Back to NH48 Peak Catalog

Mount Washington

Mount Washington is an ultra-prominent mountain in the state of New Hampshire.

Prominence: 6138 ft Range: Presidential Range
Get directions
Elevation: 6,288 ft

Mount Washington

Mountain Overview
General Info
Elevation
6,288 ft
Prominence
6138 ft
Range
Presidential Range
Trail Type
Out & back or loop options
Difficulty
Extremely Difficult
Exposure
High - extreme weather common.
Typical Time
8–10 hours - round-trip via standard routes.
Best seasons
Summer and early fall - June–October.
Water availability
Limited - water at Hermit Lake shelters; none on upper mountain.
Cell reception
Spotty - generally some signal near summit; weak or none in ravines.
First Photo & Camera
Mountain
Mount Washington
Photo
Rocky Ridge and Soft Evening Light under Partly Cloudy Sky
Description
This landscape photograph showcases Mount Washington in the White Mountains of New Hampshire during a calm summer sunset. The Presidential Range's alpine zone is visible with its rocky summit and surrounding ridge line. The scene captures the serene mountain weather and vast wilderness of White Mountain National Forest, perfect for hiking and landscape photography enthusiasts.
Dimensions
6720 x 4480
Credit
© NATHAN SOBOL / NH48pics.com

Area Map

OpenStreetMap area view with summit marker and nearby trail context.

Peak trail map

Static map preview

Mount Washington: summit area with linked trail context.

Summit: 44.2705, -71.3033

Trails: Tuckerman Ravine Trail, Lion Head Trail, Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, Jewell Trail

Trails

Current Summit Weather

NOAA / NWS point forecast for this summit location.

NOAA / NWS Server snapshot pending

Static guide content is available now; the Worker injects the latest weather snapshot when the page is served.

Astronomy

Sun and moon timing for this peak.

USNO Server snapshot pending

The Worker injects the latest astronomy timing when the page is served.

Monthly Weather Averages

Water & Crossing Context

Stream context

Multi-source water data near routes, trailheads, and drainages associated with this peak. These readings and support layers provide runoff and crossing context, not a safe/unsafe crossing decision.

Route water note: Limited - water at Hermit Lake shelters; none on upper mountain.

Ammonoosuc River @ Bretton WOODS,

AMMONOOSUC R @ BRETTON WOODS, NR TWIN MOUNTAIN, NH

No Current Core Data
USGS Historical

Ammonoosuc west-side context for the Presidential Range, Crawford Notch, and Bretton Woods approaches.

  • Nearby live proxy: AMMONOOSUC RIVER AT BETHLEHEM JUNCTION, NH • SACO RIVER AT RIVER STREET, AT BARTLETT, NH
Official source

Ellis River

ELLIS RIVER NEAR JACKSON, NH

No Current Core Data
USGS Historical

Useful Ellis River context for Glen Ellis, Wildcat, Carter Notch, and lower Pinkham approaches when drainages are running high.

  • Nearby live proxy: SACO RIVER AT RIVER STREET, AT BARTLETT, NH • Peabody River at Gorham, New Hampshire
Official source

Israel River

ISRAEL RIVER AB S B ISRAEL R, NEAR JEFFERSON, NH

No Current Core Data
USGS Historical

Northern Presidential and Jefferson side context for Caps Ridge, Appalachia, and Waumbek / Starr King planning.

  • Nearby live proxy: Peabody River at Gorham, New Hampshire • Androscoggin River near Gorham, NH
Official source

Observed gages, forecasts, and modeled support context provide drainage context only. They do not determine whether a specific crossing is safe. Treat rising, stale, modeled, or missing readings conservatively.

Nearby Peaks & Connections

Parking & Access

AMC Pinkham Notch - 44.2583, -71.2537.
Trailhead parking
Large paved lot at Pinkham Notch Visitor Center; fills early on busy days
Trailhead
AMC Pinkham Notch - 44.2583, -71.2537.
Capacity
200 vehicles (est.)
Last verified
2026-02-14

Access roads & trailheads

Jefferson Notch Rd

Closed

District Andro • Last updated Nov 21, 2025

Trailheads: Caps Ridge Trailhead (Jefferson Notch Rd) • Jefferson Notch Road (Northern End)

Verify official sources and posted signs before driving to a trailhead.

