| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mount Willey, Mount Field, Mount Tom, NH |
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 | Trails: |
West Side Trail, Kedron Flume Trail, Ethan Pond Trail, Willey Range Trail, Mount Tom Spur, A-Z Trail, Zealand Trail, Ethan Pond Campsite Spur |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, July 21, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I was the 5th car at the Ripley Falls parking lot at 8:15, and it was quite full at 3:30, including some cars questionably parked in front of the Westside trail trailhead. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All minor or bridged |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Some minor downed trees scattered throughout the day but none that were an inconvenience, and some blazes were a bit faded but I had no issue finding the trail. The ladders on Willey Range trail are pretty rough, and many of the rungs are gone or broken, but I was still able to get up without issues. There were a couple confusing spots on Westside trail where the blazes felt a little off the trail, but maybe the trail has shifted a bit in some spots? It seems to get little traffic, so there might be some unintended herd paths forming. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Going up Willey on Willey Range trail would be difficult, especially with the ladders. |
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 | Bugs: |
I was harassed by one horse fly around Ethan Pond trail, but that was pretty much it. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
This was a great loop for being in secluded wilderness, and the Whitewall section of Ethan Pond trail is amazing!
Westside trail, although following Rt. 302, has a lot of ups and downs and has a lot more elevation gain (and loss) than it reasonably should. It did a lot of meandering up and down the slope. Leaf litter made it a little obscured, but it was mostly not too hard to follow. There were many blazes.
Kedron Flume trail is easy to follow and frequently used, and the Flume itself is a nice viewpoint.
Willey Range trail is quite steep going up Willey, and the ladders are in varying stages of falling apart, but once you summit Willey it is gradual and relatively easy terrain. There is a nice ledge on Willey overlooking the notch, and a small window out on Field. Field had exceedingly friendly Canada Jays which landed on my hand, even though I wasn't holding out food. If you search around the summit of Mount Tom, there is a spot you can get a little view south through dead and blown down trees.
A-Z trail going down the west side of Mount Tom was actually really nice. I was thinking it was going to be more obscure, but the trail was very well maintained and the forest was really pretty as well!
Ethan Pond trail was excellent throughout. The view at the base of Whitewall is amazing, and Ethan Pond is a really pretty spot as well. There is a bridge over the North Fork East Branch Pemigewasset River at the crossing in between Thorough Falls and Shoal Pond trails. |
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 | Name: |
EMC_Squared |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-07-21 |
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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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