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New Hampshire Parking Info
| Mile Marker | Directions, Comments, Source, Map Link, and Year Last Reviewed | Number of Vehicles |
|---|---|---|
| 0.00 miles Pinkham Notch Camp |
The AT crosses NH 16 at Pinkham Notch 8 miles north of Jackson and 12 miles south of Gorham. --- There are many parking places here, but this is a very popular hub for hiking and it may be difficult to find a place. Since this is on state or AMC owned land, a White Mountain National Forest parking permit is not required. The northbound trail to Section 2, here following the Lost Pond Trail, crosses NH 16. The southbound trail to Section 3 follows the Tuckerman Ravine Trail for about 250 feet from the AMC Visitor Center, then goes north on what is called the Old Jackson Road. Note that in this area trail north and south and compass north and south are reversed. 3/8/21 --- http://maps.google.com/maps?q=44.258138%2C-71.251891&num=1&t=h&sll=44.258135%2C… --- |
Parking is available but vandalism and theft have been reported. |
| 1.90 miles Mt. Washington Auto Road |
See Mile 13.4 below for directions to the Mt. Washington Auto Road. There is a parking area just past the 2 mile marker where the AT crosses the Auto Road. This can be seen on the satellite view of the attached map. --- This is a convenient but expensive access to the AT. Currently it costs $35 for a car and driver to use the Mt. Washington Auto Road and $10 for each additional adult passenger. According to their website, overnight parking is permitted at the summit if you notify them. I assume the same is true for this parking area. From the parking area the northbound trail goes south towards Pinkham Notch on the Old Jackson Road, while the southbound trail goes north on the Madison Gulf Trail. The green arrow on the attached map points to Lowe's Bald Spot. the Madison gulf Trail passes just to the west of this. 2/10/21 --- David Cullen --- http://maps.google.com/maps?q=44.281527%2C-71.253146&num=1&t=h&sll=44.281833%2C… --- |
8-10 |
| 4.10 miles Junction Great Gulf/ Madison Gulf Trails |
Parking for the Great Gulf Trail is on the west side of NH 16. This is about 1.5 miles north of the Mt. Washington Auto Road and about 6.5 miles south of Gorham. It is 1.5 miles south of the junction of NH 16 and Pinkham B (Dolly Copp Road) near Dolly Copp Campground. There is a large parking lot here. A White Mountain National Forest parking permit (or equivalent) is required. --- The Great Gulf Trail crosses the Peabody River on a suspension bridge and in 0.3 miles reaches the junction with the Great Gulf Link Trail. Go left here. The route mostly follows an old road, climbing gradually. The Osgood Trail (See Mile 4.8) goes right 1.8 miles from the parking lot. At 2.7 miles and 950 feet of elevation gain, the AT is reached at the intersection with the Osgood Cutoff Trail. The southbound AT follows the Osgood Cutoff. The northbound AT continues straight ahead on the Great Gulf Trail. The Madison Gulf Trail comes in from the right (north) and the two trails coincide till the West Branch of the Peabody River is crossed on a bridge. The northbound AT follows the Madison Gulf Trail towards Pinkham Notch. Remember that trail north and south and compass north and south are reversed in this area. Total distance to this last intersection is 2.8 miles with about 1000 feet elevation gain. 2/10/21 --- David Cullen --- http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Dolly%20Copp%20Campground%2C%2… --- |
Ample parking |
| 4.10 miles Junction Great Gulf/ Madison Gulf Trails |
I have recently read that people can park at the Dolly Copp Campground even if they are not camping there, but a White Mountain National Forest parking permit (or equivalent) is required. Entrance to the campground is on Dolly Copp Road a few tenths of a mile wst of NH 16. There is a large sign for the campground at the highway intersection. --- The Great Gulf Link Trail starts at the south end of the main camp road . which is a dead end. The parking area is on the left. The trail mostly follows an old road to the junction with the Great Gulf Trail. Left will lead to the Great Gulf parking area. Straight ahead leads to the Great Gulf trails (See above).The AT makes a huge U turn in the Northern Presidentials. The southbound AT from Pinkham Notch runs north as far as Mt. Madison and Madison Hut, then turns south. Because of this there are several trails that can be accessed from this intersection which meet the AT on the crest of the Presidential ridge. See Miles 7.8, 10.0, 10.4, 11.4, and 13.1 2/28/21 --- David Cullen --- |
6-8 |
| 4.80 miles Junction Osgood/ Osgood Cutoff Trails |
