huckepack

Cohos Trail

Length

Stated
About 265.5 km, the stated length (Cohos Trail Association)
Map line
253.1 km, OpenStreetMap along the official track
Used for
The charts on this page, and comparing trails in the search

about265.5km

Difficulty

What
How hard the trail is, in three ways: the terrain, the climate in season and the length of the days
Scale
Easy to Hard, with the same thresholds for every trail; each takes its hardest measure
Keep in mind
It describes the trail, not how it will feel to you: that depends on your fitness, experience, pack and the weather you get
  • Terrain: DemandingPath grade: ≈ T3
  • Climate: Demanding in May–OctCold: −1 °C at night (October)
  • Effort: DemandingAverage day: ≈ 7 h 45 (an average day over 12 days)

All measures

Terrain: Demanding; Climate: Demanding in May–Oct; Effort: Demanding

Suggested

No stages
No official stages: hikers choose their own camps
Source
Cohos Trail Association

12–14days

Per day

How
The length and the ascent over the suggested 12–14 days: from the most days to the fewest
Source
Cohos Trail Association
Ascent
The terrain model's estimate (≈): no source states the climbs

19–22.1km· about 720–840 m ↑
Season

Landscape

Source
ESA WorldCover satellite land cover, along the main route
  • Forest: 93%
  • Grassland and shrubs: 5%
  • Farmland and villages: 2%

Landscape along the route

Mostly Forest

Location

Country
United States
Regions
New Hampshire
Start
Notchland (Crawford Notch)
Finish
Fourth Connecticut Lake (Canadian border)
Route type
Point to point
Travel hubs
  • Portland International Jetport (PWM)132.9 km by road · 131 min
  • Manchester–Boston Regional Airport (MHT)200.1 km by road · 160 min
Protected areas
White Mountain National Forest; Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge
Managed by
Cohos Trail AssociationOfficial website
Waymarking
Yellow blazes and Cohos Trail signs; spur trails are to be blazed red or orange
GPX
GPX trackOur tracing from OpenStreetMap
  • Trail
  • Start
  • Finish
  • Contour lines

Difficulty

Terrain

Rates
How hard is the ground to walk: the path, the climbing, the steep bits, the ground underfoot?
How
Rated over the whole main route.
Level
The hardest measure sets it
Path grade
the trail's SAC grade, stated, converted or estimated
  1. EasyT1
  2. ModerateT2
  3. DemandingT3
  4. HardT4 to T6
Climbing
the stated ascent over the stated length (else the terrain model's over the map line)
  1. Easyunder 15 m per km
  2. Moderate15–30 m
  3. Demanding30–50 m
  4. Hard50 m or more
Steep stretches
share of the route steeper than 15 %, up or down (terrain model)
  1. Easyunder 5 %
  2. Moderate5–15 %
  3. Demanding15–30 %
  4. Hard30 % or more
Natural ground
share on footpaths and trails (OpenStreetMap); never Hard on its own
  1. Easyunder a third
  2. Moderatea third to two thirds
  3. Demandingtwo thirds or more

Demanding

  • SAC hiking scale

    This trail
    T3 (our estimate)
    Basis
    The association calls the trail an arduous trek in some areas but, on average, not terribly difficult terrain-wise; it climbs nearly 40 peaks, including the Presidential Range's Mount Eisenhower in the White Mountains, the steep bare rock of North Percy Peak and Dixville Notch's cliffs, and follows old farm lanes and logging roads in the north. Mountain hiking on steep, rocky ground in places (T3).
    Scale
    The Swiss Alpine Club's hiking scale, from T1 (easy) to T6 (very hard)
    Why
    Trails rate difficulty in many local scales, or only in words; we translate each into this one so trails compare
    Keep in mind
    An estimate: how hard a trail feels depends on your fitness, experience, pack and the weather
    T1 · Hiking
    Well-made paths, mostly flat or gently sloping. No risk of falling; trainers are enough.
    T2 · Mountain hiking
    A continuous path, steep in places, where a fall can't be ruled out. Be sure-footed; wear hiking boots.
    T3 · Demanding mountain hiking
    The path is not always visible; exposed spots may have chains or ropes, and you may need your hands for balance.
    T4 · Alpine hiking
    Often no path. Hands are needed in places, terrain is exposed, and there can be easy snowfields.
    T5 · Demanding alpine hiking
    Mostly pathless, with easy climbing and exposed, demanding terrain. Needs alpine experience.
    T6 · Difficult alpine hiking
    Pathless, very exposed, with climbing and glaciers. For experienced mountaineers only.

