| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt Webster - Mt Jackson, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Webster Cliff Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, May 16, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Dirt lot off route 302 where the AT crosses the road. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
A bridge spans the Saco River. All other crossings are minor. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
No trail signs for the Saco River Trail at its junctions with the Webster Cliff Trail. The Saco River Trail is blazed blue.
Many of the bog bridges between Mt Webster and Mt Jackson are worn with a few broken. All were still functional.
Several easy step overs at low elevation. Some fallen trees were crossing the trail overhead. Most of these were easy to go under. The worst was a tree at about 3.5' - 4' above ground downhill from the open area with the large cairn. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Fine for dogs that are used to ledges. During the dry season there may be little water on this trail. No problem finding water today. |
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 | Bugs: |
None |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
At the start of the trail there is a large pool of standing water that is not too hard to get by without getting soaked. There were several places at low elevation where ground water was issuing forth from the recent heavy rainfall. in two places the water was running down the trail. In other places the water was running perpendicular to the trail. These conditions are not usual for this trail. Nevertheless, the water caused no problem for hiking. There was a stretch further uphill below the first outlook where water ran down the trail. The most water on the trail was between Mt Webster and Mt Jackson. There are patches of snow between the two peaks with none extending for more than twenty feet or so with a depth of 2' or less. The center of these snow patches was solid enough to bear weight with no sinking.
Ledges in the evergreen areas were frequently wet but were not difficult to pass over. Exposed ledges were mostly dry. No need for traction.
As usual, great views from many ledges along the ridge heading up to Mt Webster and at the two summits. The rhodora are not in bloom yet.
I met only one hiker on the Webster Cliff Trail from route 302 to Mt Webster. There were many hikers on the Webster-Jackson loop coming up from Crawford Notch.
The WMNF 2026 project list includes a 0.85 mile trail relocation for the Webster Cliff Trail with a decommissioning of 0.6 mile of existing trail. |
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 | Name: |
WAUMBEK |
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 | E-Mail: |
waumbek1@charter.net |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-05-16 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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