See Mile 4.1 for directions to the Great Gulf Parking area. --- Follow the Great Gulf Trail 1.8 miles from the parking area. Here go right on the Osgood Trail. In 0.8 miles this meets the AT. Osgood Campsite is to the right at this intersection. The Osgood Trail continues straight ahead and from here on is the route of the southbound AT. The northbound AT goes left (west) as the Osgood Cutoff Trail. 7/23/06 --- David Cullen --- |
|
| 6.80 miles Osgood Junction |
The Daniel Webster-Scout Trail meets the AT at this junction. I have not taken this trail but have scouted the trailhead. The trail head is in the Dolly Copp Campground 0.9 miles south of the camground entrance. There is a small parking area on the left 0.1 miles further down the campground road. The trailhead is across from the "Riverside" froup of campsites. See Mile 4.8 for more information on the campground. --- Following information from the AMC "White Mountain Guide" (27th ed.)The Daniel Webster-Scout Trail climbs 3600 feet in 3.5 miles to meet the Osgood Trail (AT). The southbound AT goes right, the northbound goes left. The summit of Mt Madison is 0.6 miles to the right. 7/23/06 --- David Cullen --- |
4-6 |
| 7.30 miles Summit Mt. Madison |
The Watson Path provides an alternate route to the summit of Mt. Madison from the Appalachia Parking area on US 2. See mile 7.8 for details about this parking area. --- I have never taken the Watson Path so information is from the AMC White Mountain Guide, 27th ed. Be sure to read the rather intimidating discussion of this trail befrore attempting it. Follow the Valley Way 2.4 miles (1900 feet elevation gain) to the junction with the Watson Path. Go left on the Watson Path. Via this route it is another 1.7 miles and 2200 feet elevation gain to meet the Osgood Trail (AT) at the summit of Mt. Madison. 7/24/06 --- David Cullen --- |
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| 7.80 miles Madison Spring Hut |
The most direct access to the hut from a road is from the Appalachia Parking area. This is on the south side of US 2 about 5 miles west of the more northern of the two intersections of US 2 and NH 16. See attached map. The parking area is indicated by the marker. This is considered to be safest route to hut especially in less than optimal conditions. --- The Valley Way trail is the easiest and most direct route to the hut from Appalachia. It climbs 3550 feet in 3.8 miles, breaking out into the open only a few hyndred feet before the hut. The southbound AT goes right as the Gulfside Trail. The northbound AT continues straight ahead for a short distance then goes to the left (east) just before the hut. This section is known as the Osgood Trail. 2/28/21 --- David Cullen --- http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=44.3715%20%20-71.289&ie=UTF8&t… --- |
20-25 |
| 7.80 miles Madison Spring Hut |
See Mile 4.1 for directions to the south junction of the Madison Gulf and Great Gulf Trails. This point may be accessed either from the Great Gulf Parking Area or from Pinkham Notch. --- Another route to Madison Hut is via the Madison Gulf, Parapet and Star Lake Trails. Before taking this route, read the long paragraph of warnings about the difficulty of the upper part of the Madison Gulf Trail in the AMC White Mountain Guide. From the junction at mile 4.1, go north on the combined Madison Gulf and Great Gulf Trails. The Madison Gulf Trail goes left in a short distance. From here on it is a blue-blazed route and not part of the AT. From the Mile 4.1 junction, it climbs 2500 feet in 2.7 miles (850 feet of that in the last 0.7 miles) to reach the Parapet Trail. Go left on this 0.2 miles to the Star Lake Trail. Go right (north) on the Star Lake Trail 0.1 miles to the hut. 7/18/06 --- David Cullen --- |
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| 7.80 miles Madison Spring Hut |
See Mile 4.1 for directions to the south junction of the Madison Gulf and Great Gulf Trails. This point may be accessed either from the Great Gulf Parking Area or from Pinkham Notch. --- At the Mile 4.1 intersection, go west on the Great Gulf Trail. After 1.7 miles and 800 feet of elevation gain, go right on the Six Husbands Trail. in another 0.5 miles (250 feet elevation gain), go right on the Buttress Trail. This climbs 1600 feet in 1.9 miles to meet the Star Lake Trail. Follow this trail 0.3 miles north to the hut. Total length from the Mile 4.1 intersection is 3.4 miles. It is a reportedly a longer but easier route than the Madison Gulf Trail. Another route from the Appalachia parking area to the hut is via the Airline Trail and the Airline Cutoff. This breaks out above tree line much earlier than the Valley Way so is the more scenic if the weather is good. Heading to the hut, the Airline Trail goes right from the Valley Way trail a few hundred feet south of the parking area. It climbs 3500 feet in 3.5 miles to the junction with the Airline Cutoff which goes left and continues more or less on contour another 0.3 miles to the hut.2/28/21 --- David Cullen --- |