Pemigewasset Wilderness
Nary a road blemishes New Hampshire's largest Wilderness, a bastion of hardwoods further insulated by a series of raggedly beautiful peaks that extend beyond the tree line and drain into the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River. If you make it past these welcome obstacles, prepare to enjoy New England backpacking at its best. The "Pemi" is so secluded, in fact, that I've run across many a moose, deer, even a fox and a black bear. Loggers removed almost the entire forest cover between 1890 and 1940, but 55 years of regeneration have eliminated virtually all signs of that era.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | New Hampshire |
| Size | 45,809 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 44.13° N, 71.53° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 9) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 11 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 3 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 3 dispersed campings. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 2 miGuyot Shelter ↗Dispersed camping
- 3 miFranconia Brook Tentsite ↗Dispersed camping
- 4 miThirteen Falls Tentsite ↗Dispersed camping
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
17 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 72 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Bondcliff ↗ | 8.2 | |
| Franconia Brook ↗ | 7.4 | |
| Nancy Pond Trail ↗ | 7.1 | |
| Lincoln Brook ↗ | 6.9 | |
| Cedar Brook ↗ | 5.5 | |
| Carrigain Notch Trail ↗ | 5.1 | |
| East Side ↗ | 5.1 | |
| Thoreau Falls ↗ | 5.1 | |
| Franconia Ridge ↗ | 4.5 | |
| Shoal Pond | 4 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 2.9 miCrawford Depot ↗Carroll, NH
- 4.5 miLovett's by Lafayette Brook ↗Franconia, NH
- 5 miFabyan Guard Station ↗Carroll, NH
- 6.3 miBartlett Roundhouse ↗Bartlett, NH
- 6.3 miGreenleaf, Abbie, Library ↗Franconia, NH
- 6.3 miFrost Place ↗Franconia, NH
- 6.4 miDow Academy ↗Franconia, NH
- 8.6 miRussell--Colbath House ↗Albany, NH
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for New Hampshire
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Pemigewasset Wilderness?
45,809 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Pemigewasset Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Pemigewasset Wilderness in?
New Hampshire.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Pemigewasset Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Pemigewasset Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Pemigewasset Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 44.134° N, 71.530° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near Pemigewasset Wilderness?
The National Register has 19 listings within 15 miles, including Crawford Depot and Lovett's by Lafayette Brook.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.