Owl's Head and Thirteen Falls Loop (Lincoln Woods or East Side Trail) Clockwise

Having kids has changed some of my hobbies or really, how much time I have to enjoy them. While running and being active has stayed a big priority, big hikes and backpacking trips are few and far between. Instead, you can find me spending weekends in our camper at the closest State Park. Days spent scuba diving are now mornings spent building sandcastles at low tide at Town Beach. While I wouldn't trade this life for anything, I do miss some of the grander kid-free adventures I enjoyed prior to my title of "mom". While all the years have their challenge, being out of the baby stage has given me a bit more freedom and at 3 and 5 and leaving them is a little easier. I have been leaning into some of those bigger adventure days that make me feel like "me" and like the person I was before having kids. 

Lincoln Woods Trailhead Map

Sign entering the Pemigewasset Wilderness

As summer faded away and the leaves started to change, the memories of "hiking season" came back full force. Gone are the black flies and mosquito swarms, thick humidity and blistering sunny days. Instead, we are welcoming cooler nights, drier trails, and a chance to enjoy the last of the season before the leaves are gone. When September set in, I started running in the trails and planning some longer hikes. I even started planning a backpacking trip up in the Whites. 

The plans were in motion and it was mid-September when I headed north on at 5am on a Friday for my fourth backpacking trip. Truth be told, it had been seven years since I last pulled out my backpacking gear, and I had to spend some time making sure sleeping pads still held air, head lamps still works, and the jetboil still functioned. As I made my lists and packed my bag, I realized the last time I used this pack was in this exact same area, trying to "bag" this exact same peak. 

Long story short in 2019, I went out on my second backpacking trip with a friend (who had just finished the pemi-loop and was very fit and knowledgable about the route). I on the other hand, was coming back was an injury, was undertrained, and I didn't do my research on just how much mileage or elevation we were about to tackle. We went tackling the "Semi Pemi" loop which is a version of the famous and challenging Pemi Loop. Instead of hitting Franconia Ridge on the west side, this version descends down the Lincoln Brook trail to access one of the most remote 48 summits over 4,000 feet, Owl's Head. Ryan had just done the Pemi Loop and trying out the Semi Pemi loop would allow me access to some of the 4,000 footers (including the amazing Bonds), while also getting Ryan to one of the most secluded summits, Owls Head.

Fall in the Whites

Fall in the White Mountains

Higher Summits Weather Forecast

You can read all about that hike here but the cliff note version is because I didn't do my research or train properly, I ended up getting to the base of the summit of Owls Head, the one peak Ryan needed, exhausted and defeated at mile 28 on day 2 of our trip. While trying to navigate the hard to follow trail, I arrived at the base of Owl's Head Slide completely exhausted and having a smidge of a panic attack. I knew this was a tough 1-mile SCRAMBLE to the summit, up a steep and slippery rock slide, and we were already well into the afternoon on day 2 on very tired legs. While not an easy one, I made the decision to skip Owl's Head and to keep going back to the trailhead. I knew how long of a hike we had left, how tired I was. I knew my limits and I had reached them. I needed to make the smartest and safest decision I could make in the moment. I also knew splitting up was not the answer in a high bear activity with no cell phone service, so we both continued on to the trailhead, no Owl's Head summit for us. 

I felt bad for my friend who repeated this loop hike with the intention of getting this one isolated summit (that we did not in fact get). The one consolation was that I promised to come back and bag this summit as a part of a smaller hike when I was in better shape and better trained. Nearly SEVEN years later, Ryan called in on the offer and I couldn't say no. As nervous as I was, I was excited to do it, happy to be back on another backpacking trip, getting some time to get a little lost in the woods and reacquainted with myself. 

East Side Trail

On my way to New Hampshire, I left a detailed plan with Adam including the exact route we were taking (trail by trail), a map of the route, and when we would be expected to be back within range of cell service. We got to the trailhead a little late at 9:30 am after leaving the Connecticut shoreline at 5am and fighting through a little bit of traffic. We checked in with the local ranger about conditions (weather and water crossings, good on both), bought our day pass for two days of parking, donned our packs and set out for our projected 24-mile overnight hike. Due to the 2026 Lincoln Woods Trail closure, we followed the East Side Trail, a wide trail bordering the river and Lincoln Woods Trail for about 2.5 to 3 miles until we hit the Franconia Brook Tentsite. From here, we headed west, crossing the river which we had deemed safe thanks to the stream gauging information online and a chat with the ranger. We slipped on water shoes and crossed the river with our treking poles, changing back into our trail runners on the other side. From here, we headed south on the Lincoln Woods trail for just a few minutes to pick up the Black Pond Trail which would lead us to the Black Pond Bushwhack. Taking the bushwhack (which is a well-defined trail, more than Lincoln Brook to be honest) cuts off some mileage and also a few water crossings. The bushwhack ends at the Lincoln Brook Trail where you will head west and north to the entrance of the Owl's Head slide. 

