Mount Monroe and Mount Washington via Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, my blog may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.
Mount Monroe and Mount Washington Hike Overview
Mount Monroe (5,371’) is the fourth tallest 4,000 footer and Mount Washington (6,289’), which as you probably know, is the tallest mountain in the Northeast! Both summits offer breathtaking 360-degree views, and this hike will quickly become one of your favorites in the White Mountains.
Trail Details
Trail: Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail > Mount Monroe Loop > Crawford Path > Gulfside Trail > Jewell Trail
Miles: 10.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 4,220 feet
My Trail Time: 5 hours hiking, 6 hours total
Hike Overview
Mount Washington is the tallest mountain in New Hampshire while Mount Monroe is the fourth tallest. Although you can hike Mount Washington and Mount Monroe separately, you can hike them together as a loop via the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail and Jewell Trail.
The Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail sunning, with waterfalls along the ascent, but it is incredibly steep. Some portions of the trail near the summit are exposed and require some rock scrambling.
The hike to Mount Monroe and Mount Washington is very strenuous, with the total distance over 10 miles and about 4,000 feet of elevation. It is a long and difficult hike, but the views are breathtaking! If you are up for a long hike to tackle two of the tallest mountains in New Hampshire, you will love this hike.
Looking to track your hikes while completing the New Hampshire 4,000 Footer List?
Whether this is your first or tenth time completing the list, this journal is designed to help you track, reflect, and celebrate each summit!
Each journal includes:
- individual pages for each mountain
- space to log stats about the hike
- sections to journal about your favorite moments
- completion tracker to celebrate your progress
- and fun extras like Hiking Bingo!
Mount Monroe and Mount Washington Hike via Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail Guide
October 6, 2018
**Always remember to leave no trace. It is crucial to pack out what you pack in and throw away your trash properly.
Alex and I hiked Mount Monroe and Mount Washington on a B-E-A-Utiful Saturday. We were camping after our hike, so it was nice to know we did not have to drive two hours home after.
Also, the drive up to the mountains was SO GORGEOUS!! Talk about peak foliage! We knew we were in for an amazing hike, and little did I know, this hike would forever hold a special place in my heart.
We began our hike on Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail at 9:00 AM on a crisp October morning with about a million other people haha. Because it was peak foliage, there were so many people hiking.
The first mile on Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail was relatively flat, making it a nice warm-up for what was to come. We had some fog in the early morning which made the trail feel mystical!
The second mile followed along a brook that eventually became the Ammonoosuc River and began to ascend more steeply. Although this trail was beautiful, especially as it follows along the river, it felt extra long to me. Some trails just have that feeling, and this was one of those for me.
We then came to the first of many waterfalls on this hike! The Gem Pool was a beautiful spot with a waterfall cascading into a small pool of water. It was stunning!
After taking in the beauty of this spot, it was time to climb! The next section of the trail was where the real ascent began, and the trail immediately began to climb steeply for pretty much the entire rest of the hike. The Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail consisted of a few boulder stairs, making some of the ascent a bit easier.
After hiking a short while, we finally came to one of the most beautiful parts of the hike to Mount Monroe and Mount Washington. This section of the trail has a waterfall running down the side of the mountain and a clearing rewarding us with beautiful views! We took a small snack break while soaking in the beauty of the trail.
Once snack time was over, it was time to continue the climb to Mount Monroe. Don’t you worry though, the trail only got steeper haha! The next section on Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail was the toughest part of the hike because we had to ascend some rock slabs, but the trail was absolutely beautiful which helped distract us.
Soon enough, we arrived at the Lakes of the Clouds Hut. It was super busy, so we decided to visit quickly, use the restroom, and fill up our waters before heading over to Mount Monroe.
Once we left the hut, we saw Mount Monroe to our right and the steep incline we had left. But the trail to Mount Monroe was only about 0.4 miles from the Lakes of the Clouds Hut. The trails always look much longer than they are!
The ascent was quicker than we anticipated, and before we knew it, we arrived at the summit! The weather was changing quickly throughout the day, so we were not sure if we would have views, but we lucked out. We had breathtaking foliage views!
We originally were only going to hike Mount Monroe, but another hiker recommended hiking up to Mount Washington and descending the Jewell Trail since it is an easier descent than the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail. The Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail was also very wet and would have made for a tricky descent, so we decided to take the woman’s advice and hike the 1.4 miles over to Mount Washington.
Crawford Path seemed like a never-ending rock pile, but it went by quickly since we were above the treeline and surrounded by beautiful views. When we arrived at the summit of Mount Washington, it was just about to go into the clouds, so we decided to find a secluded area where the clouds had not taken over yet and set up a self-timed picture. Or so I thought.
I counted down from 10 thinking the picture would have been taken by then and started to turn away when Alex turned me to him and asked me to marry him in my favorite place doing something I love. He knew this was going to be our last big hike of the season, so he made sure he proposed on the summit. Obviously, I said yes :)!! The little sneak was recording the whole thing!
After happy crying and celebrating, we decided to start our descent down Mount Washington. The winds were picking up, and the clouds were moving in quickly, so we knew we had to get moving.
Mount Washington had a lot of trails off its summit, so we had to make sure we were following signs for the Gulfside Trail/Jewell Trail before turning off towards the Jewell Trail. We almost missed the sign for Jewell Trail because we were engulfed in clouds at that point and visibility was low.
Even though Jewell Trail was a gradual descent, we were still descending for three miles which felt like it went on forever. Or at least in our minds it did! It was an uneventful hike down Mount Washington once we were below the treeline, but we did, however, step on a ground wasp nest, and got stung, so that was exciting… helped us finish the hike quicker since we were running haha!
We followed the trail until it ended at the Cog Railroad Station, so we had a road walk back to our car in the lower lot. We could have taken the trail to the parking lot, but we did not realize that until we were back at the car.
The hike to Mount Monroe and Mount Washington will forever hold a special place in my heart. The hike was tough but stunning. I would highly recommend hiking to Mount Monroe and Mount Washington if you are looking for a beautiful and challenging hike!
Have you hiked Mount Washington with Mount Monroe?
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!