    The scale at the Swiss Alpine Club

    estimated T3
  • Climbingestimated 40 m per km
  • Steep stretches14 % of the way
  • Natural ground70 %

Climate

Rates
How hot, cold, wet and windy does it get?
How
From 30 years of daily weather (ERA5), rated per month. Without months picked: the trail's best run of at least two season months, each measure at its hardest month. Pick months in the search to rate it for yours.
Level
The hardest measure sets it
Heat
mean daily high at the lowest point
  1. Easyunder 22 °C
  2. Moderate22–27 °C
  3. Demanding27–32 °C
  4. Hard32 °C or more
Cold
mean nightly low at the highest point
  1. Easy8 °C or more
  2. Moderate3–8 °C
  3. Demanding−2 to 3 °C
  4. Hardbelow −2 °C
Wet days
days a month with 1 mm of rain or more, the wetter of both points
  1. Easyunder 10
  2. Moderate10–14
  3. Demanding14–18
  4. Hard18 or more
Snow
days a month with 1 cm of snow or more at the highest point
  1. Easyunder 1 day
  2. Moderate1–3 days
  3. Demanding3–6 days
  4. Hard6 days or more
Wind
mean of the day's strongest wind (hourly mean, 10 m above ground), the windier of both points; over land: a point whose 25 km weather cell is mostly sea takes the nearest mostly-land cell's
  1. Easyunder 15 km/h
  2. Moderate15–20 km/h
  3. Demanding20–25 km/h
  4. Hard25 km/h or more

Demanding in May–Oct

  • Heat · July24 °C by day
  • Cold · October−1 °C at night
  • Wet days · July16 days
  • Snow · October4 days
  • Wind · May15 km/h

Effort

Rates
How long are the days?
How
No official stages: rated by an average day at the fewest suggested days, the hardest plan a source suggests.
Level
The hardest measure sets it
Average day
walking time of an average day at the fewest suggested days (length and climbs divided evenly), by DIN 33466
  1. Easyup to 4 h
  2. Moderate4–6 h
  3. Demanding6–8 h
  4. Hardmore than 8 h

Demanding

  • Average day · an average day over 12 daysestimated 7 h 45

Climate

Days in season · lowest point
−4 to 24°C
Nights in season · highest point
−19 to 9°C
Wet days a month
10–16
Daylight
8.9–15.5h
SeasonDay high and night low−30 °C−20 °C−10 °C0 °C10 °C20 °C30 °CWet days, at the highest point5101520Daylight9.2 h10.4 h11.8 h13.4 h14.8 h15.5 h15.2 h14.0 h12.4 h10.9 h9.5 h8.9 hJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Climate by month, 1995–2024 average
MonthLowest point, day high / night low (°C)Highest point, day high / night low (°C)Wet daysSnow daysFrost nights at the highest pointDaylight (h)
January-4.1 / -13.9-9.4 / -18.910.89.1319.2
February-2.5 / -12.7-7.8 / -17.6108.728.210.4
March2.3 / -7.5-3.3 / -12.712.310.630.911.8
April9.1 / -0.73 / -6.412.99.928.913.4
May16.9 / 6.410.7 / 0.714.43.113.614.8
June21.6 / 12.115.7 / 6.415.20.20.615.5
July24.1 / 14.918.4 / 9.315.90015.2
August23.3 / 14.217.5 / 8.614.30014
September19.7 / 10.414 / 4.910.203.312.4
October12.4 / 4.36.8 / -1.312.3418.510.9
November5.1 / -2.3-0.4 / -7.911.28.128.59.5
December-1 / -9.5-6.3 / -14.912.110.6318.9

Climate by month

Source
ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, averages for 1995–2024
Places
The trail's lowest and highest point, adjusted to their height
Bars
From the mean night low to the mean day high
Wet days
At least 1 mm of rain; snow days at least 1 cm of snow
Daylight
Sunrise to sunset in the middle of the month
Shading
The trail's season

Terrain

Highest · lowest point
1,362m high297m low

Gradient

Steepest climb
35 % (19°), 173 m up over 500 m
Steepest descent
−31 % (17°), 153 m down over 500 m
Gradient
Height per distance: 20 % is 20 m up per 100 m forward; 100 % is 45°, not 90°
Keep in mind
Averages over 500 m from a 30 m terrain model: steps and ladders within them are steeper
GradientAngleFeels like
10 %6°Noticeable on a road
20 %11°A steep path, slow going
30 %17°Very steep, often steps
100 %45°Scrambling

35% ↑−31% ↓

Steep stretches

This trail
18.6 km up, 17.2 km down: the darkest parts of the profile
Steep
15 % or more (9°, 15 m of height per 100 m), in 200 m stretches
Why it matters
Slow going uphill, hard on the knees downhill

35.8km

Surfaces

  • Natural ground: 70%, 174.7 km. Earth, grass, rock and roots: footpaths and forest trails. Can be muddy after rain.
  • Gravel: 25%, 61.9 km. Gravel, compacted and stony surfaces: mostly forest roads and farm tracks.
  • Paved: 5%, 13.5 km. Asphalt, concrete and cobbles: roads and village streets.
  • Unknown: 0%, 0.1 km. Stretches whose surface OpenStreetMap doesn't record.

