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J. Rayner Edmands was perhaps the most eminent trail-builder at the turn of the century - the 19th to 20th centuries, of course! He had a private cottage where The Perch shelter is now located and Edmands Col between Mounts Adams and Jefferson is named for him. While he is best known for rebuilding trails in the Northern Presidentials, when logging disrupted the approaches to the Northern peaks he devoted his attention to the trail now known as the Edmands Path to widen it and eliminate steep grades. Most of the trail still follows his route, but after use by hordes of hikers for nearly a century, parts are rough and eroded in spite of more recent trail work. The trail is wooded except for the very top which is in low scrub or in the open.
Distance: From Mount Clinton Road parking area to Mount Eisenhower Loop, about 2.9 miles one-way
Elevation gain: About 2500 feet, nominal on return
Maps:
USGS Crawford Notch, Stairs Mtn
AMC Presidential Range
Location: White Mountains Region
NH 2003-2004 map G-7/8
DeLorme NHA&G 44-B4/5 - Crawfords Purchase/Beans Grant/Chandlers Purchase/Sargents Purchase
The trail is located NE of US Route 302 at Crawford Notch, between Twin Mountain and Conway
Trailhead: Parking lot on E side of Mount Clinton Road about 2.4 miles N of US Route 302, elevation about 2020 feet.
N 44.2487, -71.3914 W (WGS84)
WMNF fee site
From I-93 exit 35 near Franconia Notch, follow US Route 3 about 11 miles N to the junction of US Route 302 in Twin Mountain, turn R on US Route 302 and go E about 8.3 miles. Turn L on Mount Clinton Road and go about 2.4 miles to parking lot on R.
Far End: Mount Eisenhower Loop, elevation about 4460 feet
Owner: White Mountain National Forest
Maintainer: White Mountain National Forest
Special regulations: No camping above treeline if there is less than 2 feet of snow
From the parking lot, the Edmands Path climbs gradually, crossing three small brooks on bridges and a few smaller one-step ones. After the third bridge, it briefly follows an old woods road up along Abenaki Brook before leaving it and ascending more rapidly. After a couple of switchbacks, the trail passes between two cairns and angles L, crossing a brook at 2.3 miles. The trail now levels off and circles a ridge before beginning a long traverse along the N flank of Mount Eisenhower. The trail passes through scrub of diminishing size and ends at the Mount Eisenhower Loop at 2.9 miles; go R for Mount Eisenhower (about .3 miles with 350 feet elevation gain) or L for the Crawford Path and Mount Washington. Note that the Crawford Path has been relocated in this area to avoid a small boggy area (Red Pond) and no longer follows its traditional route shown on older maps.
The Mount Clinton Road will be used as a winter snowmobile trail starting in early 2005 with cars not allowed
Deep drifting snow make make the last mile difficult in winter, and the brook crossing can be particularly tricky
Map Notes: The trailhead is shown too far N and the new location of Crawford Path is not shown on USGS maps
Snowdrifts in late April on the traverse [4/04]
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