hike, I strongly recommend checking out this mountain with a friend for a new adventure. Make sure to set the day aside because going up and down can take quite a while- from one to three hours each way, depending on the trail you take. But plan for longer and start early, because this hike has a view that just makes you want to stay. Also dogs aren’t allowed, in case you’re wondering.