How to Hike the Entire Presidential Traverse or Part of It
The entire Presidential Traverse is quite the feat to tackle on. It includes 7 different peaks, over 8,000ft of elevation gain and almost 20 miles. It is NOT for the faint of heart or people who don’t hike/aren’t in good hiking shaping. PLEASE know your limits and ONLY attempt this traverse if you are an experienced hiker. This article will give you information about the route, conditions, directions, and more.
Everything said above is kind of a disclaimer because as I’m sure seasoned hikers know, when you’re new to hiking, you think you can do way more than you actually can. Which is why I wrote a little disclaimer in the top section. Now, if you really are prepared for this hike, it will be EPIC. The Presidential Range/Traverse is known for its stunning views of the White Mountains. All of these peaks are apart of the New Hampshire 48 hiking challenge. Also, it has the tallest mountain of the east, Mount Washington. So, without further ado, let’s get into this article and how to hike the Presidential Range Traverse.
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This article is all about the Presidential Traverse.
Presidential Traverse Huts
Okay, if you plan on hiking this traverse, having a home base, particularly, if you are not from the area is really important to have. I think the most central location to stay in New Hampshire for hiking the White Mountains, is Lincoln, NH. I have stayed there several times and have always had a nice trip. Now, if you want more of a camping/backpacking experience when hiking, then you should definitely check out the Appalachian Mountain Club huts in the White Mountains.
They have multiple huts spread throughout all of the New Hampshire 48 peaks, specifically, along the Presidential Range. Famous ones along this traverse are the Madison Spring Hut, Lakes of the Clouds Hut, and the Mizpah Spring Hut. I recommend staying at these huts if you want to split the Presidential Traverse up and still be in the mountains while you do so. Just be aware, the huts fill up about a year in advance, I’m not kidding. If you plan on staying at one of the huts, plan WAY in advance. Now, specifically, for the Presidential Range, if you don’t want to hike it in one day (most people split it up), you can break the traverse/range into two or three days.
Splitting the Presidential Traverse
One day, you could hike Jackson, Pierce, and Eisenhower and stay at the Mizpah Spring hut. Day two you could hike Franklin (optional, not a 48 peak), Monroe, and Washington, and stay at the Lakes of the Clouds hut. Then, on the third day, you could climb Madison, Adam’s, and Jefferson and stay at the Madison Spring hut. All these days include at least 10 miles (round trip) with about 4,500ft of elevation gain.
If you are going to split the range up, I would do it the way I said above. One day hike Jackson, Pierce, and Eisenhower. Then another day hike Franklin (optional, not a 48), Monroe, and Washington. Then, finally, hike Madison, Adam’s and Jefferson. My friend and I hiked Pierce and Eisenhower, and looking back we should have hiked Jackson too. However, we had just hiked Mount Isolation the day before and Waumbek the previous day. And if we had added Jackson, we would have added another 1,500ft of elevation gain, and about 2-3 more miles, which we just didn’t have in us.
Hiking Jackson, Pierce and Eisenhower
Okay, if you are going to split up the trails like I did above, then for day one you will start at the Webster-Jackson Trail (you can find directions via this link). It is about a 2 minute drive from the Mount Willard trailhead and Saco Lake. You will start on the Webster Jackson Trail and hike for about 2.2 miles. Be aware you will gain about 2,000ft of elevation gain.
After Mount Jackson, you will continue to your left and follow the Webster Cliff Trail. In about 2.3 miles you will get to Pierce. You will continue straight onto the Crawford Path and make it to Mount Eisenhower in about 1.5 miles. You will lose then gain about 500ft of elevation. This is an out and back, meaning you will have to hike back the way you came, once you get to your last peak, which is Eisenhower. You can stay at the Mizpah Spring Hut. You will pass by it when hiking from Jackson to Pierce. Thus, once at Eisenhower, you just retrace your steps back to the Mizpah Spring Hut, if you wish to stay there.
Hiking Mount Monroe and Washington
You can hike these two peaks via the Ammonoosuc Ravine. The trailhead is off of Base Station Road, just before the Mount Washington Cog Railway. You will hike this in a loop, hitting Mount Monroe first then ending on Washington then looping back to your car/trailhead. You could also stay at the Lakes of the Clouds Hut (in the middle of this loop). Also, you could do this loop in reverse and hit Washington first. Actually, I recommend climbing to Washington first. I say this because I’ve heard from other hikers, hiking to Washington is kind of disappointing. Because, of all the people from the railway and the road. Thus, I would want to end on a much less crowded peak, like, Monroe.
To hike Washington first, you will follow the Jewell Trail for about 3.2 miles. Here you will gain about 3,200ft of elevation gain, which is A LOT. After Washington, you will walk about 1.7 miles to Monroe. When you see signs for Lakes of the Clouds hut, you will take a right and walk another half a mile to the summit of Monroe. Finally, you will hike back to the Lakes of Clouds trail split (or stay at this hut) and take a left onto the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail. You will walk about 3 miles back to the trailhead/your car.
Finally : How to Hike Adam’s, Jefferson, and Madison
You will start at the the Caps Ridge Trailhead. This is an out and back. You will start on the Caps Ridge Trail and hike about 2.5 miles. In addition, you will gain about 2,600ft of elevation to get to Mount Jefferson. Then you will hike about 1.7 miles and lose about 600ft then gain it back once you get to Mount Adam’s. Then finally you will hike about 1.2 miles to Madison and again, lose about 700ft and gain it back. Once at Madison, you will hike back the same way you came (or you can stay at the Madison Spring Hut, about .4 of a mile from Mount Madison). Making this about a 12 mile day.
