4,500 ft | Garfield | 2 routes
As of October 17, 2026
Trail conditions on Mount Garfield are currently rated Difficult. At 3:20 AM ET it was 25°F at the summit (4,500 ft), feeling like 10°F, with NW winds at 24 mph. The shortest of 2 listed routes is Mount Garfield via Garfield Trail: 9.7 miles round trip with 2,880 ft of elevation gain, taking about 5-8 hours. Mount Garfield (4,500 ft) is #17 of 48 on the NH 48 list. See the hour-by-hour Mount Garfield weather forecast for summit temps, wind chill, and the best hiking window.
Feels like 10°F
Recent Precipitation
Rain: 0.08" (24h) · 0.54" (48h)
Snow: 0.4" (24h) · 0.4" (48h)
Conditions summary as of October 17, 2026
Winter-like conditions are in place on Saturday, with subfreezing temperatures from trailhead to summit, fresh snow and ice over wet rock, and strong NW gusts to 43 mph in fog. Daylight is limited to about 11 hours, so an early start and a firm turnaround time matter. Conditions improve noticeably on Sunday as winds ease and skies begin to clear.
Expect a gradient from roughly 27-39°F near the trailhead to 17-30°F at the summit, with winds rising from about 21 mph to 42 mph. The freezing level sits near trailhead elevation, so ice and snow are likely along the whole route. Start with moderate layers and add insulation and a windproof shell before reaching treeline, where wind chill drops below 0°F.
Best Hiking Window
Saturday late morning through early afternoon gives the best light and some easing of winds, with an early start and a firm turnaround. Sunday is clearly the better day: winds decrease, skies break up, and temperatures rise toward freezing, though trails will stay icy.
Last synthesized Oct 17, 3:20 AM ET
Planning a hike here this week?
Trailblazer adds the full 7-day summit forecast, the best day to go for every peak, and conditions for each route up.
Trail: Garfield Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail, herd path, Frost Trail, Gale River Trail, Gale River Road
Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable
“FOT 48! Lots of folks out as expected. 38 @ the start but it warmed up quickly. Dry to start really fast to the top, love this trail. Lots of folks on top @ 9, windy cool but views were amazing. Lingered longer than I planned then across the ridge. Careful down the waterfall, not too bad just slow. Mud in all the usual spots, more than 3 weeks ago. Once again went right by West Peak spur. Up to East great views as always. Puds seem to get easier the more I do them. The last .6 miles to hut always kick my ass. Dropped pack at hut for quick trip to top. Great spot for the flag, just off summit in open area, it could be seen from the hut….so cool. Was planning on South & North Twin but I was past my turnaround time & really wasn’t feeling it. Quick down Gale River, this trail too is made for speed. Lots of roadside parking here too. Quick walk to car to end a perfect weather day.”
Trail: Garfield Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail
Conditions: Wet Trail
“We encountered light showers in the last few miles of the drive in, but that seemed to end as we arrived. As we got on the trail in pack covers & ponchos, most of the drops were off the trees overhead. After a while the ponchos came off, and the hike uphill generated enough heat for just short sleeves, but on the edge of needing a very light layer. There was little wind up top but cool as we layered up and had lunch at the rocks a few feet below the summit. There was absolutely no view of anything more than a couple hundred feet away. Of course, within an hour of descent the sun started shining on us. This OTHH hike was a 48 first round finish for two of us, something started 26 years ago. Another finished her 2nd round. We had a very nice tailgate party back at the cars. For those doing Garfield the first time by this route, although the trail is five miles long and gains around 3000 ft, the trail is quite easy going the first two miles, then climbs a bit more steeply but never severely so until the last few hundred yards. Getting up in less than "book time" (4 hours by the fomula) is easy on this trail. Even I beat that by a half hour, and I'm 82, so I didn't feel too shabby about that.”
Trail: Gale River Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail, herd path, bushwhack
Conditions: Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant
“Parking lot at 7am was full with room roadside near the entrance of the lot. Took us 2:20hr to make it to Garfield Ridge Trail. Lots of mud and wet slippery slabs on GRT. Herd path well defined to summit of East Peak. Black PVC canister. Had lunch at summit with views of Twins, Galehead, Owl's Head, Liberty, Scar Ridge and Tecumseh. 1 mile of PUDs between summits. West Peak also had a well defined herd path, black PVC canister on a dead tree. Headed back the way we came. Total time 9 hrs, 10.5 miles, 2600 ft elevation.”
Planning a hike here? Add it to your hikes and, with Trailblazer, we'll email you new trail reports before you go.
Trail reports across the Whites this week · Trailhead parking
Paid links. Backcountry.com pays me if you buy. Prices are Backcountry's, checked twice a day. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
61 mph
Summit gusts
Plan a below-treeline hike
Daytime gusts near 61 mph above treeline. Pick a sheltered route or another day.
17°F
Summit low
Microspikes
Summit lows near 17°F, so expect ice on rock and the upper trail.
-5°F
Wind chill
The rest of the list: Winter gear guide · How I pick gear
Conditions synthesized from: NWS Higher Summits Forecast, NOAA Open-Meteo, Mount Washington Observatory, NETC Trip Reports, NOHRSC Snow Depth.
Prominent peak with Garfield Ridge Campsite nearby. Features excellent views of Franconia Ridge.
Elevation
4,500 ft
Range
Garfield
Rank
#17 of 48
Difficulty
Difficult
Coordinates
44.1872, -71.6107
Been to Mount Garfield?
Be the first to share your experience!
Garfield Ridge Trail (5.6 mi)
AI-generated from public data. Always verify conditions before heading out — backcountry weather can change quickly.
4 incidents on file · drawn from NH Fish and Game releases and regional reporting
a 51-year-old paramedic from Fortville, Indiana
Jeremy Hooten, 51, suffered a significant lower leg injury about half a mile north of the summit of Mt. Garfield while more than 5 miles from a trailhead. He splinted his own injury but could not walk without assistance. A team of 28 Pemigewasset Valley Search and Rescue volunteers and 3 Conservation Officers carried him by litter to Gale River Loop Road, where he was taken by ambulance to Littleton Regional Hospital.
Bree Wagner, 41, of York, Western Australia
Around 3:15 p.m. Sunday August 7, 2022, Wagner slipped on wet rocks on the Garfield Ridge section of the AT and injured her lower leg, unable to bear weight. Her partner called 911; rescuers carried her out via the 7.9-mile Skookumchuck Trail in hot, humid conditions, reaching an ambulance at 11:30 p.m.
Cal Zeizler, 20, of Indiana
Zeizler became separated from his hiking partners on the Pemigewasset Loop; they reported him missing around 10:30 a.m. May 19, 2021. Conservation officers and an AMC hut construction crew searched along the route. At 7:30 p.m. a hiker located him uninjured about 0.1 miles from the Garfield Ridge Tent site and he was able to hike out.
Two 19-year-old males from Saco, Maine
Two hikers attempting the Falling Waters/Bridle Path Loop mistakenly took the Garfield Ridge Trail from the summit after encountering strong winds, then realized they could not exit before dark without proper equipment. They called 911 at 4:00 PM and Conservation Officers directed them to the Garfield Trail and escorted them out, reaching the trailhead at 7:20 PM. The hikers lacked gear to travel after dark or spend the night in winter conditions.