Pinkham Notch

Short Hikes: Crystal Cascade:
From the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center (located in Pinkham Notch on Rt. 16) take the Tuckerman Ravine Trail 0.4 mile. Crystal Cascade Falls is on your right. Short hike.
Glen Ellis Falls:
Located in Pinkham Notch on Rt. 16, 0.8 mile South of the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center at the base of Mount Washington. Only 0.3 mile to the 70 ft. falls! Plenty of parking and the trail has railings and stairs.
Lost Pond:
Located in Pinkham Notch on Rt. 16...Trailhead is located across from the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center. 1 mile hike in.
Thompson Falls Trail: Begins at the Wildcat Ski Area in Pinkham Notch on Rt. 16 just North of the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center on Rt. 16. A 1.4 mile hike.

Long Hikes

Mt. Washington's Tuckerman Ravine Trail: The trailhead is located at the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center or 'base lodge'...It's probably the most popular trail on Mt. Washington to the Summit especially during the spring when they are skiing the Headwall or Hillman's Highway.
After signing in at the visitor center, the trail starts out in back of the visitor center...reaches Crystal Cascade in a little over 0.3 miles then steadily climbs up. At 0.4 miles, the Boott Spur Trail goes off to the left. At 1.3 miles, the Huntington Ravine Trail goes off to the right, then crosses the Cutler River at 1.6 miles. At 2.1 miles, the Raymond Path enters on the right and at 2.3 miles, the Boott Spur Link leaves on the left and the Lion Head Trail leaves on the right, opposite each other. At 2.4 miles, you'll be at Hermit Lake or as some call it, 'HoJo's,' or the 'Halfway Hut'. This is an awesome trail to take especially during ski season and watch skiers ski the headwall. You can hike up and have a picnic on the 'lunch rocks' and be entertained at the same time.

Daughters, Angela and Susan, at the Hermit Lake Shelter

From this point, you can ski down the John Sherburne Trail to the left. I have done this several times in the Spring and have had the trail pretty much to myself every time. Trail is not groomed so it makes it a little more interesting than the conventional ski-area trails. Some very steep sections, and interesting snow-condition changes by the time you hit the parking lot at the Visitor Center.

Back to the trail...From the Hermit Lake Shelters, it is 0.7 mile to the Snow Arch (use extreme caution here), then you climb up the right side of the Headwall, over the 'lip' of the Headwall, to the Alpine Gardens at 1 mile, (Alpine Garden Trail goes left). Trail continues to Tuckerman Junction at 1.2 miles past Hermit Lake where you can pick up The Crawford Path, The Southside Trl, and the Lawn Cutoff. Continues up over boulders marked by cairns and blazes on the rocks, to the summit. Mileage from Base lodge or Visitor Center to Summit is:
*Note: Mt. Washington is considered an unpredictable mountain, weather-wise, and should always be hiked with this in mind. I've hiked it when it was sunny and clear down at the parking lot, just to get up to the lip of the headwall and encounter 74 m.p.h. winds where my brother, Larry, and I were literally crawling on our hands and knees, forcing us to turn back. Another time, it was sunny up on the 'Lunch Rocks' when a 150 lb. chunk of ice fell, hitting a man, critically injuring him. Another time, in 1979, we got off the main trail (stupid move) and, well, that's another story best not told!!! In other words, STAY ON TRAILS!!!

Always go prepared for the worst and note that the summer trails differ from the winter trails. All information can be obtained at the Visitor Center on weather conditions below and above...and on what trails to take, and what not to take.