| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Owl's Head, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Lincoln Woods Trail, Black Pond Trail, bushwhack, Lincoln Brook Trail, Owl's Head Path |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, July 27, 2019 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Got to Lincoln Woods Trail head at 6:45 on a Saturday and the lot was already full. Ended up parking on the Kancamagus about 1/4 mile from the lot. By the time I was finished the cars along the highway went for quite a ways. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Only 2 crossings on Lincoln Brook Trail shortly before the start of Owls Head Path. Both were manageable by rock hoping, but poles definitely helped. Even rock hoping some rocks were slightly submerged. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Lincoln Woods trail is what it is, no issues there. Black Pond Trail was also fine.
The bushwhack from Black Pond to/from Lincoln Brook Trail was mostly very easy to follow, as at this point enough people do it that it has become a well worn herd path. Only section that can be tough is the very beginning near Black Pond. Lost it a couple times in first 1/4 mile on the way out and once on the way back near the end. AllTrails was helpful to get back to the herd path the couple times I lost it. I'd still recommend having a map and compass if you plan this route in case you wander too much from the path. Lot of mud at the end of the bushwhack near Lincoln Brook Trail terminus.
Lincoln Brook trail was very muddy. There was one major blowdown on a section of wet trail. The path leading around the blowdown had extremely deep mud (I went in up to my knee). The blowdown was about 1/4 mile before the first crossing, so I was able to walk through and clear most of the mud.
Owls Head Path did have a cairn to mark its start, though this being an unofficial trail be prepared for it to not be there. There are also quite a number of downed logs across Lincoln Brook Trail just past the start of the slide, in case the cairn isn't there. The slide up was very slippery, with a lot of scree. There was one short section of running water on the rocks at the upper section of the slide. The flat walk along the top of Owl's Head had several blowdowns. One of them required crawling under (I was able to do this with my pack on). There was also a cairn to mark the summit. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
I saw several dogs throughout the day, mostly on Lincoln Woods Trail, but saw a few on the other trails as well (including the bushwhack). |
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 | Bugs: |
It's 2019, so be prepared for bugs. For the most part they weren't as bad as other hikes I've done this year, but if you plan to go by Black Pond, they come in swarms. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Lost my compass on the Black Pond bushwhack when I stopped to apple bug spray. Hopefully it helps someone find their way out. |
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 | Comments: |
There are 2 undeniable truths to hiking the White Mountains in 2019: mud and bugs. If you are prepared for those, then you will be fine.
The slide on Owl's Head is no joke. It might be the steepest sustained trail I've climbed yet, and the loose rock makes for tough footing, use extreme caution (especially on descent). The view from the slide is quite good though, I recommend postponing any normal summit stop until you are back at the slide on the descent. |
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 | Name: |
mcordeiro73 |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2019-07-28 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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