Owlshead
Where: Owlshead (4025 ft.), Pemigewassett Wildness, Lincoln NH
When: August 26, 2025
With: Solo
After a 40 year journey climbing the 48 NH 4000 Footers, finally there was just one left - Owlshead. Originally planned as a multi-day hike, for a number of reasons I decided to claim it with a day trip.
I was out the door at 5AM and at the Lincoln Woods parking area on the Kancamagus Highway by 7:30. It had been the starting point for many of my adventures in the past, but I haven't been back there since 2003. I was on my way within minutes of arriving, crossing a suspension bridge over the Pemigewassett River to get to the Lincoln Woods trail, which runs along a former lumber railroad bed. When I'd first walked it 40 years ago, it was named the Wilderness Trail. It followed the river upstream 5 miles to the Bondcliff Trail, then crossed the river on a second suspension bridge and continued another 4 miles upstream to Stillwater Junction
Things have changed since then. The first three miles to the Pemigewassett Wilderness boundary are now the Lincoln Woods trail. Beyond that, it becomes the Bondcliff Trail, continuing upstream to the original Bondcliff Trail. The second suspension bridge has been removed, eliminating the ability to cross the river there. The trail on the other side up to Stillwater Junction still exists, bearing the last remnant of the Wilderness Trail name, and connects back to the Lincoln Woods parking area via the East Side Trail.
Apologies for the history lesson. Now back to the hike.
The Lincoln Woods trail was its old, familiar self. Wide, even, very slightly uphill, and straight as an arrow. A sign said it was 2.6 miles to my next destination, the Black Pond trail, so I put my head down and cruised. It was cool and sunny, and the river provided some distraction from the plodding. I met only one other person, heading in the opposite direction, and 45 minutes of walking brought me to the Black Pond junction.
The next section up to the pond was a bit more rugged, but not bad, and quite short (0.8 miles). I snapped a few photos at the pond before beginning my search for the Black Pond bushwhack. This unofficial, but heavily used path cuts a mile off the official route (continuing up the Lincoln Woods trail to the Lincoln Brook trail) and most importantly, avoids a crossing of Lincoln Brook that is often difficult or impossible in high water.
Since it's unofficial, there are no trail markers but the path was fairly obvious until it came to a spot where several routes headed off in different directions. I consulted my trail app and picked what seemed to be the most likely one. It was fine for a while, with obvious footprints and even an occasional bit of flagging tape. It became more tenuous however, and a check of the app showed I was off course. That led to a stretch of bushwhacking while using the app to guide me to the trail, while also asking myself what the heck was I doing?! I was very conscious that I was off-trail and alone, so I took great care with my footsteps to avoid any injuries.
I managed to get back to the "official" bushwhack trail without any incidents, immediately headed the wrong way, then reversed course to continue the hike. The path was pretty benign and easy to walk, ending at the Lincoln Brook Trail just a short time later. The Lincoln Brook Trail is an official WMNF trail, but within a Wilderness area so there's little/no maintenance and no trail markers/blazes. As a former rail bed though, it was very easy to follow and to walk. It ran along the side of the Brook, which provided scenery and "music" for the hike.
At some point in this stretch I spotted the wet pattern of a shoe tread on a rock. Someone was ahead of me. I spotted them a bit later at a stream crossing - a young woman with a full backpack. We stayed separated for a while longer before meeting and chatting. She planned to climb Owlshead as well, then continue to the 13 Falls tent site for the night. After discussing options for the climb, we parted and I continued along the trail.
Owlshead is unique as the only 4K peak without an official trail to the summit. A cairn on the Lincoln Brook trail marks the beginning of the standard route, the Owlshead Path, which climbs straight up the mountain on a loose, rocky slide. There are no cairns or markings along the slide, but the route is mostly obvious (though I did get off track a few times). It's also extremely steep. I joked to myself at one point that I had to look down between my feet to see the trail. The rugged climb was a huge change from the easy hiking along old rail beds. On the plus side, the views of Franconia Ridge from the open slide were spectacular.
Eventually the Path left the open slide, moved into the woods, and eased off. It was still quite steep though, with a lot of climbing left. I kept looking up, hoping to see some indication of the top, but all I saw was more "up". Finally the worst of the climbing ended and the path came to a relatively level spot. It wasn't the summit however. That was 0.2 miles further along on an obvious and not-too-tough path.
There were several points along that path where I thought I was at the top, then the trail would continue to another, higher spot. Just when I'd had about enough of it, the path ended at a small clearing with a small cairn. "A lot of walking for a little pile of rocks," I joked to myself. I'd been hiking for four hours and 8.5 miles, and had just completed climbing the 48 NH 4Ks. Whoopee! I rested a bit, took some photos, looked around to be triple sure I was really at the summit (didn't want to repeat the hike in case I missed it), then began the walk back.
The woman I'd met earlier was just arriving as I left the summit. She said she'd come up the Brutus bushwhack, which I planned to follow down off Owlshead. It's an easier route than the slide, on a dirt path in the woods that descends on a long switchback across the side of the mountain (vs. the "straight up the mountain" route of the slide). It's named for a Newfoundland dog who refused to go up the slide and found his own route. I hadn't noticed the top of it when I was coming up, so I checked my app often to make sure I didn't pass it, but I spotted it easily by a large rock in the trail.
Another young woman - a day hiker with a small pack - was just finishing coming up the bushwhack as I started down. The path was still quite steep, but it was dirt vs. rock, and provided trees along to way for handholds. I had one slip on a section of loose dirt, but generally made my way along just fine. Soon enough I began to hear the sound of Lincoln Brook and the bushwhack trail ended at the Lincoln Brook trail.
While I took a break to stow my hiking poles (I'd only used them for the Owlshead ascent & descent), a young guy (dayhiker/trail runner) came along, asked if I was coming or going, then headed up Brutus. Back on the trail myself a few minutes later, another guy (also a dayhike/trail runner) came by, headed toward Owlshead. I had the trail to myself for a while after that, then met a couple in their 70s with full backpacks. We spent several minutes chatting, with them asking about the distance to the Owlshead trails and seeking my opinions on the two options. She was working on the 48 as well, and had a similar story as mine for her quest. He wasn't going to do the climb, but would be waiting for her at the bottom, then they planned to find a spot to camp for the night.
After that I was on my own again. Back on an old rail bed, I lengthened my stride and made good time back to the Black Pond bushwhack. I stopped before beginning that segment to collect some water from Lincoln Brook to bring home. Then it was back on the bushwhack, which I followed with ease back to the Pond. I could hear (but not see) fighter jets doing training runs overhead as I walked.
At the Pond, I passed a large group hanging out by the shore, but that was it for other folks until I reached the Lincoln Woods trail. In contrast to the solitude of my walk in, lots of people were walking along it, some heading upstream, and some down. I joined the downstream contingent, putting my legs on cruise control at a pace that had me gradually overtaking those ahead of me. 43 minutes later, I was back at the suspension bridge and done.
The numbers: 17.1 miles round trip, 7:21 moving time, 3384 ft. of climbing, #48 of the NH 48
A final note on this hike: I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. All reports were of a very long walk (which it was) and a tough climb (also true) to a summit with no views and an underwhelming cairn (check and check). Many folks working on the 48 list put off climbing Owlshead to the end. But the long walk was pretty easy, the climb was an interesting challenge, and the summit was...well, many of the other 4K peaks had no summit views. I got plenty of spectacular views from the slide, and got to spend a splendid weather day walking in a beautiful wilderness area. Oh, and I finished the friggin' NH 48! I'm looking forward to a return visit to the area (though perhaps without the climb again).
