Mount Tom

Mount Tom is a 4,052-foot mountain in the Willey Range of the White Mountains, located in Grafton County, New Hampshire. It was named for Thomas Crawford, a 19th-century innkeeper of Crawford Notch (and part of the family for whom Crawford Notch is named). Mount Tom is often hiked together with neighboring Mount Field and Mount Willey. The summit of Mount Tom is forested with no direct views, but just below the summit, hikers can find viewpoints that offer vistas toward the Presidential Range and down into Crawford Notch. A notable feature on its slopes is the bird population; Mount Tom is known as a good place to spot Canada jays near the summit. Mount Tom is one of three 4,000-foot peaks in the Willey Range (along with Field and Willey). It was named for Thomas Crawford, a 19th-century innkeeper and guide, and son of Abel Crawford. The Crawford family were legendary in White Mountain history: Abel Crawford blazed the Crawford Path over the Presidentials in 1819, and his son Ethan Crawford built the original inn in Crawford Notch. Thomas (often called Tom) Crawford ran the Notch House hotel starting in 1828, near the dramatic entrance to Crawford Notch (at a site called the Gate of the Notch, by the Elephant Head rock formation). He catered to early tourists and helped cut bridle paths in the area. By giving Mount Tom its name, local hikers and mapmakers honored his contributions. (Coincidentally, “Tom” also aligns with the Crawford family tradition of biblical names – Abel, Ethan – but in this case it’s indeed for Thomas.) Mount Tom’s summit is forested, so no grand hotel or tower was ever built there. However, the Crawford family did create a path to Mount Tom’s summit in the 1840s as part of their guided excursions for guests – making it one of the older recreational routes. Later, in 1875, a Professor J. Rayner Edmands (famous trail-builder) improved the trail. Today’s Mount Tom Spur off the A-Z Trail traces near that old route. As part of the Crawford Notch State Park, logging was minimal on Mount Tom (the Crawford family protected their notch scenery). One quirky historical relic on Mount Tom’s slopes: near its summit, hikers often encounter remarkably tame gray jays (also known as Canada jays). These birds have been noted in journals as far back as the 1800s – the Crawfords themselves likely fed them to entertain guests. Mount Tom’s close association with the early hospitality industry of the Whites, and with the enduring natural charm of friendly summit jays, makes it an unsung but delightful peak. Hikers often combine it with Field and Willey, traversing the same ridge that Thomas Crawford himself once guided visitors along, nearly two centuries ago.