Hike East Osceola Mountain
7.6 Miles
2309 Feet
Photography, Hiking
Intermediate
Spring, Summer, Autumn
Out-and-Back
Fresh mountain air and rich forest wilderness make for a thrilling yet calming hike up into the heights of the White Mountains.
Start out at the Greeley Pond trailhead off of the Kancamagus Highway. After 1.3 miles the trail splits--bear right to get onto the Mt. Osceola Trail. Continue 1.5 miles to the summit. This summit hike offers a different kind of reward. Views are limited from the peak of Mt. Osceoloa, which allows you to focus on your immediate surroundings. Enjoy the fresh mountain air and the gorgeous trees rising up around you. Bring a snack and kick back under the trees, immersing in the natural beauty of Mt. Osceola.
The summit of East Osceola is completely treed and marked with a very large cairn. I actually walked about 0.2 miles past it and started going downhill quite a bit before I realized that maybe I missed it. The views are from a viewpoint just before the summit. Overall the hike is extremely steep up, straight up large boulders. Definitely one of the more difficult of the 4000 footers I've done.
Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations.
Nearby Lodging
Pondwood Pines in Wonalancet
Tamworth, New Hampshire
River's Edge Mountain Valley
Conway, New Hampshire
Lava Rock
Tuftonboro, New Hampshire
Reviews
Overall rating:
Nice, easy hike
This is a lovely day hike with decent views of surrounding mountains. Close to Waterville Valley as well.
Views are limited
The hike up East Osceola is no joke. I have done many 4000 footers in the Whites, but East Osceola has some of the steepest elevation. The views at the top are good, but only from the lookout. The summit is tree covered, so that is a little disappointing after working so hard!