East Side Trail

Prepping to cross the river off the East Side Trail past the Franconia Tent Site

Black Pond Trail

Black Pond

Black Pond Bushwhack

Water crossings

Here in the Pemigewasset wilderness, signage is scarce, the trails are not well-traversed, and you will need to have a backup GPS and map to navigate the area. The turn-off to the Owl's Head slide is on your right/east marked by a cairn and is labeled as a path, not a recognized trail. We headed east up the slide and quickly realized this ascent was going to take us longer than we thought. The route was steep with a lot of loose rock. The trail isn't really defined, but as long as you keep going UP, you will cut make it to the trail which traverses a relatively flat section before reaching the area that is the summit (wooded). 

While the summit offers nothing but a log to sit on, the views on the slide are outstanding, offering sweeping views of Franconia Ridge and the foliage. Take some time to enjoy the view becuse it is the only vista you will get on this trip, and your only chance at cell phone service if you need to download a map or check in with someone at home. It took us over an hour to summit Owl's Head and up on the infamous peak, we enjoyed the trees and a 4,000 footer beer to celebrate another 48er on the list. 

With all the loose rock and elevation, going back down the trail was even harder than going up. I found myself on my ass quite a few times as the footing under me turned into a rock slide. I brushed off the dirt and was happy to be reuinted with the cairn marking the Lincoln Woods trail junction. There is a second cutoff here, the Brutus Bushwhack, but after hearing about the search and rescue team recently rescuing someone off the Brutus Bushwhack we skipped it. The consensus seems to be that this trail was very eroded and was best used in the winter season with snow. 

Trail bordering the river

Back on Lincoln Brook "Trail" we kept heading north on the loop with the goal of ending Day 1 at the 13 Falls tent site around dinner time. While I thought the southern section was hard to follow, the northern section between Owl's Head and 13 Falls is even worse. A lot of people tackling the 48 list access Owl's Head as a very long day hike, making the southern portion a bit more traversed as an out and back (and where we saw the only human of the day). The northern section between Owl's Head and 13 Falls is not well traversed and is really only accessed on this loop, or someone on a multi day trip coming from the north. It was about 3 miles between the entrance to the slide and the tent site, miles 12 to 15 for our first day. To determine if you were on the trail (and not lost in this isolated wilderness area) you had to squint at the dirt to see if it looked a little faded, while staring at your GPS device to confirm you were actually on a trail. If you were lucky, you found a muddy footprint that let you know you were on the trail. It is also hard to determine when the trail stops to cross the brook - if you can't see the trail and you are parallell to the creek/river whatever, look across. This kind of navigating was slow and honestly, scary at times. 

The "Trail"

Cairn marking the turn to Owl's Head slide

With our late start, slow ascent of Owls Head, and slow hike traversing Lincoln Brook trying to stay on trail (ONLY possible with my Garmin GPS), we quickly lost daylight, forcing us to navigate the non-trail trail with our headlamps at 7:30 pm. We had seen one person all day, there was no cell service, and we were trying to make it to our campsite that was 8 miles from the nearest trailhead. Truth be told, I was really uneasy as we scrambled to find the trail in the dark of the forest, only visible by headlamp. It took a lot to stay calm, stay on trail, and remember we had everything we needed to be in the woods safely. 

We finally made it to the wide section of the Franconia Branch that marks the area of the 13 Falls tent site. We crossed the river, dropping our packs at our site around 7:45 which was surprisingly completely void of campers. The caretaker had also left for the season, and we had the tent sites and bear boxes to ourselves. It was probably 8:30 by the time we set up camp and filtered water. We quickly ate dinner, and tried to sleep with the campground signs warning us of high bear activity in the area. The sound of the river was comforting, and I am sure this is an amazing area to explore in the heat of the summer. I slept a few scattered hours before packing up our site and heading back on the trail for a 6:45 start. 

