Mount Tom, Field, Willey, and Avalon Loop

The Mount Tom, Field, Willey, and Avalon Loop is 9.4 miles around the loop, starting at Crawford Depot (Route 302). At AMC book time (half the distance in hours plus 30 minutes per 1,000 ft of climbing), that works out to roughly 5-8 hours. Most parties take longer than book time on rough or above-treeline terrain, in winter, or with a heavy pack.

The Mount Tom, Field, Willey, and Avalon Loop climbs about 3,325 ft over 9.4 miles, an average of roughly 354 ft of gain per mile. That figure is cumulative ascent across the whole loop, not the difference between the trailhead and the high point.

HikerNerd rates the Mount Tom, Field, Willey, and Avalon Loop Very hard on a six-tier scale from Easy to Most demanding. The rating comes from the route itself: its 9.4 miles, 3,325 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 Mount Tom, Field, Willey, and Avalon Loop summits 3 named peaks: Mount Field, Mount Willey, Mount Tom.

The Mount Tom, Field, Willey, and Avalon Loop starts at Crawford Depot (Route 302). Hikers' trip reports on parking at Crawford Depot (Route 302): weekends (all seasons), had space in all 13 reports, as late as 5:30 pm; weekdays (all seasons), full in 3 of 20 reports; others found space as late as 3 pm. Check the trail alerts on this page before you drive: trailhead access and parking in the White Mountains change with closures and construction.