Osgood Trail
To Mount Madison · New Hampshire
Osgood Trail is a trail in the Presidential Range, climbing about 3,500 ft from the Great Gulf Trail junction to the Gulfside Trail and Star Lake Trail junction. Part of it is above treeline.
Map length
3.2 mi
Climb from the low end
3,490 ft
Book time up / down (from map miles)
3 h 22 min / 1 h 52 min
High point
5,326 ft
Above treeline
1.4 mi
Steepest ¼ mile
2,352 ft/mi
Stream crossings
1
Low point
1,835 ft
Measured on the map. The AMC guide and Forest Service figures usually run 5 to 15% longer.
HikerNerd routes on this trail
Osgood Trail Above treeline
Mile by mile (map miles)
From Great Gulf Trail junction (the lower end) to Gulfside Trail and Star Lake Trail junction.
- 0.0Great Gulf Trail junction
- 0.8Junction with Osgood Cut-Off
- 1.8Leaves the trees: exposed above treeline
- 2.4Junction with Daniel Webster Trail and Parapet Trail
- 2.7Junction with Howker Ridge Trail
- 2.9Mount Madison
- 3.2Junction with Airline Cutoff, Gulfside Trail, Pine Link Trail, Star Lake Trail and Valley Way
- 3.2Madison Spring Hut
- 3.2Bridge over Snyder Brook
Distances and book times (map miles)
To Osgood Cut-Off junction
0.77 mi (total 0.77) · ↑641 ↓0 ft · 43 min / 23 min
To Daniel Webster Trail and Parapet Trail junction
1.65 mi (total 2.42) · ↑2,331 ↓0 ft · 1 h 59 min / 50 min
To Howker Ridge Trail junction
0.25 mi (total 2.67) · ↑270 ↓4 ft · 16 min / 8 min
To Mount Madison
0.18 mi (total 2.85) · ↑224 ↓0 ft · 12 min / 5 min
To Gulfside Trail and Star Lake Trail junction
0.37 mi (total 3.22) · ↑0 ↓523 ft · 11 min / 27 min
| From | To | Map miles | Total | Climb ↑ / ↓ | Time ↑ / ↓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Gulf Trail junction | Osgood Cut-Off junction | 0.77 | 0.77 | 641 / 0 ft | 43 min / 23 min |
| Osgood Cut-Off junction | Daniel Webster Trail and Parapet Trail junction | 1.65 | 2.42 | 2,331 / 0 ft | 1 h 59 min / 50 min |
| Daniel Webster Trail and Parapet Trail junction | Howker Ridge Trail junction | 0.25 | 2.67 | 270 / 4 ft | 16 min / 8 min |
| Howker Ridge Trail junction | Mount Madison | 0.18 | 2.85 | 224 / 0 ft | 12 min / 5 min |
| Mount Madison | Gulfside Trail and Star Lake Trail junction | 0.37 | 3.22 | 0 / 523 ft | 11 min / 27 min |
↑ walking from Great Gulf 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, 1 fatal: Mount Madison safety record
Recent trip reports
4 reports on this trail in the last 30 days: snow or ice in 1, microspikes recommended in 0, mud in 3. From hikers on New England Trail Conditions.
- Sat, Oct 3MudWetDry
Water crossings: NA
Full report on NETC - Thu, Sep 24MudWetDry
Water crossings: No issues
Full report on NETC - Wed, Sep 23IceMudDryFull report on NETC
- Sat, Sep 19Dry
Water crossings: None
Full report on NETC - Mon, Aug 31WetDry
Water crossings: Anything that would be called a crossing had so little flow as to be walk-across.
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.
70 mph
Summit gusts
Plan a below-treeline hike
Daytime gusts near 70 mph above treeline. Pick a sheltered route or another day.
27°F
Summit low
Microspikes
Summit lows near 27°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.