| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Owl's Head, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Lincoln Woods Trail, Franconia Brook Trail, Lincoln Brook Trail, Owl's Head Path, Brutus Cutoff, Black Pond Cutoff, Black Pond Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, May 12, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Lincoln Woods perhaps 1/4 full in the morning, 1/8 full in the evening. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Four: (1) Franconia Brook off of the Lincoln Brook Trail is raging and cold, bring sandals and a hiking pole. Up to the shins and deeper. (2) Lincoln Brook, off of the Lincoln Brook Trail but before (east of) the Black Pond Cutoff, is also raging and cold, up to the knees. (3) and (4) are two crossings on the Lincoln Brook Trail north of the Black Pond Cutoff, and can be crossed by rock-hopping. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
None. |
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 | Bugs: |
None! |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
This was a fun, 9-hour epic with two tricky water crossings as described above. Given that I stayed dry from the knees up, I'd say these crossings were "fun." I decided to go UP on Franconia Brook Trail and DOWN on Black Pond Cutoff/Trail, and UP Owl's Head Path and DOWN the Brutus Cutoff. Saw nobody on Franconia Brook Trail, but once I crossed the Lincoln Brook I encountered maybe 10 hikers, all coming down. Everybody (but me) seemed to be going up and back on Black Pond and Brutus.
There are a few, easily-avoidable patches of snow and ice nearing, and along the final ridge to the summit. |
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 | Name: |
Mark |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-05-13 |
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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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