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The Gulfside Trail is one of the premier trails of the White Mountains if not the world, leading from the AMC Madison Spring Hut to near the summit of Mount Washington. Much of it was graded in the 19th century, so the footing is much better than most above-treeline trails. Almost the entire length is above treeline, spectacular in good weather and potentially disasterous in bad weather. Many of the cairns marking the trail have the top rock painted yellow for greater visibility, and to distinguish the Gulfside from other trails in the Northern Presidentials. The main trail bypasses all the summits although there are loops over the most significant ones.
This trail receives some of the coldest and wettest weather in New Hampshire. Temperatures on Mount Washington are often 30 degrees below those in the southern parts of the state, so even cool summer days may produce ice. Snow patches often linger into June and lasting snow starts in October. There is often fog which hides the trail and almost no shelter from high winds or lightning. Do yourself a favor and save this trail for the nice weather it deserves.
Distance: Madison Hut to Crawford Path near Mount Washington summit, about 5.7 miles one-way
Elevation gain: About 2400 feet, about 1000 feet on return
Maps:
USGS Mount Washington
AMC Presidential Range
Location: White Mountains Region
NH 2003-2004 map G-8
DeLorme NHA&G 49-J6 to 44-A6 - Low and Burbanks Grant/Thompson and Meserves Purchase/Sargents Purchase
The trail is located SW of US Route 2 and NH Route 16 at Gorham, and NE of US Route 3 and US Route 302 at Twin Mountain
North End: AMC Madison Spring Hut, elevation about 4800 feet
South End: Crawford Path near summit of Mount Washington, elevation about 6150 feet
Owner: White Mountain National Forest and state
Maintainer: White Mountain National Forest
Special regulations: No fires or camping near hut or in state park, or above treeline unless there is at least 2 feet of snow
From the hut, the Gulfside Trail heads uphill toward Mount Adams, soon beginning a steep climb. At .3 miles, the trail reaches a shoulder and the grade moderates. The Airline enters R from Appalachia and soon leaves L for the summit of Mount Adams, which is about .6 miles and 700 feet of climb from here: Mount Quincy Adams is a short rock hop from this trail higher up. The Gulfside angles up the slope to Thunderstorm Junction at .9 miles. This point is near the col between Mount Adams and Mount Sam Adams, and is marked by one of the largest cairns in the White Mountains.
The Gulfside heads L of Mount Sam Adams and begins a gradual descent. Soon the Israel Ridge Path enters L from the summit of Mount Adams, to leave R half a mile later near the small nubble known as Adams 5. The descent becomes steeper to Edmands Col at 2.2 miles, where a short-lived emergency Quonset shelter was removed after it attracted too many emergency campers. The Edmands Col Cutoff to the Six Husbands Trail into the Great Gulf leaves L, while the Randolph Path leaves R to connect to the Castle Ravine Trail, The Cornice, and ultimately US Route 2. Springs can be found a short distance along the Edmands Col Cutoff and .2 miles along the Castle Ravine Trail but the wise hiker will remember the hordes that pass by and treat the water before drinking.
The next section of the Gulfside Trail is one of the steepest, climbing abruptly out of the col. This section is often drifted with snow well after Memorial Day. At 2.4 miles the Mount Jefferson Loop leads R .4 miles with 600 feet of climb R to the summit. The Gulfside Trail moderates and crosses the Six Husbands Trail at 2.7 miles, then passes L of the summit and at 3.1 miles the other end of the Mount Jefferson Loop leads R .3 miles with 400 feet of climb to the summit. This area is called Monticello Lawn for its grassy character, and at times in the past a push-type lawn mower could be found here. The Gulfside soon reaches the S end of The Cornice and descends more steeply to the low point of the ridge at 3.7 miles, just beyond which the Sphinx Trail enters L from the Great Gulf. In another .1 miles the Mount Clay Loop leaves L to pass over that summit; the Loop is .1 miles longer, a little rougher, and climbs less than 200 extra feet but offers views into the Great Gulf and to the summits.
The New Hampshire legislature has voted to change the name of Mount Clay to Mount Reagan, but Federal policy requires that individuals must have been dead for 5 years before name changes of natural features are considered. Also, the legislature did not specifically change the name of the Mount Clay Loop.
The Gulfside Trail now begins a moderate angled ascent along the W side of Mount Clay. In another quarter-mile, a short loop path leads downhill to water. At 4.5 miles, the Jewell Trail leaves R for the Base Station Road and near the Clay-Washington col the Mount Clay Loop rejoins at 4.7 miles.
The next section of the Gulfside is sometimes near the edge of the promised Gulf, but is not particularly hazardous except if very slippery or windy. The trail nears the Cog Railway tracks close to where trains are switched onto a siding to pass, and the Westside Trail diverges R at 5.0 miles to circle the cone of Mount Washington. The Gulfside continues uphill parallel to the tracks until the Great Gulf Trail enters L at 5.4 miles. The Gulfside Trail formerly continued along the edge of the Great Gulf toward the Mount Washington Auto Road, but the present route crosses the cog railway tracks and angles R up the cone. The Trinity Heights Connector leaves L at 5.7 miles and heads directly for the summit, while the Gulfside Trail reaches the Crawford Path just beyond. Turn L for the summit about .2 miles away.
Hut and summit visitor center closed off-season
Map Notes: The USGS map gives a general idea of trail locations but not accurately enough for navigation in fog if cairns cannot be seen. The AMC map is more accurate but lacks detail and the Bradford Washburn map is the best.
Adams 5 from Israel Ridge Trail jct [7/04]
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