Deep into the wilderness of New Hampshire is a serene 30-mile trail with some of the best views of the White Mountains. Alongside an all-women team, you’ll hike the iconic Pemi Loop and learn the skills of backpacking on a three-day trek, helping you gain confidence overnighting in the wild. But it gets better. Transportation, tents, daily schedule? It’s all taken care of. With like-minded women and a supportive guide, you’ll make your way above-treeline for the breathtaking ridge traverse and summit ten of New Hampshire’s famous 4,000 footers. With no obstacles in the way and plenty of rewarding hiking through pristine forests, you’ll gain a new understanding that you can do this too.
Summit 10 of New Hampshire’s 4,000-footers in a single trip
Leave the logistics to your guide—just kick back and hike
Unparalleled views along the Franconia Ridge, with no road or city lights in sight
Start your day at the famous Lincoln Woods trailhead and cross the suspension bridge over the Pemigewasset River. The first day spans 13 miles of terrain, where you will summit Mt. Flume, Mt. Liberty, Little Haystack Mountain, Mt. Lincoln, Mt. Lafayette, and Mt. Garfield! This is an incredible day of above-treeline hiking as over 3 miles of your time is spent on Franconia Ridge, where you’ll enjoy 360 degree views of the entire White Mountain National Forest. Spend the night at the Garfield Ridge Tent Site under the stars.
Distance: 13 miles / 21 km
Make your way to the AMC Galehead Hut, one of the eight High Mountain Huts across the White Mountain National Forest in the middle of nowhere—top off water, have a cup of coffee, or try their legendary baked goods (bring cash). From Galehead Hut, there is an optional out-and-back to summit Galehead Mountain, and then it’s on to the toughest climb of the Pemi Loop, the climb up to South Twin Mountain. After that, there’s an optional 2.6-mile out-and-back to North Twin as well! The final leg of day 2 is making your way down to the Guyot Tent site nestled in the woods between Guyot and the iconic, vertical Bond Cliff boasting spectacular views of the Whites. If you still have some strength left, you can go out-and-back to summit West Bond—or you can do that in the morning on the way out of the campsite.
Distance: 7.4-10.6 miles / 12-17 km
On the final day of the trek you’ll get one of the best views in the entire White Mountain National Forest—the magnificent view off of Bondcliff! There’s really nothing like it, and the effort it takes to get there makes it all the more memorable. The rest of today’s hike is gradually downhill and flat as you descend below the treeline for your last time. Cross meandering streams and ultimately follow the old train trusses back to Lincoln Woods. Downhill hiking will be relaxing and the pace on the flat terrain can be taken as quickly or as slowly as you’d like after two intense days of above-treeline exploring!
Distance: 10 miles / 16 km
What you get on this adventure:
What’s not included:
Hiking the Pemi Loop is ideal for experienced hikers who want to push their limits and challenge themselves to some serious distance and elevation gain. White Mountain hiking experience is a huge plus, and if you haven’t hiked the Whites at all, be prepared for steep and technical climbs unlike other areas of the country. The hike is structured in a way that the first day is the longest, and the distance and difficulty ramps down as you progress, offering more time to relax and explore some spur trails as well in the second two days of the journey! Expect the hike to be between 30 and 35 miles, depending on optional spurs, with the approximate elevation gain of 10,000-12,000 feet.
If you’d like to explore some other areas in New Hampshire, check out this hiking tour of the Presidential Traverse or New Hampshire’s 4k-footers.
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
Group sizes and prices:
Hiking the Pemi Loop can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
A 50% deposit to secure your place is due upon booking. The remaining amount is paid 2 weeks (14 days) prior to departure. Once the trip is confirmed by the guide, the cancellation policy stated below applies.
Be prepared for inclement weather while hiking in the White Mountains. If it is determined that the weather will be dangerously inclement, your guides will do their best to reschedule your event. If dangerous weather is unavoidable and the reschedule date will not work for you, a full refund will be given.
Your guides will pick you up (and drop you off at the end of the trip) anywhere in the Greater Boston area. To get there, most people fly into Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, you’ll decide on the best place to meet.
57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, their guides, and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in New Hampshire, please refer to New Hampshire’s COVID-19 information.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