Difficulty Metrics

Technical difficulty (1-10)
10
Physical effort (1-10)
10
Difficulty class
Extremely Difficult
Typical completion time
8–10 hours - round-trip via standard routes.

Risk & Preparation

Risk factors
Above treeline exposure, Severe weather, Limited water, Navigation, No cell service
Preparation notes
Check a summit forecast and carry windproof/warm layers; turn back if visibility or lightning risk increases. Plan water conservatively and do not assume reliable sources late in the hike. Download offline maps and do not rely on cell service; leave a plan with someone.
Bailout distance
0 mi
Weather exposure
High - extreme weather common.
Field planning note
Tuckerman Ravine & Lion Head Trail Loop - 8.4 - 4,300 - Extremely difficult - Semi-loop - out via Tuckerman, back via Lion Head. Limited - water at Hermit Lake shelters; none on upper mountain. Large paved lot at Pinkham Notch Visitor Center; fills early on busy days

Wilderness Safety

Water availability
Limited - water at Hermit Lake shelters; none on upper mountain.
Cell reception
Spotty - generally some signal near summit; weak or none in ravines.
Best seasons
Summer and early fall - June–October.

Trail & Terrain

Terrain
Very rocky and steep, with extensive boulder fields above treeline
Scramble sections
Yes - class 2 boulder scrambling on upper mountain.
View type
360° panoramic - above treeline.
Summit marker
Summit sign on cairn - and USGS benchmark on rock.
Flora / environment
Deciduous forest at base; spruce-fir subalpine; alpine tundra above ~4,500 ft
Nearby 4,000-footer connections
Mount Monroe, Mount Jefferson

Mount Washington Route & Conditions

Route
Mount Washington's standard hiking options include Tuckerman Ravine & Lion Head Trail Loop at 8.4 miles with 4,300 feet of gain and Ammonoosuc Ravine & Jewell Trail Loop - west side at 9.6 miles with 3,800 feet of gain. A typical completion time is 8–10 hours - round-trip via standard routes.
Terrain and exposure
This is an extremely difficult Presidential Range hike. Expect very rocky and steep, with extensive boulder fields above treeline. Scrambling includes class 2 boulder scrambling on upper mountain. Upper-mountain terrain includes deciduous forest at base; spruce-fir subalpine; alpine tundra above ~4,500 ft and 360° panoramic, above treeline. Weather and exposure are defining planning concerns here: high, extreme weather common.
Weather window
The best normal hiking window is summer and early fall, June–October. Check a summit forecast and carry windproof/warm layers; turn back if visibility or lightning risk increases.
Water, signal, and bailout
Water is limited: water at Hermit Lake shelters; none on upper mountain. Cell reception is spotty, generally some signal near summit; weak or none in ravines. Bailout options include Lakes of the Clouds Hut shelter via Crawford Path and Jewell Trail to Cog Railway base. Nearby live water context is available from Ammonoosuc River at Bretton Woods, Ellis River, and Israel River.
Trailhead and access
The most common trailhead is Pinkham Notch Visitor Center, with room for about 200 vehicles. Large paved lot at Pinkham Notch Visitor Center; fills early on busy days. Other linked starts include Caps Ridge Trailhead (Jefferson Notch Rd), Ammonoosuc Ravine Trailhead (Base Road), Jewell Trail Trailhead (Cog Railway Base Area), and Mount Washington Auto Road Base (Pinkham Notch), and 1 more. Seasonal access-road context includes Jefferson Notch Rd.
Connected route context
Major linked trails include Tuckerman Ravine Trail, Lion Head Trail, Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, Jewell Trail, Boott Spur Trail, Huntington Ravine Trail, Great Gulf Trail, Nelson Crag Trail, and Crawford Path. Nearby 4,000-footer connections include Mount Monroe and Mount Jefferson.

Last Updated: 2026-02-14