Presidential Traverse in One Day
Okay, to hike the entire Presidential Traverse in one day, you will hike about 20 miles and gain about 8,000ft. You will need two cars, one will park at the Appalachian Trailhead Parking off of Gorhman Hill Road and Route 2. And the other will park at the AMC Highland Center off of Crawford Notch Road and Route 302. You can start at either parking lot, but I suggest starting at the Appalachian Trailhead Parking off of Gorhman Hill Road & Route 2. I say this because you will get the hardest/heaviest elevation gain out of the way first. Then for the most part, you will be going down the rest of the way. You will encounter, at every peak about 300 more feet of elevation gain and loss.
Okay, you will start at the Appalachian Trailhead and hike on the Valley Way Trail for about 3.6 miles then, come to a trail split. Here you will see the Madison Spring Hut (you could stay here if hiking the Presidential Traverse), and take a left to Mount Madison. You will continue hiking for about .2 of a mile. Then, be at the top of Mount Madison, the first peak apart of this traverse. You will gain about 4,000ft of elevation gain.
Hiking to Mount Adams
After Mount Madison, you will hike back to the Madison Spring Hut and continue straight onto the Gulfside Trail. You will hike on the Gulfside trail for the next .4 of a mile, then split to the left (straight) onto the Airline Trail. In .4 of a mile you will be at the top of Mount Adams. After Adams you will continue straight or past Mount Adams summit onto the Lowe’s Path. You will walk for about .2 miles then turn left onto the Gulfside Trail again. You will stay on the Gulfside trail for about 1.6 miles. Then, you will turn right onto Mount Jefferson Loop for about .4 of a mile. Finally, you will be at the top of Mount Jefferson.
After Mount Jefferson, you will continue straight, beyond Jefferson onto the Mount Jefferson Loop for the next .3 of a mile. Then, you will take a right onto the Gulfside Trail and continue on the Gulfside for about .4 of a mile. You will take a left onto the Mount Clay Loop Trail and stay here for about a mile. Then you will stay left onto the Gulfside Trail again. You will stay here for the next half a mile then stay left on the Trinity Heights Connector Trail. Finally, in about .2 of a mile you will come to the top of Mount Washington.
Hiking Beyond Washington to Eisenhower & Pierce
After the tallest place on the east coast, you will continue past Mount Washington for about .1 of a mile. Then, you will continue left (straight) onto the Crawford Path Trail. In about a mile you will come to the Lakes of the Clouds Hut (you could spend the night here). You will continue on the Crawford Path for the next .1 of a mile. Then, stay right on the Mount Monroe Loop Trail for .4 of a mile. Then, you will be on the top of another peak, Mount Monroe. After Monroe, you will stay on the Mount Monroe Loop Trail for .3 of a mile, past by Little Mount Monroe then, continue back onto the Crawford Path Trail. You will stay on here for the next 1.5 miles. Then, stay right onto the Mount Eisenhower Loop Trail. In about .3 of a mile you will come to the summit of Mount Eisenhower.
Hiking to Pierce & Jackson
Finally, once you walk past Mount Eisenhower, in .3 of a mile you will stay right onto the Crawford Path again for about a mile. In a mile you will take a left onto the Webster Cliff Trail for about one tenth of a mile then come to the summit of Mount Pierce.
Now, you can stop at Mount Pierce, and hike to the AMC Highland Center. Or you can hike to Mount Jackson and get all of the 8 peaks apart of this range in. To do this, you will walk past the summit of Mount Pierce onto the Webster Cliff Trail. You will walk on the Webster Cliff Trail for .7 of a mile, then come to the Mizpah Spring Hut, where you want to stay right onto the Webster Cliff Trail and to Mount Jackson.
You will stay on the Webster Cliff Trail for 1.4 miles, then finally come to the summit of Mount Jackson. After Mount Jackson, you will hike back the same way you came. You will hike back to Mount Pierce, then back to the Webster and Crawford Path trail split and turn left back onto the Crawford Path Trail. You will continue on this path for the next 3 miles and finally come to your second car parked at the AMC Highland Center. Adding Jackson, will add about 4.2 miles to your hike (not too much more elevation gain), making this about a 24 mile day instead of 20.
You can do this and stay at the Mizpah Spring Hut for a night. However, if you want to abandon Mount Jackson and hike it another day, it’s very easy to hike on it’s own. It’s 5 miles with about a 2,500ft of elevation gain.
Overall Thoughts About the Presidential Range Hike
My friend and I have plans to hike this entire range. So far, we have only hiked, Pierce and Eisenhower, and they are incredible, all the peaks in this range are spectacular. However, locals have told me, hiking Washington is really disappointing. Because, while you have worked your butt off, others have simply driven up or rode a train up to the top. The top is swarming with too many people, you have to wait in line with commoners to take your picture with the Mount Washington sign. Overall, it seems like there’s way too much hype because of how open it is to the public.
I don’t know about you, but one of the main reason I enjoy hiking is because I get to escape big, crowded places. Thus, this would REALLY annoy me, especially if I just worked SO MUCH, while others simply rode up. I would be livid. Thus, I can totally understand why Washington is disappointing and it really makes me sad because this is the tallest mountain on the east coast. They should have two separate areas. One for the public and one for the hikers. Unfortunately, Cannon Mountain is also like this because of the tram. However, there are places/views that only the hikers can get too, which is why I wasn’t so disappointed at Cannon.
Conclusion of the Presidential Range Hike
Anyways, this traverse is insane! As of right now, I have no intention of hiking this in one day. I want to split this hike up and ENJOY the views. Obviously, it’s up to you, on how you want to hike this range. It does sound epic but I will be hiking this range in 3 different hikes. Thank you so much for reading and I hope this article was helpful to you and your hiking journey. Thank you so much and take care!
