Mount Pemigewasset Sunset Hike

Hiking Mount Pemigewasset

Mount Pemigewasset is a short hike with high reward views in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

Hike Date: May 27, 2021

Stats

Miles

Elevation Gain

0 ft

Hours

Minutes

Route

Segment Distance	Total Distance	Route Description
0 mi	0 mi	Start at Mt. Pemigewasset Trailhead
0.1 mi	0.1 mi	Franconia Notch Bike Path to Mt. Pemigewassett Trail
1.7 mi	1.8 mi	Mt. Pemigewassett Trail to the summit of Mt. Pemigewassett
1.7 mi	3.5 mi	Mt. Pemigewassett Trail back to Franconia Notch Bike Path
0.1 mi	3.6 mi	Franconia Notch Bike Path back to parking lot

Map

Note: Map mileage does not match stats because Gaia GPS tends to undercount it. Mileage stats were calculated using the White Mountain Guide and Trail Maps.

After a tough week, we were aching to get to White Mountains, which really do feel like a second home to us. On a Thursday afternoon after work, we decided it was worth the drive to do a short sunset hike. We decided on Mount Pemigewasset, an easily accessible hike in Franconia Notch that has an extremely high reward for such a short distance (3.6 miles round trip).

We parked at Mt. Pemigewasset Trailhead and started up the paved bike path to the beginning of Mt. Pemigewasset Trail. We turned left, crossed through some tunnels under the roads, including the highway, and then started our ascent to Mount Pemigewasset.

The trail was as expected for any in the Whites: rocky and rooty, but nothing that is unmanageable. Just before the top, we joined up with Indian Head Trail, which ascends from the other side of the mountain.

When we emerged from the trees to the summit, we were blown away by the incredible views from the massive open ledge. It was a perfect late Spring evening, but got cold quickly. We layered up, ate dinner, and enjoyed the summit all to ourselves as we watched the sunset.

After the sun sunk behind the mountains, we started to hike down. The sky stayed light for long enough that we did not even need our headlamps. If you are looking for a high reward but a short hike in the Whites, this one was incredible. But, I imagine it is pretty busy on weekends, so if you can, get up there on a weekday!