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The Diceys Mill Trail is the easiest and most common route to Mount Passaconaway from the Ferncroft parking area near Wonalancet. The first half of the trail is an old road, followed by a moderate ascent on sidehill and then a steep ascent to the summit.
Distance: From Ferncroft parking area to Mount Passaconaway, about 4.6 miles one-way
Elevation gain: About 2900 feet, nominal on return
Maps:
USGS Mount Chocorua, Mount Tripyramid
AMC Franconia-Pemigewasset or Crawford Notch-Sandwich Range
Location: White Mountains Region
NH 2003-2004 map I-7/8
DeLorme NHA&G 40-C5 to 40-A4 (upper part wrong on map) - Albany/Sandwich/Waterville Valley
The trail is located in the NE corner of Sandwich and usually approached from NH Route 113-A near Wonalancet
Trailhead: Ferncroft parking area, elevation about 1140 feet
43.9141°N, 71.3575°W (WGS84)
From I-95 at Portsmouth, take the Spaulding Turnpike N and continue on NH Route 16 when the Turnpike ends. About 63.4 miles from I-95, turn L on NH Route 113 at Chocorua village and go W 2.9 miles to Tamworth. Turn R on NH Route 113-A and go 6.6 miles to Wonalancet.
Turn R on Ferncroft Road and go .5 miles to sign for hiker parking, go R .1 miles to lot and signboard.
While the public road continues another .3 miles to the trailhead, this is the last legal spot to park
Far End: Walden Trail near summit of Mount Passaconaway, elevation about 4020 feet
Owner: private and White Mountain National Forest
Maintainer: Wonalancet Outdoor Club
Special regulations: Sandwich Range Wilderness
From the signboard, return .1 miles to Ferncroft Road and turn R. Pass Squirrel Bridge where the Blueberry Ledge Trail leaves L at .3 miles. At .4 miles the road is blocked by a gate, but hikers are allowed to continue up the road through the field and between the buildings. The road returns to the woods and gradually becomes fainter, passing a short connector across the brook to the Blueberry Ledge Cutoff at .9 miles just before entering the Sandwich Range Wilderness. The Tom Wiggin Trail leaves L at 1.9 miles, even the WODC does not recommend this steep rough trail although they continue to maintain it. At 2.3 miles, the trail crosses the brook near the old mill site and becomes a footpath, climbing moderately on sidehill to the junction with the Rollins Trail at 3.7 miles. The Rollins Trail allows a loop to Mount Whiteface also using the Blueberry Ledge Trail.
The Diceys Mill Trail soon crosses a small brook and becomes steeper. At 3.9 miles the East Loop connects to the Walden Trail, allowing either a loop over the summit or a bypass of it. The Camp Rich shelter once located near here has been removed. The Diceys Mill Trail becomes steeper yet, ascending by switchbacks with one section beside a cliff, and ends at a junction with the Walden Trail at 4.6 miles. A short path R leads slightly uphill to a scrubby area where views are best with several feet of snow, and the summit can be found somewhere.
Parking lot plowed in winter.
Map Notes: The Camp Rich shelter has been removed.
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