Seven Summits in a Weekend: The Presidential Traverse
One ridge, seven Presidential peaks, all above treeline.
A weekend Presidential Traverse across the highest peaks of New Hampshire's White Mountains, about 20 miles over Madison, Adams, Jefferson, Washington, Monroe, Eisenhower, and Pierce, split over 2 to 3 days using the AMC high huts.
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12 stops on a real mapEvery stop pinned in order→Presidential Traverse: every stop pinned in order.
Appalachia trailhead → Mount Washington → Crawford Notch · White Mountains
Every stop on this trip, in order, opens as one driving route in the Google Maps app. No copying addresses across one at a time.
Presidential Traverse in photos: 5 of the stops.
Plan and book your 3 days in Presidential Traverse, one step at a time
- Lakes of the Clouds Hut closed for the season on September 19 and Madison Spring Hut on September 26, 2026. Madison has no self-service season and Lakes keeps only an emergency refuge room, so this hut-to-hut plan runs again when AMC reopens the huts in June. Source
- The National Weather Service forecast for the Mount Washington summit area for September 28 to 30 is rain and fog, highs in the low 40s °F, lows in the mid 30s and gusts to 40 mph. Treat any late-season crossing as a winter-gear trip. Source
How 3 days in Presidential Traverse split up
Plan 3 days for Presidential Traverse. Total distance: ~20 mi. Elevation gain: ~9,000 ft. Highest point: 6,288 ft. The Presidential Traverse is the classic high route of the White Mountains, a roughly 20-mile point-to-point hike across the highest peaks of New Hampshire's Presidential Range. From the Appalachia trailhead it climbs over Mounts Madison, Adams, Jefferson, Washington, Monroe, Eisenhower, and Pierce before dropping down to Crawford Notch, with about 9,000 feet of total elevation gain and long stretches exposed on the alpine ridge.
Day 1: Appalachia trailhead to Madison Spring · Madison & Adams
4 stops · Day one
Day 2: Across the ridge · Jefferson, Washington & Lakes of the Clouds
4 stops · Day two
Day 3: Monroe, Eisenhower & Pierce · down to Crawford Notch
4 stops · Day three
Appalachia trailhead to Madison Spring · Madison & Adams
Start at the Appalachia trailhead on Route 2 in Randolph, the standard northern end of the traverse. The climb up the Valley Way is relentless and gains thousands of feet through the forest before you break out of the trees near the AMC Madison Spring hut, tucked in the col between Mounts Madison and Adams. Drop your overnight gear here, because you reserve this hut through the Appalachian Mountain Club well ahead.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Drive from
Route 2 · base in Gorham first · DriveStart at the Appalachia trailhead on Route 2 in Randolph, the standard northern end of the traverse. Gorham sits just down the road and makes the most convenient base for the night before. Check the Mount Washington Observatory higher-summits forecast before you commit, and pack full layers, water, and a headlamp.
- Valley Way to Madison Spring
~3.8 mi · steep forest climb · HikeClimb the Valley Way, a relentless forest trail that gains thousands of feet before breaking out near the AMC Madison Spring hut in the col between Madison and Adams. It is the most sheltered route to the hut, a good choice if the weather up high is marginal.
- Mount Madison summit
5,367 ft · first big peak · HikeScramble up Mount Madison (5,367 feet) for your first big summit and a view straight down the entire Presidential ridge you are about to walk. It is a short, rocky out-and-back from the hut, so save it for when the weather is clear and the summit is not socked in.
- AMC Madison Spring hut
Reserve through the AMC · books far ahead · lodgeSpend the night at the AMC Madison Spring hut, tucked in the col between Madison and Adams. You reserve it through the Appalachian Mountain Club, and summer weekends book up months ahead. The hut provides bunks and meals, so you carry far less gear across the traverse.
Across the ridge · Jefferson, Washington & Lakes of the Clouds
This is the heart of the Presidential Traverse, a long, fully exposed day along the alpine ridge with no real shelter between huts. From Madison Spring you traverse the rocky tablelands over Mount Jefferson (5,712 feet), following the cairns that mark the way when clouds close in, before the long pull up to the highest point in the Northeast.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Mount Adams (optional)
5,793 ft · 2nd-highest in NH · HikeIf weather and energy allow, tag Mount Adams (5,793 feet), the second-highest peak in New Hampshire, before heading south along the ridge. It is fully exposed, so only go up in clear conditions and turn back if the weather shifts.