4,000 Footers on our way up a 4,000 footer

From the junction of the entrance to the 13 Falls tentsite, if you keep heading in a clockwise/easterly direction, the Lincoln Brook trail becomes the Franconia Brook trail (although there is no sign to tell you that). At this point, my downloaded map was no longer loading from AllTrails and I was uneasy as we tried to navigate our way from the tent site back to our car. I was very, very thankful for my GPS which ensured we were heading in the right direction, showed where we were on the trail, which direction we were headed, and the surroudning trails and topography. We smartly planned for our second day to be an easy one, and we had a flat 8 mile hike out heading south along the Franconia Brook Trail. The Franconia Brook Trail was much easier to follow, and beautiful as it descended back towards Lincoln Woods. The trail was truly stunning, with several easy water crossings this time of year and the low stream flow rates. We also had views of swamps and ponds, beautiful foliage, and moose prints and bear scat to keep us on our toes. 

Views on the Owl's Head Slide

Views on the Owl's Head Slide

Trail up Owl's Head

Owl's Head Summit

Entrance to 13 Falls Tent Site

The "trail" between Owl's Head and 13 Falls

Caretaker Platform at 13 Falls 

Along the Franconia Brook Trail

Along the Franconia Brook Trail

Along the Franconia Brook Trail

Franconia Brook Trail

All in all, we had amazing weather, all the gear we needed (and then some) and made it to the summit, our tent site, and back to the car safely. I had some anxiety about this trip before we left. I remembered that anxiety attack I had many years ago as I was unfit for that caliber of a hike and how claustrophobic I felt in the middle of the woods on a very hard to navigate trail, so far away and with no cell phone service. While our packs were definitely far too heavy, I was proud of the route we navigated, the trip we planned, and the gear we had to be safe and responsible in the woods so far away from help or service. 

I'm happy to report that even two kids and all these years later, I'm in much better shape than I was on that first attempt on Owl's Head. My legs, cardio, and stamina felt great on the entire hike, and I was proud of myself for that. My back was pretty upset with me and I made a mental note to train with a pack before my next big adventure. I spent several days on a heating pad trying to loosen up my angry angry back. I also had a few bruises from falling down Owl's Head slide and a lot of memories from backpacking trip #4. 

If you are attempting this loop, know that is has it's up and downs (pun intended), and will challenge you mentally and physically. While not a ton of elevation, there is some serious mileage to tackle, and you have to be okay with being in a remote section of the Pemi. You will need to check in on the water levels as there are many stream crossings, and I highly recommend having some kind of a GPS device. The loop will shorten a bit as the Lincoln Woods trail opens back up and you can still use this guide if that is the route you plan to take when the trail opens up again. 

Owl's Head 13 Falls Loop

48 Summits: Owl's Head 4,025-ft

Miles: 23.91 miles

Elevation gained: 4,432 ft

Duration: 12 hours moving, 25 hours elapsed 

Route/Trails: Lincoln Woods Trail (or East Side Trail and a river crossing at Franconia Brook Tent Site if Lincoln Woods is still closed) to Black Pond Trail (the only blazed trail), to the Black Pond Bushwhack (defined), to the Lincoln Brooks Trail (mile 6), to the Owls Head Path (up and down the slide, just under mile 9, marked by a cairn, back at the cairn around mile 11), continuing on to Lincoln Brook Trail, to the 13 Falls Tent Site (mile 15ish). After an overnight at 13 Falls, continue on east/clockwise where the trail becomes the Franconia Brook Trail - following this east and south back to Lincoln Woods or East Side Trail (mile 21) and back to the trail head (mile 24). Note the mileage on this route changes a bit depending on A) East Side Trail or Lincoln Woods Trail and B) Black Pond Bushwhack or not. This route includes the East Side Trail, crossing the river, and taking the Black Pond Trail Bushwhack (we skipped the Brutus). 
Fees: You will need to pay for parking at Lincoln Woods (cash or card accepted) and cash for the tent site ($15 per person)

Highlights: The Franconia Brook Trail was stunning. It was quiet and truly beautiful. The view from Owl's Head slide is also phenomenal. 13 Falls is also pretty and I wish we had gotten there early to explore while we still had daylight. Of course, grabbing a 48 4k summit was also a highlight. 

