New Hampshire’s early settlers were captured by the allure of the White Mountains right away. In the early 19th century, the Crawford family sought to create a long-distance route from their home to the summit of Mt. Washington and today’s Crawford Path has since become one of the most iconic hiking trails in New Hampshire. Let’s take a closer look at its earliest section from Route 302 to the summit of Mt. Pierce.

New Hampshire's Crawford Path travels 8.5 miles between Route 302 near Crawford Notch and the summit of Mt. Washington.
Ken MacGray/Flickr
The first section Crawford Path up to Mt. Pierce was originally laid out as a bridle path by Abel Crawford and his son Ethan Allen. The Crawford family are instrumental in the history of the White Mountains.
Jenna Floyd/All Trails
Shortly below the summit of Mt. Pierce, Crawford Path enters the alpine zone, where hikers must stay on the trail to protect this fragile environment.
TheGlacierBear - Adam May/All Trails

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For hikers new to hiking the 4,000-footers, hiking Crawford Path to Mt. Pierce makes for a good first journey. From here, the trail continues up the ridge toward Mt. Washington.
Jessica Kalar/All Trails
For a shorter hike, Crawford Path can be followed for 0.6 to a short spur path that reaches scenic Gibbs Falls.
Kurt Hammer/Flickr
For a break either on the way to or from Mt. Pierce, hikers can stop in at Appalachian Mountain Club's MIzpah Spring Hut, located of Mizpah Cutoff, a side trail off Crawford Path.
Brian Whooley/All Trails
For well-equipped and experienced winter hikers, Crawford Path to Mt. Pierce is common objective for some time above tree line.
Ken MacGray/Flickr

Crawford Path, while well-traveled as one of the most iconic hiking trails in New Hampshire, is still very much a White Mountains path. Hikers should be well-prepared for changeable conditions and to turn back in the event of poor weather. For more information, visit the White Mountain National Forest website and consult the AMC White Mountain Guide.

If you are not ready yet to jump into White Mountains hiking, there are plenty of easier hikes to do, including these 10 that are all under five miles.

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Crawford Connector Trailhead, Bretton Woods, NH 03575, USA