Hale, Zealand, West Bond, Bond, Bondcliff, Flume, Liberty, Lincoln, Lafayette, Garfield, South Twin, North Twin - North Twin Trail, Fire Warden's Trail, Lend-A-Hand Trail, Twinway, Bondcliff Trail, Lincoln Woods Trail, Osseo Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail, North Twin Spur - 7-5-2026

Hiking Trail Conditions Report
	Peaks	Hale, Zealand, West Bond, Bond, Bondcliff, Flume, Liberty, Lincoln, Lafayette, Garfield, South Twin, North Twin, NH

	Trails:	North Twin Trail, Fire Warden's Trail, Lend-A-Hand Trail, Twinway, Bondcliff Trail, Lincoln Woods Trail, Osseo Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail, North Twin Spur

	Date of Hike:	Sunday, July 5, 2026

	Parking/Access Road Notes:	Ample parking at the end of Haystack Rd.

	Surface Conditions:	Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable

	Recommended Equipment:

	Water Crossing Notes:	Most significant crossing was the Little River 1.9 miles from the end of the North Twin Trail, and this could be creatively rock-hopped by headlamp. Water crossings on the Bondcliff Trail and Twinway were relatively easy rock hops.

	Trail Maintenance Notes:	The Fire Warden's Trail up Mt. Hale is not officially maintained, but is well established and very easy to follow. Due to the temporary closure of the southern 1.4 miles of the Lincoln Woods Trail, other key sections of the Pemi Loop have undoubtedly seen less traffic. There were several blowdowns on the Osseo Trail and lower Bondcliff Trail, though nothing that required walking around. It was nice to see that the footbridge about 2.0 miles up the Lincoln Woods Trail (from the visitor center) has been rebuilt! The North Twin Spur is narrow and a bit grown in, and blazing seemed sparse, but it was still fine by headlamp. The upper section of the North Twin Trail (descending from North Twin) is steep, somewhat eroded, and with loose rock in places.

	Dog-Related Notes:	All individual trails in this report would be suitable for dogs (though portions of the Garfield Ridge Trail and the section between Galehead Hut and South Twin would be quite challenging)- but the cumulative distance and elevation gain wouldn't.

	Bugs:	Moderate presence of mosquitoes and small flies, most noticeable when stopped. One application of picaridin around mid-morning kept them away for the remainder of the day.

	Lost and Found:


	Comments:	This extension of the conventional Pemi Loop was a hike I had planned for some time as a buildup to an endurance race, and the Lincoln Woods closure did not interfere with the route. Starting from the North Twin trailhead, this starts with Hale via the Fire Warden's Trail, makes a quick detour to Zealand Falls Hut, then heads up the Twinway to the Zeacliff outlook, Zealand, and the Bonds. The Bondcliff Trail marks the entry point to the standard Pemi Loop, which is then followed to the Osseo Trail (Lincoln Woods Trail is closed immediately south of this intersection), and across Franconia Ridge and Garfield Ridge. This is a formidable amount of climbing in the second half of the hike, and the South Twin ascent after 37.6 miles was the coup de grace. Trail conditions were excellent for the endeavor, with largely dry rocks, even on some of the typically wet sections of the Garfield Ridge Trail. The Bondcliff Trail had its typical muddy sections, but most of these could be avoided. The wettest segment of trail might have been the narrow corridor of the North Twin Spur. Most of the trails were unusually quiet for the Sunday of 4th of July weekend, but the Lincoln Woods closure and my civil twilight start had a lot to do with that. I encountered a number of friendly hikers between Zealand Falls Hut and Mt. Bond, and almost no one until miles later between Mt. Flume and Mt. Liberty. Though I was there around mid to late-afternoon, the number of hikers between Little Haystack and Mt. Lafayette was moderate rather than excessive. There were a few trail runners, all headed in the opposite direction, undoubtedly with similarly creative itineraries. Views were spectacular, and lower temperature and humidity made this endeavor much more pleasant than it would have been a few days earlier. Overall hike statistics: 44.0 miles, 14,050' gain, 18:20 elapsed time. Full details on Unnecessary Climb!

	Name:	Jason

	E-Mail:	kurlando7@hotmail.com

	Date Submitted:	2026-07-07

	Link:	https://unnecessaryclimb.wordpress.com/pemi-loop-plus/
		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.