White Mountain National Forest - Osgood Campsite - Member Hike

Hike Name:	White Mountain National Forest - Osgood Campsite
Country:	United States
State:	New Hampshire
Nearby Town:	Gorham
Rating:
Directions:	PARKING – NORTH TRAILHEAD: (Mount Washington) - From Boston Metro-West, Nashua & Manchester, NH take I-93 North through Franconia Notch to Rt. 3 North. Follow to Rt. 115 in Twin Mountain, NH. Then take Rt. 115 to Rt. 2 in Jefferson, NH, follow Rt. 2 East to Rt. 16 and then follow Rt. 16 eight miles South out of Gorham, NH to the Mt. Washington Auto Road. It’s just over seven miles to the summit. PARKING – SOUTH TRAILHEAD: (Dolly Copp Campground) - Continue past the Mt. Washington Auto Road for a few miles to a turnoff for Dolly Copp Road. Turn left and go 0.5 miles to the campground . Dolly Copp Campground is located six miles south of Gorham, New Hampshire.
Total Hike Distance:	7.80 miles
Hike Difficulty:	Difficult
Permit Required:	Yes
Hike Type:	One-Way, Shuttle Hike
Hike Starts:	Mt. Washington
Hike Ends:	NH 16
Trails Used:	Great Gulf Trail
Backcountry Campsites:	Yes
Backcountry Water Sources:	Streams
Management:	U.S. Forest Service
Contact Information:	White Mountain National Forest P.O. Box 638 Laconia, New Hampshire 03247 (603) 528-8722 http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/white/
Best Season:	Summer, Fall
Users:	Hikers
Road Conditions:	Primary Paved Roads, Secondary Paved Roads
Hike Summary:	The Park Ranger warned us that the Great Gulf Trail was particularly difficult in wet and foggy weather, and he was 100% correct (especially the section between 4500 and 6200 feet). However, the clouds broke for us occasionally and the views were spectacular above 4900 feet. There’s a variety of alpine zones on the 7.8 mile hike including tundra, fir and hardwood climates. Two waterfalls drop right next to the trail, which make for nice areas to rest your screaming quads and calves. The 5000 foot descent (or ascent if you choose to hike up the mountain) will make you feel like you completed a marathon when you finish this hike.