White Mt. NF--Tuckerman Ravine Trail

White Mt. NF--Tuckerman Ravine Trail

Sargents Purchase, New Hampshire 03846

White Mountain National Forest Official Website

About this Location

Tuckerman Ravine Trail is a popular and challenging hiking route that leads to the summit of Mount Washington, the highest peak in New England, and the White Mountain National Forest. The trail starts at the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center and climbs steadily for 2.4 miles to the Hermit Lake Shelters, where hikers can enjoy views of the ravine and a waterfall. From there, the trail becomes steeper and more exposed, ascending through the rocky and snowy terrain of the ravine to the junction with the Alpine Garden Trail. The final stretch of the trail is a steep scramble up the summit cone, where hikers can experience strong winds and dramatic weather changes. The trail is about 8 miles roundtrip and requires proper gear and preparation, especially in winter and spring when there are risks of avalanches, ice, and falling rocks. 

About White Mountain National Forest

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In the decades prior to 1911, the unregulated logging practices of private timber companies in the White Mountains had resulted in a damaged landscape susceptible to both fire and flood. Fires had burned thousands of acres, and flash floods affected the water power necessary to the mills of major industrial centers downstream, such as Manchester, New Hampshire, and Lowell, Massachusetts. Concerns over losses to industry, business, and tourism, and the growing conservation movement led to citizen action. The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) and Society for Protection of New Hampshire Forests (SPNHF) spearheaded an effort to ensure the permanent protection of the White Mountains from further depredation. After years of lobbying and intense public pressure, Senator John Weeks of Massachusetts, a native of Lancaster, New Hampshire, introduced legislation that became known as the Weeks Act. The Weeks Act was passed by Congress in 1911, appropriating 9 million dollars to purchase 6 million acres of land in the Eastern U.S. In turn, this led to the creation of the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) in 1918, and twenty-one other national forests throughout the north and southeast. Many of the groups who were instrumental in the passage of the Weeks Act, including the SPNHF and the AMC, are still active today, and the WMNF has grown from 7,000 acres to almost 800,000. Today, the reforested mountains and hillsides supply forest products and provide magnificent recreational opportunities while maintaining healthy watersheds and ecosystems.

Notable Trails

The AllTrails website has a description and map of a hike using the Tuckerman Ravine Trail.

Tuckerman Ravine Trail to Mount Washington is a 7.9 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Gorham, New Hampshire that features a waterfall and is only recommended for very experienced adventurers. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until October.

Features

  • Restrooms on site

  • Wheelchair accessible trail

Content from White Mountain National Forest Official Website

Last updated November 22, 2023