The Bonds Out and Back is a 22.1-mile out-and-back with 4,671 ft of elevation gain.
22.1 mi • 4,671 ft gain • 10-17 hours • Lincoln Woods
UPDATE: Lincoln Woods Trail will close beginning June 15th through November 2026 when when restoration work commences.
Source: Forest Service
Effective May 1st, 2026, all overnight campers in the Pemigewasset Wilderness must store all food, food containers, scented items (such as soap, lip balm, and toothpaste) and refuse in a cylindrical, hard-sided, non-pliable Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) certified bear resistant canister. Alternative methods, including bear hangs, for storing food and bear attractants in the Pemigewasset Wilderness will no longer be permitted as they have proven to be less effective than canisters. The only exceptions are the bear resistant food boxes located at the Thirteen Falls Tent Site.
Source: Forest Service
The Bonds Out and Back is a 22.1-mile out-and-back in New Hampshire's White Mountains, starting at Lincoln Woods Trailhead. It climbs about 4,671 ft, an average of 211 ft per mile, which works out to roughly 10-17 hours at AMC book time. It summits 3 named peaks, topping out on Mount Bond at 4,698 ft: Mount Bond (4,698 ft), West Bond (4,540 ft), Bondcliff (4,265 ft). HikerNerd rates it Most demanding for effort and terrain. Check the current conditions above before committing, since weather above treeline changes the day far more than the numbers do.
Parking at Lincoln Woods Trailhead
Weekends (all seasons): Full in 1 of 17 reports; others found space as late as 7:30 am.
Weekdays (all seasons): Had space in all 24 reports, as late as 6:45 pm.
Latest report, Sat, Aug 29: Plenty of room at 7 am.
Feels like 10°F
Recent Precipitation
Rain: 0.06" (24h) · 0.61" (48h)
Snow: 0.3" (24h) · 0.3" (48h)
Best Hiking Window
Conditions synthesized from: NWS Higher Summits Forecast, NOAA Open-Meteo, Mount Washington Observatory, NETC Trip Reports, NOHRSC Snow Depth.
Summit-level conditions by time of day at 4,698' elevation
Tap a day header to expand AM/PM/Night detail
| Elevation | Today Oct 17 | Tomorrow Oct 18 | Monday Oct 19 |
|---|---|---|---|
| lo/hi °F · wind mph & dir · chill °F | |||
| Summit 4,698 ft | 16/22° 38 | 26/29° 35 | 46/48° 4 |
| 4,100 ft | 19/24° 37 | 27/30° 32 | 45/47° 3 |
| 3,300 ft | 23/28° 32 | 29/32° 24 | 44/46° 4 |
| 2,500 ft | 27/31° 24 | 31/34° 14 | 43/47° 5 |
| Trailhead 2,000 ft | 29/33° 21 | 32/36° 11 | 39/49° 4 |
4 more days of forecast: plan around the weather window, not just tomorrow.
Full hourly summit forecasts: Mount Bond weather · West Bond weather · Bondcliff weather
Planning this hike? Add it to your hikes and, with Trailblazer, we'll email you new trail reports on its peaks before you go.
The Bonds Out and Back is 22.1 miles round trip, starting at Lincoln Woods Trailhead. At AMC book time (half the distance in hours plus 30 minutes per 1,000 ft of climbing), that works out to roughly 10-17 hours. Most parties take longer than book time on rough or above-treeline terrain, in winter, or with a heavy pack.
The Bonds Out and Back climbs about 4,671 ft over 22.1 miles, an average of roughly 211 ft of gain per mile. That figure is cumulative ascent across the whole out-and-back, not the difference between the trailhead and the high point.
HikerNerd rates the Bonds Out and Back Most demanding on a six-tier scale from Easy to Most demanding. The rating comes from the route itself: its 22.1 miles, 4,671 ft of gain, and the steepest quarter mile of trail, with routes known for scrambles or ledges rated a step harder. It is the same scale our NH 4,000-footer difficulty ranking uses. Above-treeline exposure, water crossings, and winter conditions can still make a well-rated route the hardest day of your year, so check current conditions before committing.
The Bonds Out and Back summits 3 named peaks: Mount Bond, West Bond, Bondcliff.
The Bonds Out and Back starts at Lincoln Woods Trailhead. Hikers' trip reports on parking at Lincoln Woods Trailhead: weekends (all seasons), full in 1 of 17 reports; others found space as late as 7:30 am; weekdays (all seasons), had space in all 24 reports, as late as 6:45 pm. Check the trail alerts on this page before you drive: trailhead access and parking in the White Mountains change with closures and construction.
Been to Bonds Out and Back?
Be the first to share your experience!
AI-generated from public data. Always verify conditions before heading out — backcountry weather can change quickly.