Bondcliff Trail
To Mount Bond, Bondcliff · New Hampshire
Bondcliff Trail is a trail in the Pemigewasset Wilderness and the Willey Range, climbing about 3,750 ft from the Franconia Brook Trail and Lincoln Woods Trail junction to the Twinway junction. Part of it is above treeline.
Map length
8.1 mi
Climb from the low end
3,757 ft
Book time up / down (from map miles)
5 h 55 min / 4 h 23 min
High point
4,676 ft
Above treeline
2.1 mi
Steepest ¼ mile
1,644 ft/mi
Stream crossings
6 (3 fords)
Low point
1,432 ft
Measured on the map. The AMC guide and Forest Service figures usually run 5 to 15% longer.
HikerNerd routes on this trail
- Pemi LoopMount Lafayette, Mount Lincoln, South Twin Mountain, Mount Bond, West Bond, Mount Garfield, Mount Liberty, Mount Flume, Bondcliff, Galehead Mountain
- Zealand-Bonds Out and BackMount Bond, West Bond, Bondcliff, Mount Zealand
- Mount Bond via ZealandMount Bond
- Z-Bonds TraverseMount Bond, West Bond, Bondcliff, Mount Zealand
- West Bond via ZealandWest Bond
- Bondcliff via Lincoln WoodsBondcliff
Bondcliff Trail Above treeline
Mile by mile (map miles)
From Franconia Brook Trail and Lincoln Woods Trail junction (the lower end) to Twinway junction.
- 0.0Franconia Brook Trail and Lincoln Woods Trail junction
- 1.0Crosses a stream
- 1.8Fords a stream
- 3.1Fords Black Brook
- 3.6Fords Black Brook
- 4.2Crosses Black Brook
- 4.4Crosses Black Brook
- 5.6Leaves the trees: exposed above treeline
- 5.8Bondcliff
- 6.8Mount Bond
- 7.4Junction with West Bond Spur
- 7.4Back below treeline
- 7.7Leaves the trees: exposed above treeline
- 8.1Junction with Twinway
Distances and book times (map miles)
To Bondcliff
5.78 mi (total 5.78) · ↑2,838 ↓43 ft · 4 h 19 min / 2 h 55 min
To Mount Bond
1.05 mi (total 6.83) · ↑646 ↓205 ft · 51 min / 38 min
To West Bond Spur junction
0.55 mi (total 7.38) · ↑45 ↓238 ft · 18 min / 23 min
To Twinway junction
0.70 mi (total 8.08) · ↑223 ↓190 ft · 28 min / 26 min
| From | To | Map miles | Total | Climb ↑ / ↓ | Time ↑ / ↓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franconia Brook Trail and Lincoln Woods Trail junction | Bondcliff | 5.78 | 5.78 | 2,838 / 43 ft | 4 h 19 min / 2 h 55 min |
| Bondcliff | Mount Bond | 1.05 | 6.83 | 646 / 205 ft | 51 min / 38 min |
| Mount Bond | West Bond Spur junction | 0.55 | 7.38 | 45 / 238 ft | 18 min / 23 min |
| West Bond Spur junction | Twinway junction | 0.70 | 8.08 | 223 / 190 ft | 28 min / 26 min |
↑ walking from Franconia Brook Trail and Lincoln Woods Trail junction; ↓ the other way. Book time: 2 mph over the map miles plus 30 minutes per 1,000 ft of climbing.
Summit conditions
Today's conditions report1 incident recorded on this trail: Mount Bond safety record
Recent trip reports
4 reports on this trail in the last 30 days: snow or ice in 0, microspikes recommended in 0, mud in 4. From hikers on New England Trail Conditions.
- Sat, Oct 3MudWetDry
Water crossings: Low water on the crossing just beyond Zealand Hut.
Full report on NETC - Thu, Oct 1MudWetDry
Water crossings: No issues
Full report on NETC - Wed, Sep 30MudWetDry
Water crossings: No issues
Full report on NETC - Sun, Sep 13MudWet
Water crossings: Some rockhopping, not hard
Full report on NETC - Sun, Sep 6MudWetDry
Water crossings: Streams were flowing but manageable on Zealand Trail, Little River on North Twin Trail was rock hoppable. Water has come a bit with the rain recently but crossed without too many questionable steps.
Full report on NETC
Connecting trails
What to bring
From the summit forecast, Sat to MonPaid links. Backcountry.com pays me if you buy. Prices are Backcountry's, checked twice a day.
63 mph
Summit gusts
Plan a below-treeline hike
Daytime gusts near 63 mph above treeline. Pick a sheltered route or another day.
28°F
Summit low
Microspikes
Summit lows near 28°F, so expect ice on rock and the upper trail.
11h 13m
Daylight
Headlamp
Sunset around 6:08 PM, so a late start or a slow descent ends in the dark.
The rest of the list: Winter gear guide · How I pick gear
Trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Elevation: USGS 3DEP. Above-treeline areas from canopy height by Meta and WRI (CC BY 4.0). Distances are measured from the map and can differ from signs and guidebooks. Conditions change: check before you go.