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The Livermore Trail leads from Waterville Valley over Livermore Pass to NH Route 112 (the Kancamagus Highway). The section that continues to the long-abandoned mill village of Livermore is now called the Sawyer River Trail. The first several miles of the Livermore Trail are passable by vehicle when the gates are open, as they used to be for hunting season, and are sometimes called the Livermore Road.
During warm weather months, this trail serves as access to the Mount Tripyramid Loop Trail and many short trails to points of interest. In the winter, the lower section is used for ski touring. The section over Livermore Pass and down to the Kancamagus Highway is seldom traveled in any season.
Distance: To Kancamagus Highway (NH Route 112), about 7.4 miles one-way
Elevation gain: About 1400 feet ascent to Livermore Pass, then 900 feet descent to Route 112.
Maps:
USGS Waterville Valley, Mount Tripyramid, and Mount Carrigain
AMC Crawford Notch-Sandwich Range
Location: White Mountains Region
NH 2003-2004 map I-7
DeLorme NHA&G 40-A1/44-J3 - Waterville Valley/Livermore
Waterville Valley is reached via NH Route 49 from Exit 28 of I-93, or (summer and early fall only) via the scenic partly gravel Tripoli Road from Exit 31 of I-93. The little-used N trailhead is on the Kancamagus Highway (NH Route 112) E of Exit 32 of I-93.
South Trailhead: Parking area at beginning of Livermore Road, off West Branch Road near Tripoli Road, elevation about 1560 feet
43.9658°N, 71.5133°W (WGS84)
WMNF fee site
From Exit 28 of I-93, take NH Route 49 NE about 13 miles. At the entrance to the Waterville Valley complex, turn L on the Mount Tecumseh ski area access road, fork R at 1.2 miles on Tripoli Road, after another .6 miles turn R on West Branch Road. Just across the bridge, turn L on Livermore Road and immediately turn L into the parking lot.
North Trailhead: NH Route 112 (Kancamagus Highway) at Lily Pond, elevation about 2060 feet
44.0175°N, 71.4518°W (WGS84)
From Exit 32 of I-93, take NH Route 112 E over Kancamagus Pass about 16.6 miles to Lily Pond, parking on L and trail on R
Owner: White Mountain National Forest
Maintainer: White Mountain National Forest
Special regulations: No fires or camping near highway
If the Livermore Road is gated, walk .3 miles from the parking lot to the former Depot Camp clearing, where several fee ski touring trails cross. Just across a culvert, the Greeley Ponds Trail turns L, then the Livermore Trail crosses a bridge over the Mad River and begins to follow Avalanche Brook. The Boulder Path branches R at .5 miles and the trail climbs more steeply, with the Big Pines Path branching off L at .7 miles and the Kettles Path to The Scaur L at .9 miles. The Norway Rapids Trail leaves R at 1.8 miles and the Cascade Path across a wide logging bridge at 2.1 miles. The Tripyramid Loop via South Slide leaves R at 2.6 miles from the parking lot, then the North Slide branch at 3.5 miles at a hairpin turn.
The remaining portion of the trail receives much less use. The Scaur Ridge Trail leaves R in another .2 miles, then the road makes another hairpin turn and crosses a ridge. The Old Skidder Trail leaves L at about 4.6 miles and the Livermore Trail becomes more overgrown with little elevation change in the next mile. An unbridged brook is crossed, and the Kancamagus Brook Ski Trail leaves L at 4.9 miles from the parking lot at a small open area. The trail crosses mossy Livermore Pass at 5.6 miles and descends on eroded corduroy, then parallels a brook. At 6.8 miles it turns L off its original route and crosses a ridge to descend to Lily Pond on Route 112.
Parking plowed in winter. No dogs allowed on ski trail portion, this would prevent hikers bringing dogs during the ski season on the S end of the trail.
Waterville Valley grooms the southernmost 2.1 miles as a connector in their fee network, but so far are not allowed to charge a fee. This may change as they have apparently been allowed to charge for using the end of the Tripoli Road.
Map Notes: The USGS 7.5' map shows the old route of the trail near Route 112 instead of ending at Lily Pond.
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