Franconia Brook Trail

Franconia Brook Trail

Franconia Brook Trail

Red Tape: 
1) The Pemigewasset Wilderness is just that - wilderness. You will not have cell service from the moment you drive down the Kancamagus. The only place you have a chance of service is at the lookout on the Owl's Head Path. Because of this, you will need to have maps preloaded or better yet, some kind of GPS device.

2) These trails are not well marked and truth be told, not marked at all. The only blaze we saw was on the Black Pond Trail. The popular trails are very easy to follow but once you leave the Lincoln Woods Trail, that luxury ends. Lincoln Brook Trail is barely a trail. You can make your way on the first half if you pay attention but the farther you get into the woods, the harder it gets to follow. No blazes, no signs, you are just staring at the dirt to see where it looks a little darker, where the woods is a little clearer, hoping for a muddy spot and a footprint to assure you. The section between Owl's Head Path and 13 Falls is especially awful and we spent all of our time with our eyes glued to our GPS to see if we were on the trail or not. Several times we would find ourselves bushwhacking, trying to find the trail, luckily stumbling upon it again thanks to the guidance of our GPS. Without a downloaded Alltrails Map or GPS unit, it would be very easy to get offtrail and lost in this isolated section of woods. We only saw one hiker after we left Lincoln Woods, someone making their way back from Owl's Head. We hit the section after Owl's Head as the light started to fade making this stressful for sure. 

3) There are several stream crossings along this loop. The water was low and we were able to cross while staying dry. This would not be the case in high water. We also had to cross the Pemi as the Lincoln Woods trail was closed for maintenance. Knowing that we were going to be crossing river and the Franconia Brook and Lincoln Brook several times, I checked the water levels before we left. Check before you go here https://dashboard.waterdata.usgs.gov/app/nwd/en/. The discharge was around 44 cubic feet per second which the website told us was low for the year. I also checked in with the ranger at the trail head who confirmed the river and streams were low. We had no issues crossing and staying dry.

13 Falls Tent Site -  At the junction of Franconia Brook Trail, Lincoln Brook Trail, and Twin Brook Trail. 13 Falls Tent Site was absolutely empty, not a single camper on a Friday night and the caretaker platform was also completely empty. At the tent site, you will find an outhouse, a designated cooking/cleaning area, two bear boxes, and 9 shared tent pads (no platforms). The water source is the nearby Franconia Brook and you should plan to filter water. The fee is $15 per person, per night which helps maintain the outhouse and tent sites. We set up camp and utilized the bear box. A mouse also utilized the bear box and was able to eat through my oatmeal packet. 

Pack List 
Gear: Backpack, trekking poles, trail sneakers, Garmin GPS 64ST, cell phone with all trails map, battery pack, two head lamps, pack rain cover, inflatable solar light, bear spray
Sleeping: Tent, sleeping bag (45F bag with a quilt), inflatable pillow, sleeping pad
Clothes: Pants, top, hat, sunglasses, layers (rain coat/pants, vest, hat, gloves, sweatshirt, extra socks), personal kit (face wipes, toilet paper, mini toothbrush, meds/advil)
Food/cooking: Water filter, bottles, jetboil, two fuel cans, utensils, snacks (mango, jerky, bars, rice cakes and peanut butter), dinner (cup of soup, dried veggies, jerky), breakfast (oatmeal/oat bars), lunch (tuna packets and wraps)

River crossings along the Franconia Brook Trail

Garmin GPS 64ST

Back at the trail sign at the end of our hike

48 List (click the links for guides)

Day hike (summer)

1. Mount Washington (6,288')

Franconia Ridge Loop
2. Mount Lincoln (5,089')
3. Mount Lafayette (5,260')  

Moriah Carter Traverse Backpacking Trip
4. Mount Moriah (4049')  
5. Middle Carter (4,610')  
6. South Carter (4,430') 
7. Carter Dome (4,832') 

Semi-Pemi Loop Backpacking Trip
8. Bondcliff (4,265')
9. Bond (4,698')
10. West Bond (4,540')
11. Galehead (4,024')
12. South Twin (4,902')
13. Zealand (4,260')

Day Hike (fall)
14. Tecumseh (4,003')

Day Hike (winter)
15. Mount Pierce (4,310')

Owl's Head and 13 Falls Tentsite Loop

16. Owl's Head (4,025')