No Wildcats This Year? New Appalachian Trail Reroute Bypasses Infamous White Mountains Climb

Detours are a fact of life on the Appalachian Trail. It is a footpath of 2,200 miles, after all. Structural damage, right-of-way issues, and the like are bound to crop up here and there, such that the exact distance of the AT changes subtly from year to year as minor workarounds and reroutes alter the footpath.

But this year, one small detour in New Hampshire’s White Mountains promises to change the trail in a more significant way.

Because the Madison Gulf Suspension Bridge over the West Branch of the Peabody River (FarOut northbound mile 1873.8) has failed and is unsafe to cross, the US Forest Service has published an official detour to bring AT hikers safely across the river. The reroute itself is just 6.4 miles long — but the 10.6 miles of the official treadway that it bypasses contain some of the most iconic and challenging hiking of the White Mountains and, indeed, of the entire AT.

Until the bridge can be replaced, thru-hikers will miss the infamous Wildcat Mountain, which some hikers (including this author) describe as the toughest climb on the entire Appalachian Trail. Hikers will also miss the experience of hiking into Pinkham Notch Visitor’s Center with its famous breakfast buffet, although it will still be possible to hitchhike into the visitor’s center or the town of Gorham via Route 16.

One short section of the Wildcats has an average grade of over 2,000 feet per mile, including this little scramble. Photo: Caroline

The Detour

Below are the details of the offical USFS detour, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC). This reroute has been marked with temporary white plastic blazes to take some of the guesswork out of navigation.

Northbound Directions

1. From the Osgood Campsite, take the Osgood Trail (mile 1873) where it veers left away from the AT and follow it for 0.8 miles to the junction with the Great Gulf Trail. Follow the Great Gulf Trail for another 1.5 miles to Route 16. 
2. When you reach the Great Gulf Trail parking lot and trailhead, walk the access road a short distance out to Route 16. Turn right on Route 16 heading south and walk along the shoulder for 0.5 mi. Be very careful when walking along the road. Route 16 is a busy route with fast moving cars. 
   1. Alternative: Arrange a ride up to Pinkham Notch instead of walking to the Nineteen Mile Brook Trail and then continue on the AT northbound from Pinkham Notch. (Ed. note: Doing it this way means you’ll only miss about 5 miles of the official AT and you WILL have the unmatched pleasure of hiking the Wildcats.)
3. After 0.5 mi, you’ll see the Nineteen Mile Brook Trailhead on the left side of the road. It is a large dirt lot with a kiosk at the far end.  
4. Follow the Nineteen Mile Brook Trail for 3.6 miles as it winds up to the ridge and back to the AT (mile 1883.6). Turn left on the AT and continue northbound. 

Southbound Directions

1. Just past the Carter Lakes you’ll come to the signed junction of the AT and the Nineteen Mile Brook Trail. Turn right onto the Nineteen Mile Brook Trail and follow it 3.6 miles to Route 16. 
   1. Alternative: Continue on the AT southbound down to Pinkham Notch. From Pinkham Notch, arrange a ride down to the Great Gulf Trailhead. 
2. At Route 16, turn right and follow the road for 0.5 miles to the Great Gulf Trailhead. The trailhead access road is on the left side road and has a large White Mountain National Forest sign for the Great Gulf Wilderness at the entrance. 
3. At the far end of the large dirt parking lot, follow the Great Gulf Trail for 1.5 miles to the junction with the Osgood Trail. 
4. Veer right into the Osgood Trail and follow it for 0.8 miles to Osgood campsite and the AT. When you reach the AT, turn right to continue southbound. 

Alternative: Ford the River

Alternatively, hikers could ford the West Branch of the Peabody River — although the organization warns that the crossing is dangerous and should only be attempted by those with river fording experience, and only in dry conditions. “The riverbed is mostly large boulders with deep, swift moving pools of water around them,” reads the conservancy’s announcement about the bridge closure.

Additionally, southbound hikers will not have a good option to detour around the river if they reach it and find conditions unsafe for crossing. “It is extremely important to exercise good judgment and be realistic about your ability to ford the river. We strongly recommend taking the detour.”

Regardless, the ATC has said that both the USFS detour and the river ford are acceptable for its 2,000-miler program.

While there is no replacing the quad-crushing, dignity-destroying sufferfest that is the Wildcats, 2025 thru-hikers may comfort themselves with the knowledge that immediately upon rejoining the AT, they can at least climb 1500 feet in 1.2 miles to the summit of Carter Dome.

Read the full details of the bridge closure and detour here.

Featured image: Jeff McCorkle

All mileages based on the FarOut Appalachian Trail Guide’s northbound miles.