Mount Willard via Mount Willard Trail
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Mount Willard Hike Details
Trail: Avalon Trail > Mount Willard Trail
Miles: 3.2
Hours: 1.5 hours hiking; 2 hours total
Mount Willard Hike Overview
Mount Willard (2,865’) is one of the most hiked mountains in New Hampshire because it offers stunning views overlooking Crawford Notch and is a relatively easy hike. Mount Willard Trail is the only trail to Mount Willard and is hiked as an out and back.
Note: Although Mount Willard Trail is easy, it gains 900 feet of elevation, so it is a constant climb. Since Mount Willard is one of the most popular trails, especially during the fall, the parking can be crazy. The trailhead is across the train tracks from the Crawford Notch Depot, and parking is limited, so many people park on the street. This area is also the starting point for other trails leading to Mount Jackson and Mount Tom, Mount Field, and Mount Avalon. I highly recommend arriving at the trailhead as early as possible to have a more peaceful hiking experience.
Mount Willard Hike via Mount Willard Trail Guide
October 31, 2020
**Always remember to leave no trace. It is crucial to pack out what you pack in and throw away your trash properly.
Mount Willard has been a mountain I have honestly avoided for a long time because of how crowded it is, but it has been on my bucket list for quite some time. The first time we hiked Mount Willard was during peak foliage season, and the area was PACKED. We arrived at the Mount Willard trailhead at 7:00 AM, and there were already a lot of people there. When we reached the top, we, unfortunately, did not have any views, so we didn’t spend much time at the summit. On our way down around 8:30 AM, we passed over 200 people, so that shows you how crowded this hike can become.
The second time we hiked Mount Willard was on a cold Halloween day. Alex had an engagement session to shoot up there (he is an elopement photographer!), so I was excited to get another chance at seeing the beautiful view. We began our hike to Mount Willard at 3:15 PM, and it was very icy. It had snowed the day before, and Mount Willard Trail tends to be wet, so everything froze over. We packed microspikes, which we were happy about once we saw how slippery the trail was. The trail traveled along Avalon Trail for 0.1 miles before breaking off onto Mount Willard Trail to the left. Within the first 0.1 miles on Mount Willard Trail, there were two stream crossings. They were both low and easy to rock-hop across. Once we conquered both stream crossings, we began the gradual ascent to Mount Willard.
The trail follows along a stream for a good portion of the hike, which offers a peaceful sound while hiking. We soon arrived at the Centennial Pool, which had a small waterfall cascading into it. The trail had a small sign pointing to the pool, and it was only a short descent to the rocks near it. The Centennial Pool would be a perfect spot to take a break if needed before continuing the last mile to the summit. From the Centennial Pool, it was a constant climb to the summit of Mount Willard. The trail became rocky and very icy. Luckily, most of the ice could be avoided on our ascent, but the trail became more iced over before we began our descent. Although Mount Willard Trail is considered easy/moderate, the climb kicked our butts. Mount Willard made us work for those beautiful views, but it was worth it!
About 0.2 miles away from the summit, the trail leveled out, which was a nice break from the constant climb. Soon enough, we saw the break ahead of us through the trees, and we were officially on the summit of Mount Willard! And the views were BEAUTIFUL! I finally understood why Mount Willard is a favorite hike of many. And the best part? We shared the summit with only three other people. It was the perfect night to watch the sunset over the stunning view.
We arrived at Mount Willard at 4:00 PM and stayed for 45 minutes to take photos of the couple and enjoy the last of the sunset. The summit was freezing, but I thought it was worth suffering to take in the beautiful sunset. The summit was larger than I expected, so if it was crowded, there would be enough space to spread out. I was honestly glad we had the summit of Mount Willard pretty much to ourselves.
Around 4:45 PM, we decided to make our descent before we lost all of the light. The descent was much icier than the ascent, so we were glad to have microspikes. We saw people without them slipping and sliding everywhere on the trail, which was a great reminder to always pack more gear than you think you’ll need, especially during shoulder season. Because we had our microspikes, the descent was much easier than we anticipated. Before we knew it, we were back at the Crawford Notch Depot at 5:30 PM, just as the rest of the light faded away.
Mount Willard was absolutely stunning, and I would love to hike it for sunrise. I think I will continue to avoid it during peak season because of how crowded I saw it get early in the morning. But it is a great and easy peak to hike for beautiful views!
Hey, I’m Nichole!
I am the creator behind Nichole the Nomad, the home of my explorations around the world, mountain hikes, and beautiful pictures taken along the way. I have a deep passion for capturing the world in a beautiful light and sharing my experiences.
I created this blog to share my travels, show how beautiful the world is, provide tips and tricks for traveling, and encourage you to explore. Whether you want to travel across the world or explore what’s in your backyard, I hope this blog inspires you to get outside and find your adventure!