Osceola's Out and Back

The Osceola's Out and Back is 8.0 miles round trip, starting at Mount Osceola Trailhead. At AMC book time (half the distance in hours plus 30 minutes per 1,000 ft of climbing), that works out to roughly 4-7 hours. Most parties take longer than book time on rough or above-treeline terrain, in winter, or with a heavy pack.

The Osceola's Out and Back climbs about 2,847 ft over 8.0 miles, an average of roughly 355 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 Osceola's Out and Back Hard on a six-tier scale from Easy to Most demanding. The rating comes from the route itself: its 8.0 miles, 2,847 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 Osceola's Out and Back summits 2 named peaks: Mount Osceola, East Osceola.

The Osceola's Out and Back starts at Mount Osceola Trailhead. Hikers' trip reports on parking at Mount Osceola Trailhead: weekends (all seasons), full in 5 of 6 reports, as early as 6:30 am; others found space as late as 6:10 am; weekdays (all seasons), full in 2 of 7 reports, as early as 10:30 am; others found space as late as 4 pm. Check the trail alerts on this page before you drive: trailhead access and parking in the White Mountains change with closures and construction.