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The Willey Range Trail leads from near the height of land on the A-Z Trail over the summits of Mounts Field and Willey, ending at the Ethan Pond Trail. The middle part of this trail was very overgrown in 2003 and hence not recommended in wet weather. The section below Mount Willey is one of the steepest in the White Mountains, with about 1600 feet of elevation change in a mile.
Distance: Length of trail, about 3.4 miles one-way
Elevation gain: Southbound, about 700 feet up Mount Field and 400 feet up Mount Willey
Northbound, about 1600 feet up Mount Willey and 400 feet up Mount Field
Maps:
USGS Crawford Notch
AMC Franconia-Pemigewasset or Crawford Notch-Sandwich Range
Location: White Mountains Region
NH 2003-2004 map G/H-7
DeLorme NHA&G 44-D3/E4 - Bethlehem/Harts Location
The trail is located SW of US Route 302 at Crawford Notch, between Twin Mountain and Conway
North End: A-Z Trail W of height of land (about 100 yards W of Mount Tom Spur), about 2.3 mi. from Crawford Notch depot via Avalon Trail and A-Z Trail, elevation about 3660 feet
South End: Ethan Pond Trail about 1.7 mi. from US Route 302, elevation about 2660 feet
Owner: WMNF, state park from below summit of Mount Willey to Ethan Pond Trail
Maintainer: Appalachian Mountain Club
Special regulations: No fires or camping anywhere in state park (except campground)
From the A-Z Trail, the Willey Range Trail ascends to a distinct ridge which it follows for some distance before circling a knoll. At .8 mi. the Avalon Trail descends to the L and the Willey Range Trail climbs steeply .1 mi. to the summit of Mount Field, where a short spur trail leaves L to a viewpoint over Crawford Notch and the Presidential Range. The trail descends moderately and then more gradually to a long sidehill section in evergreens W of the ridgeline. After a short zag, the trail rounds the summit of a bump on the ridge and passes through an evergreen thicket before it ascends Mount Willey. From a false summit in scrub, the trail descends slightly and then climbs a ledge with W views including Ethan Pond. The summit is 40 yards further up at 2.2 mi., with the actual high point probably in scrub behind the cairn. A drill hole with chiseled triangle in the rock next to the cairn may be an old survey marker.
About 50 yards beyond the summit, a spur path leads L 20 yards to an outlook over the Presidential Range and the lower part of Crawford Notch. The trail now descends steeply, with some rock slabs and some log ladders, entering Crawford Notch State Park partway down. After nearly a mile, the trail levels off and crosses several minor brooks to reach the Ethan Pond Trail at 3.4 mi, about .3 miles above its junction with the Kedron Flume Trail.
NA
Map Notes: The location of this whole trail is not very accurate on the USGS 7.5' map, in particular the N end is W of the col and the Mount Tom Spur, and the trail passes over the summit of Mount Field then W of the summit of Mt Willey before swinging back
Topozone.com live map, 7.5' with errors
Historic 15' map, with fewer errors
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