- Mount Jefferson
5,712 ft · alpine tablelands · HikeTraverse the rocky alpine tablelands over Mount Jefferson (5,712 feet), following the cairns that mark the way when clouds close in. This is the heart of the traverse, a long exposed stretch with no real shelter between the huts.
- Mount Washington summit
6,288 ft · highest in the Northeast · HikeMount Washington (6,288 feet) is the highest point in the Northeast and the most dangerous stretch of the trip, with some of the worst weather on Earth. If the higher-summits forecast is bad, do not go up; the weather kills hikers here. From the summit it is a short, steep descent to the Lakes of the Clouds hut.
- AMC Lakes of the Clouds hut
Highest AMC hut · reserve ahead · lodgeSpend the night at the AMC Lakes of the Clouds hut, the highest hut in the system, set just below Mount Washington. You reserve it through the Appalachian Mountain Club, and it is the only sheltered stop for this central section of the ridge, so book early.
Monroe, Eisenhower & Pierce · down to Crawford Notch
The final day is the gentlest stretch of the traverse, rolling south over the lower Southern Presidentials. From Lakes of the Clouds you climb Mount Monroe (5,372 feet) right above the hut, then continue over the broad dome of Mount Eisenhower (4,780 feet) and Mount Pierce (4,310 feet), with the ridge slowly dropping back toward the treeline.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Mount Monroe
5,372 ft · above the hut · HikeClimb Mount Monroe (5,372 feet), which rises right above the Lakes of the Clouds hut, to start the gentler final day. You are still above treeline here, so keep an eye on the weather as you begin the run south over the Southern Presidentials.
- Eisenhower & Pierce
4,780 ft & 4,310 ft · Southern Presidentials · HikeContinue over the broad dome of Mount Eisenhower (4,780 feet) and Mount Pierce (4,310 feet), the gentler Southern Presidentials, as the ridge slowly drops back toward the treeline. These are the easiest summits of the traverse but still fully exposed up top.
Crawford Path to Crawford NotchLong forest descent · the finish · HikeFrom Mount Pierce the Crawford Path descends through the forest to your finish at Crawford Notch on Route 302. It is a long but straightforward downhill, and a fine way to end the traverse as you drop back under the trees.
- Shuttle or second car at Crawford Notch
One-way hike · ~1 hr back to the start · DriveBecause the traverse is point-to-point, you need a shuttle or a second car waiting at Crawford Notch, about an hour by road from the Appalachia trailhead where you started. From here it is roughly 1.5 hours to Manchester (MHT) or about 2 hours to Portland (PWM), so plan your pickup and drive out with daylight to spare.
Book the 2 nights
Beds near the trailheads are the one thing on this trip that genuinely runs out. Everything else can be decided later.
Tell us your dates and we will do the checking. We find what is still open near each trailhead and email you this plan back with a booking link for each night. Nothing is charged and you decide at the end.
Request to bookWhat to pack for Presidential Traverse
Built from this route, not a generic list. Every line says why it is here.
On every day of this trip
On your feet
Because you are sleeping indoors
For the driving days
What we actually learned on the ridge.
Respect Mount Washington's weather
Mount Washington has some of the worst weather in the world, with a record 231 mph wind gust and the chance of freezing temperatures and whiteouts any month of the year. Hikers have died of exposure here. Check the Mount Washington Observatory higher-summits forecast before you go and turn back if it is bad.
Reserve the AMC high huts early
Madison Spring and Lakes of the Clouds are the only sheltered overnight stops on the ridge, and you reserve them through the Appalachian Mountain Club. Summer weekends book up far ahead, so lock in your dates as early as you can or plan around what is available.
It is a one-way hike, so plan the logistics
The traverse runs point-to-point from the Appalachia trailhead to Crawford Notch, about an hour apart by road. Arrange a shuttle or leave a second car at the finish before you start, because there is no easy way to loop back to where you parked.
Pack full layers and weather gear
Most of this route is above treeline and fully exposed. Carry insulating layers, a wind and rain shell, hat and gloves, plenty of water, food, and a headlamp every day, even when the forecast looks fine. Conditions on the ridge change fast.
