Owls Head Path
To Owl's Head · New Hampshire
Owls Head Path is a trail on and around Franconia Ridge, climbing about 1,450 ft from the Lincoln Brook Trail junction to Owl's Head.
Map length
0.9 mi
Climb from the low end
1,451 ft
Book time up / down (from map miles)
1 h 10 min / 27 min
High point
4,015 ft
Above treeline
None
Steepest ¼ mile
3,324 ft/mi
Stream crossings
0
Low point
2,558 ft
Measured on the map. The AMC guide and Forest Service figures usually run 5 to 15% longer. The mapped trail stops just short of the summit of Owl's Head; these figures end there.
HikerNerd routes on this trail
Owls Head Path
Mile by mile (map miles)
From Lincoln Brook Trail junction (the lower end) to Owl's Head.
- 0.0Lincoln Brook Trail junction
- 0.3Junction with Brutus Bushwhack
- 0.9Owl's Head
Distances and book times (map miles)
To Brutus Bushwhack junction
0.29 mi (total 0.29) · ↑862 ↓0 ft · 35 min / 8 min
To Owl's Head
0.60 mi (total 0.89) · ↑573 ↓2 ft · 35 min / 18 min
| From | To | Map miles | Total | Climb ↑ / ↓ | Time ↑ / ↓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Brook Trail junction | Brutus Bushwhack junction | 0.29 | 0.29 | 862 / 0 ft | 35 min / 8 min |
| Brutus Bushwhack junction | Owl's Head | 0.60 | 0.89 | 573 / 2 ft | 35 min / 18 min |
↑ walking from Lincoln Brook 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 reportRecent trip reports
No reports on this trail in the last 30 days; the latest are below. From hikers on New England Trail Conditions.
- Sat, Aug 29MudDry
Water crossings: All super easy to cross. Water is extremely low right now.
Full report on NETC - Tue, Aug 18MudWetDry
Water crossings: We crossed the Pemi the same place we did last month - right past the Franconia Falls tent site. Water discharge rates were nice and low which made for an easy crossing. The other crossings along the way were all rock hops.
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.
62 mph
Summit gusts
Plan a below-treeline hike
Daytime gusts near 62 mph above treeline. Pick a sheltered route or another day.
29°F
Summit low
Microspikes
Summit lows near 29°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. Distances are measured from the map and can differ from signs and guidebooks. Conditions change: check before you go.