Mount Washington, Coös County NH


• 5-star hikes
• 8 to 9 mile options
• Hard | Gain 4,110 to 4,240 feet
• Sargent's Purchase, NH | White Mountains
.   NH 4,000 Footers   The image shows a red and purple train moving along a track through a rocky mountainous landscape. The terrain is rugged with sparse vegetation, and the mountains in the background are large and dominate the skyline. The sky is partly cloudy, suggesting an elevated altitude where the train operates.
Looking north over the cog railway to Mts Adams and Madison.

New Hampshire's Mount Washington is celebrated as the highest peak in the Northeastern United States and soberingly known for its unpredictable and extreme weather conditions. In 1934 the observatory situated at the mountain's peak registered a wind-speed of 231 miles per hour, a world record that still stands today.

Thankfully you won't be facing such extremes on your hike. Regardless of the time of year, review the mountain forecast before setting out and postponing any plans if there is any adverse weather on the charts. Even in the fairest of weather, Mount Washington hikers should always be fully prepared with additional layers of warm and waterproof clothing in case conditions should change. Also be prepared to turn back at the first indications of a problem - there's always another day as long as you can remain safe. We include a link to Mount Washington Observatory's higher summits weather forecast towards the foot of this page.
Expand ↓ Map
RED Square 5★ Ammonoosuc & Jewell Loop   8.8 mi loop, hard, gain 4,220 ft
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions
PURPLE Square 5★ Lion Head & Tuckerman   7.7 mi part-loop, hard, gain 4,240 ft
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions
BLUE Square 5★ Tuckerman Ravine   7.7 mi out & back, hard, gain 4,110 ft
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions

Thanks to the construction of the 1861 Auto Road and the 1868 Cog Railway, hikers have to share Mount Washington's summit with many other people who prefer a less taxing ascent. Though clearly less remote than other peaks in the White Mountains, we can at least all enjoy the amenities of the summit center. It's not every day a hiker finds a museum, gift shop and cafeteria at the top of a mountain.

Hikers looking to scale Mount Washington in a single day are likely to approach from either the base of the cog railway to the west, or from Pinkham Notch to the east. We've mapped routes from both of these trailheads. Other approaches of Mount Washington are possible on extended mileage day hikes or longer backpacking trips that include additional peaks, but they are beyond the scope of this article.

We consider these trails to be hard for many hikers due to rocky terrain, occasional rock scrambles, difficult conditions in wet and wintry weather and the amount of elevation to be gained and lost. If you are unfamiliar with typical New Hampshire terrain or unused to hikes with similar elevation gain, we recommend starting out on a smaller mountain of moderate difficulty first.

The image shows a split view of two scenes in a forested area. On the left, three people with backpacks are standing by a pond, looking at a small waterfall surrounded by dense trees and rocks. On the right, there’s a wooden ladder-like structure leaning against a rocky slope amidst trees, suggesting a hiking trail or access point.
Views and terrain on the Ammonoosuc Trail ascent.

RED Square Ammonoosuc Ravine & Jewell Loop
This is our preferred route because it is slightly easier than the Lion Head and Tuckerman's Ravine trails and offers a greater variety of views. A counter-clockwise approach is best. Beginning with moderately easy terrain, the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail eventually steepens and becomes more rocky, but your slower pace gives you ample chance to enjoy several creek-side waterfalls.

You'll face a couple of small rock scrambles and an occasional section of slick granite before reaching the Lake of the Clouds. Here you have the opportunity for a short 0.6 mile, 320 foot out-and-back spur trail to bag Mount Monroe, before beginning the final rock ascent to Mount Washington. The final 1.3 miles of trail along the Crawford Path requires hopping from one broken granite slab to another through desolate treeless terrain.