Go late June through September
The reliable window is late June through September, when the huts are staffed and the worst of the snow and ice is gone. Snow and ice are possible into June and again from October, which turns the traverse into a serious mountaineering route rather than a hike.
Know your bail-out options
Bail-out trails off the ridge are limited and often long and steep, dropping toward Pinkham or Crawford Notch. Study them before you go so you know your escape routes, and do not count on cell service once you are committed to the alpine ridge.
Presidential Traverse: questions before you go
Presidential Traverse: the questions people ask most.
The Presidential Traverse is a roughly 20-mile point-to-point hike across the highest peaks of New Hampshire's Presidential Range in the White Mountains. It crosses Mounts Madison, Adams, Jefferson, Washington, Monroe, Eisenhower, and Pierce, with about 9,000 feet of total elevation gain and long stretches above treeline. The high point is Mount Washington at 6,288 feet, the highest summit in the Northeast.
Very fit hikers do the whole Presidential Traverse in one extremely long day, but most people split it over 2 to 3 days using the AMC high huts at Madison Spring and Lakes of the Clouds. A weekend with two hut nights gives you a much safer margin to wait out bad weather and to enjoy the ridge rather than racing the daylight.
It is a serious, strenuous route. You cover about 20 miles with roughly 9,000 feet of elevation gain over rocky, often steep terrain, much of it fully exposed above treeline. The mileage is only part of it; the bigger challenge is the weather and the lack of shelter, so good fitness, navigation, and mountain judgment all matter.
Late June through September is the best window, when the AMC huts are staffed and most of the snow and ice has melted off the high ridge. Snow and ice are possible into June and again from October onward, which turns the traverse into a serious winter mountaineering objective rather than a hike. Always check the Mount Washington Observatory higher-summits forecast first.
You reserve the Madison Spring and Lakes of the Clouds huts through the Appalachian Mountain Club. These are the only sheltered overnight stops on the ridge and they book up far ahead for summer weekends, so reserve as early as you can. The huts provide bunks and meals, which lets you carry far less gear across the traverse.
Mount Washington has some of the worst weather in the world. The observatory recorded a 231 mph wind gust, and the summit can flip from sunshine to a freezing whiteout in minutes any month of the year. Hikers have died of exposure here. Check the higher-summits forecast before you go, carry full layers, and turn back if conditions are bad above treeline.
Follow the AMC rule: if visibility drops or the clouds turn black, abandon the summit push right away and drop below treeline on the nearest escape trail. Blizzards and freezing whiteouts can strike the exposed Presidential ridge even in mid-July, so do not gamble on pushing through. Study the bail-out trails toward Pinkham or Crawford Notch before you start, and never count on cell service once you are committed to the alpine ridge.
Yes, or a shuttle. The traverse is a one-way, point-to-point hike from the Appalachia trailhead on Route 2 to Crawford Notch on Route 302, which are about an hour apart by road. Most hikers leave a second car at the finish or arrange a shuttle so they are not stranded when they come off the ridge.
Gorham, New Hampshire, sits closest to the northern Appalachia trailhead, while North Conway is a larger base to the south near Crawford Notch. Either makes a good spot to spend the night before you start and after you finish. The nearest airports are Portland (PWM) and Manchester (MHT), both roughly 1.5 to 2 hours from the trailheads.
Yes. Tell us your dates and we check what is still open for the plan on this page, then send it back with a booking link for each night and the total. Nothing is charged and nothing is held, and you pay the normal rate.
Pick how you want to go.
Same 3-day route. Same 8 stops.
- 2 nights, a bunk at Madison Spring, then Lakes of the Clouds
- $724
- Rental car, 3 days
- $180
- Gas, about 27 miles
- $10
- A private local guide, rooms and campsites booked
- Included
- Airport pickup and every drive
- Included
- Park, permit and campsite fees paid
- Included
- All the gear and the trail meals
- Included
Written and walked by Yulia Vasilyeva · Co-founder · Lead planner and guide
Three years leading guided hikes in the Pacific Northwest, rated 5.0 by 20+ verified guests, and she builds every custom itinerary herself. Based in Seattle.
Last checked September 2026
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