70% natural25% gravel5% paved
600 m1,000 m1,400 m1,362 m501001502000 km250.1 km

Terrain along the route

Heights
Copernicus terrain model, 30 m grid, every 100 m along the main route; in forests it reads the treetops
Colours
Each 200 m by its gradient in walking direction: climbs warm, descents violet, darker when steeper (to ±30 %)
Ground
The strip below, from OpenStreetMap; the 60% without a surface tag is read from the way type (footpaths natural, tracks gravel)

Landscape

Forest93%Grassland and shrubs5%Farmland and villages2%501001502000 km250.1 km

Landscape along the route

Source
ESA WorldCover 2021, a 10 m satellite map
Points
Every 100 m along the main route; each takes the most common class within 30 m, so the path itself doesn't count as bare ground
Groups
Its eleven classes, folded into the six shown
Keep in mind
What the landscape looks like, not which plants grow there

Sleeping

Wild camping is restricted. In the White Mountain National Forest, south of Route 110, hikers may camp in the forest in most places, at least 200 feet from trails, under the Forest Service's rules; north of Route 110 only at the association's shelters and tent sites, the state campgrounds and private campgrounds. No campfires anywhere on the trail.

54.5 km without a bedCamping8Huts1Hostels0Rooms1501001502000 km250.1 km

Places to sleep along the route

Ticks
One per place to sleep: 8 campsites, 1 huts, 0 hostels, 1 guest houses
Counted
Within 1 km of the trail; no hotels or day shelters
Shaded
The longest stretch without any, km 118.1–172.6
Source
OpenStreetMap: it may miss places or list closed ones, so book or check locally

Water & Supply

Clean water

This trail
54.4 km without clean water, km 118.1–172.5
Rating
  1. Frequentup to 10 km
  2. Regularup to 20 km
  3. Scarcebeyond
Counted
Within 500 m: 6 taps, fountains and drinking springs, 10 refills at huts, hostels, guest houses and campsites
Refills
Guests come first and many close out of season: ask, and carry a little extra. Places marked without drinking water are left out
Source
OpenStreetMap; the counts include the approach and variant, the chart shows the main route

54.4kmScarce

Any water

This trail
54.4 km without any water, km 118.1–172.5
Rating
  1. Frequentup to 10 km
  2. Regularup to 20 km
  3. Scarcebeyond
Counted
Clean water, plus the 0 springs within 500 m
Keep in mind
Spring water's quality is unknown: filter, boil or treat it, and expect some springs to run dry in late summer

54.4kmScarce

Shops

This trail
173.8 km without a shop, km 37–210.8
Counted
2 supermarkets, convenience and general stores and petrol station shops, within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of the finish
Keep in mind
Small village shops are often missing in OpenStreetMap, and opening hours vary: check before relying on one

173.8km
Water · 54.4 km withoutPublic drinking water · 172.5 km withoutSprings (treat before drinking) · 250.1 km withoutRefills at places to sleep · 54.5 km withoutShops · 173.8 km withoutSupermarkets · 210.8 km withoutConvenience and general stores · 213.1 km without501001502000 km250.1 km

Water and shops along the route

Ticks
One per place along the main route
Counted
Drinking water and springs within 500 m; refills at huts, hostels, guest houses and campsites within 500 m; shops within 1 km, or 3 km of the finish
Shaded
Each lane's longest stretch without. "Water" counts every kind and opens into one lane per kind, each with its own
Source
OpenStreetMap: it may miss places or list ones that have closed or run dry, so check locally

Wildlife

Wildlife

Shows
Animals that can be dangerous to hikers on this trail: large animals, venomous snakes, scorpions and spiders, ticks, and plants that harm on touch
Level
Ours, read from the official source
High
A bite of a species it calls common can be life-threatening within hours
Moderate
It warns of attacks or serious harm, or places the trail in a risk area for tick-borne encephalitis
Low
The harm is mostly minor or treatable, or avoidable by how you behave
What to do
From the official sources: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; USDA Forest Service, White Mountain National Forest
Pictures
Silhouettes from PhyloPic, not to scale, each maker named with its advice; the landscape is the trail's own, drawn by us

Blacklegged tick ModerateAmerican black bear Low

Blacklegged tick (deer tick)

Moderate danger

The CDC says ticks live in grassy, brushy or wooded areas; the blacklegged tick carries Lyme disease.

If you meet one

  • Walk in the center of trails
  • Use EPA-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone
  • Treat boots, clothing and gear with permethrin
  • Check your body, clothing, gear and pets for ticks after being outdoors

Don't

  • Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter

Advice: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Level: ours. Silhouette: Guillaume Dera (Ixodes ricinus), PhyloPic, public domain.

American black bear

Low danger

The White Mountain National Forest is home to a healthy American black bear population; normally shy and wary of humans, bears can become aggressive as they become habituated to human food.

If you meet one

  • Store your food, food containers, scented items (such as soap, lip balm, toothpaste) and trash properly
  • Use IGBC-certified bear-resistant canisters, or suspend food at least twelve feet above the ground and six feet from any object
  • Place sleeping tents at least 100 feet away from food storage and cooking areas
  • Give the bear(s) lots of room, 50 yards or more, and never surround it
  • Make lots of noise and look big

Don't

  • Never feed anything to a bear, or to any wildlife
  • Don't get between a sow (mom) and her cubs
  • Don't run; stand your ground or back away slowly

Advice: USDA Forest Service, White Mountain National Forest. Level: ours. Silhouette: Abby Weber (Ursus americanus), PhyloPic, public domain.