Returning from the summit on the counter-clockwise loop requires crossing the cog railway tracks on the rocky Gulfside Trail. Views up here are spectacular and sustained - from the western flanks of Mount Washington to the huge peaks of Mounts Jefferson, Adams and Madison to the north. Take care with your way-finding as you continue down the Gulfside Trail and pick up the Jewell Trail - at times the route becomes faint, and we were glad of having a GPS track to follow. As you descend, the trail eventually becomes much less rocky and under tree cover, making the terrain easier to tackle but offers few further views of interest.

The image depicts a scenic landscape featuring a mountain with rocky terrain leading up to its peak. In the foreground, there is a calm body of water, possibly a lake or pond, surrounded by rocks and low vegetation. The sky is mostly clear with some scattered clouds.
Looking across the Lake of the Clouds to Mount Monroe.

We recommend parking in the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trailhead lot located on Base Station Road just before the cog railway station. A small cash fee is required, payable by feeding an envelope into an iron ranger. Alternatively you can park in the hiker lot at the railway station, but expect to pay a higher per-person parking fee. Beginning at the railway station does at least shorten your total round-trip hike by around 0.8 miles and 200 feet of elevation gain.

If you wanted to tackle one of these two trails as an out-and-back, the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail is 4.25 miles and 3,780 feet to the summit (total 8.5 miles and 3,790 feet out-and-back) and the Jewell Trail is 4.6 miles and 3,900 feet to the summit (total 9.1 miles and 4,020 feet out-and-back).

Three hikers ascending a rocky mountain trail towards a tall, metallic tower structure under a clear blue sky on the left, and a close-up view of machinery, specifically part of a train’s wheel assembly, on the right.
Final rocky ascent from the west. | Locomotive cog.

The image is a panoramic view of a mountainous landscape. It shows a vast expanse of rugged terrain with scattered rocks and low vegetation under a partly cloudy sky. The foreground features rocky slopes, while the background reveals rolling hills stretching into the distance, with patches of greenery and autumnal colors indicating different types of vegetation or seasonal changes. The sky above is dynamic, with clouds casting shadows over parts of the landscape, adding depth and contrast to the scene.
Summit and western slopes from the Gulfside Trail.

The image shows a yellow and blue train ascending a steep railway track against a backdrop of a cloudy sky. The railway is built on rugged terrain with sparse vegetation, highlighting the engineering feat of constructing tracks in challenging topographies.
A diesel locomotive pushes sightseers to the summit.

PURPLE Square BLUE Square Lion Head & Tuckerman Ravine
Tuckerman Ravine is a large U-shaped bowl with steep, looming rock faces. Tall waterfalls flow from the ravine in several slender ribbons to the valley floor below. The trail carefully traverses and ascends up the north side of the bowl across irregular rocky steps, occasionally and dramatically close to the edge, but thankfully without any particularly challenging sections.

This rocky trail begins at Pinkham Notch Visitor Center which appointed with restrooms, store and overnight lodgings, in addition to a large parking lot. Start out by sharing the trail with folk strolling up to the Crystal Cascades waterfall, then continue up the valley alongside and across the Cutler River. The gradually ascending route becomes more rocky, and you’ll be picking your footholds from here to the summit as you step from one rock to the next, all the way to the summit.

You can also add some trail variety to Mount Washington's eastern slopes by turning the out-and-back route into a part-loop by diverting to Lion Head on your way up. This route requires a right turn off the main trail after just over two miles, and involves a steep climb over large boulders and a shallow but long chimney. The Lion Head route is best tackled uphill, and thankfully there are footholds carved into the rock and some welt-built wooden steps up the only sheer granite incline, which make the route much easier to tackle.

Two images. On the left are two individuals with backpacks walking on a rocky path in a forest with yellow and green leaves. On the right, a waterfall cascading down a rocky cliff amidst dense greenery.
Tuckerman Ravine Trail is rocky from the outset.

Tangents:
• NH State Parks: Mt Washington State Park
• Weather: Higher Summits Forecast
• Public Maps at AllTrails: Ammo & Jewell Loop, Ammonoosuc, Jewell, Lion & Tuckerman, Tuckerman
• Facebook Group: Comment on this article


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