Mt. Tom Winter Hike

Mt. Tom in the Winter – New Hampshire

Over the last several weeks this winter, we’ve been seeing photos and videos of gray jays landing on hikers’ hands up in the White Mountains, and the majority of the photos seem to have been taken on Mt. Tom. To be honest, we really aren’t bird people. We’re certainly not anti-bird. We’re not monsters. We have a borderline obsession with large land mammals (especially bears), but birds generally don’t move the needle for us. Realistically, I’d say there are about five birds that I’d be willing to get off the couch to go see: 1) bald eagle, 2) puffin, 3) penguin 4) ostrich, 5)  flamingo. Maybe a hummingbird?  Gray jays aren’t even close to making that list; however, if there’s a chance that they will land on my hand or potentially pose for a picture on someone’s head, that changes everything. Naturally, we wasted no time planning a winter hike up Mt. Tom. The jays definitely stole the show, but the hike itself made for a magical winter hiking experience.

Trail Summary

Distance: 5.8 miles out and back

Max Elevation: 4,052 feet

Difficulty: Moderate

Trail Map

Recommended Gear: Microspikes and/or snowshoes

Peakbagging Checklists: NH 4,000 Footers

Getting to the Trailhead

We ascended via the Avalon and A-Z Trail which begins at the Crawford Train Depot just off route 302 in Crawford Notch State Park. To reach the Avalon Trail, head to the Crawford Depot on Route 302 in Crawford Notch State Park,  just south of the AMC Highland Center and Saco Lake. The depot sits on the west side of Route 302, and there’s a small parking area next to the building itself, along with a row of roadside parking that runs parallel to the railroad tracks along Route 302. Once parked, cross over the railroad tracks and look for the sign marking the trailhead. Just a few yards into the woods you’ll reach a junction — Mount Willard Trail splits off to the left, so continue straight to stay on the Avalon Trail toward Mount Avalon. There’s  a fee to park at the Crawford Depot trailhead, so bring a bit of cash or check the parking pass details ahead of time. If the small lot at the depot is full, there’s roadside parking along 302 and just a short walk back to the trail crossing.

The Hike

We got on the trail shortly after 9AM on January 2. It was about 30 degrees with clear skies which was perfect winter hiking weather. Although about a foot and a half of snow had fallen a few days prior, the trail was well packed and easily passable with microspikes. The incline was moderate at first and then began to get steeper as we progressed and there were some views of the Presidential Range through the trees as we gained elevation. The mileage varies on different websites and maps, but according to the trail signs, the hike was 5.8 miles round-trip.We hiked 1.3 miles along the Avalon Trail before meeting up with the A-Z Trail and hiking another mile before reaching the Mt. Tom Spur. The spur is a 0.6 mile push to the summit and this short stretch of trail was by far the most picturesque. The height of the surrounding trees became much shorter, and the snow-laden branches created a wintry canopy overhead.

Gray Jays

The summit itself had some nice views of the Presidentials and the Pemigewasset Wilderness, but at 4,052 feet, it definitely isn’t one of the taller or more impressive summits in the White Mountains. Besides, we didn’t come for the views anyway. Within a couple of minutes, a pair of jays were perched directly over our heads, intently eyeing our bag of trail mix. This obviously wasn’t their first rodeo.

Read More: The Best Winter Hikes in New Hampshire 

The Descent

Many people choose to combine Mt. Tom with Mt. Field and Mt. Willey, but we were only in the market for one peak on that particular day. We descended the same way we went up, but since the steep trail was covered in over a foot of firmly-packed snow, there were several extended stretches where we were able to slide down on our butts. As you can imagine, it was a quick descent.

The hike was fairly challenging, but since it was only 5.8 miles total, we were down in time for a late lunch at Stickney’s at the Omni Mt. Washington Resort. The perfect weather, the jays, and the sliding descent made this an amazing winter day hike.

Looking for other winter day hikes in the White Mountains? Try Arethusa Falls or Mt. Tecumseh.