Mount Passaconaway - 4,043'
Hike Statistics
Total Distance: 9.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 2,950 feet
Hiking Time: 5 hours, 25 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Season: Spring
Hiking this peak in winter? Click here!
Hike date: 06/15/2019
Description: Mount Passaconaway is located in the Sandwich Range Wilderness and has views to the west and north from a lookout point below the wooded summit. The route described below is a simple in and out that ascends steadily to the summit and makes for a nice and easy hike. Using the below route, you will have the opportunity to cross a river on a log and enjoy views from a summit outlook.
Trails Used: Ascend via Dicey’s Mill Trail to the summit of Mount Passaconaway. Descend by turning around and returning the same way you came up.
Trail Summary: Mount Passaconaway is commonly done with Mount Whiteface, making for a big loop and a long day. (see Alternative Routes section below for more info). However, we chose to only do Mount Passaconaway, which makes for a nice and easy in-and-out hike. The trailhead for this hike is at the end of Ferncroft Road. As you’re driving up the road, you’ll see a big open field. After that field, the parking lot will be on the right. You have to park here because the rest of the road is private access for the residents that live there. You will have to walk along the road for about 0.3 miles, passing all the houses, until you reach the start of the Dicey’s Mill Trail. The first 1.6 miles of this trail to the junction with the Tom Wiggins Trail are easy to moderate grades with very good footing. This portion of the hike goes very quick. In another 0.4 miles, you’ll cross the Wonalancet River, which can be tricky if the water is high. Luckily, there is a log that you can carefully navigate across to get to the other side (or if your balance is terrible, you can try your luck at rock hopping). At this point, the trail will now begin a long and steady, but moderate, ascent towards the summit. The terrain still offers good footing but it does begin to get a bit rockier now.
After 1.4 miles, you’ll come to a junction with the Rollins Trail. From this point to the summit, this section of the Dicey’s Mill Trail becomes a bit steeper and tougher, as there are larger rocks and some light scrambling. This section is also very wet, so be careful not to slip! It’s only 0.9 miles from the Rollins Trail junction to the summit. There is another junction (known as the East Loop) which is 0.2 miles after the Rollins junction - keep to the left there. In a bit, you’ll find yourself at the summit! There is a nice outlook, but the actual summit cairn is further up on a spur trail - keep going straight from the outlook and you’ll come across it. After enjoying a lunch and some snacks, you’ll descend the exact same way you came up. This descent is very moderate and easy going, especially the lower half, making for a quick return trip.
Walking along the road at Ferncroft to get to Dicey’s Mill Trailhead
A large portion of this hike is located within the Sandwich Range Wilderness
Emily being brave and crossing the river on the log!
Looking northwest towards the Tripyramids from the outlook below the wooded summit of Mount Passaconaway
Looking north towards Mount Carrigain from the outlook below the wooded summit of Mount Passaconaway
Alternative routes:
One really nice alternative is hiking Mount Whiteface and Mount Passaconaway together as one big loop. The major benefit of doing this is you get to summit both peaks in one trip. This is the route we did in the winter. We did this loop clockwise, so first we ascended the Blueberry Ledge Trail to get to the summit of Mount Whiteface. We chose to go clockwise that way we were going up the steep upper ledges of Blueberry Ledge Trail rather than down them. You then take Rollins Trail all the way to Dicey’s Mill Trail, which then leads you to the summit of Mount Passaconaway. You will descend by taking Dicey’s Mill Trail all the way back to the trailhead. More information on what you can expect from this loop can be found on our blog post here. Hike Stats: 11.9 miles — 3,680 feet of elevation gain — Around 8 hours
Hiking Mount Passaconaway in the winter
We climbed Mount Passaconaway and Mount Whiteface together in one big loop trip in the winter. While both hikes can be hiked individually, the most efficient way to tag both peaks was the long loop.
We have a complete blog post on our experience winter hiking Mount Passaconaway and Mount Whiteface, which you can check out by going here!
Questions? Comments? Want to share your take on this hike? Get in touch with us using the contact page!
As experienced hikers, we always make sure that we are hiking with The Ten Essentials which include navigation, a headlamp, sun protection, first aid, a knife, shelter, extra food, water and clothes. Overtime, we have discovered some items that we always bring on our hikes and consider them to be our personal, expanded ten essentials.