Tripyramid Peaks Hike Loop Trail Guide
The Tripyramid Loop hike is a popular day hike located right across from Waterville Valley Resort in central New Hampshire. The most common way to hike this loop is to ascend the North Slide trail which is known as one of the most difficult hikes in New Hampshire. After conquering North Tripyramid Peak you will hike over to another ranked 4,000ft NH mountain the Middle Tripyramid. The loop completes with unranked South Tripyramid Peak which has challenging trail conditions in its own right.
Tripyramid Peaks Loop Hike Quick Facts
Virtual Trail Guide: Tripyramid Peaks Loop
Tripyramid Peaks Loop Hike Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 Stars)
Distance: 11 Miles RT
Elevation Start: 1,528ft
Highest Point: 4,050ft
Total Elevation Gain: 2,900ft
Estimated Time to Complete: 4-6 Hours RT
Difficulty: Moderate Difficulty System Explained
Class: Class 3 What does this mean?
Season: Late June- Early December (Expect snow outside of this period)
Weather: Check the Weather Forecast
Directions to Tripyramid Peaks Loop
Trailhead: Livermore Trailhead
Getting Here: From 93, take exit 28 and turn right onto NH-49. Continue for about 10.2 miles until you reach Tripoli Rd on your left. Follow this road for about 1.2 miles and then take a slight right to stay on Tripoli Road. After another .6 miles you will turn right onto West Branch Rd. Follow this for a couple hundred feet and take an immediate left onto Livermore Rd where you will find the trailhead. The hike up the Tripyramids starts at the southern end of the parking lot with a signed trailhead.
Fees: There is typically a $5 fee to hike the Tripyramid Peak Loop. This is a cash only fee.
Parking: The parking lot at the Livermore Trailhead is massive and can easily fit 30-40 cars. However, this spot does serve as a starting point for several smaller hiking trails in the area, mountain biking and locals walking their dogs. In general, you will find spaces at this lot, but it can fill up on busy weekends. There are two non-plumbing bathrooms at the trailhead that are open seasonally.
Summary
Camping: Nearby Osceola Vista Campground is your best bet for nearby established camping. You can read more about that here. Outside of this, you can backcountry camp along the trail, but camping options are not ideal for the first few miles.
Dogs: Dogs are allowed on the Tripyramid Loop hike but I would only recommend bringing experienced mountain dogs on this hike. We left Juno at home for this one, but she could have tackled this mountain without any issues. Dogs must be leashed on this hike.
Make it a Loop: The Tripyramid Loop hike is a loop. Weird right? You would have never guessed by the name. You can hike this in either direction, but it’s recommended to start on the North Slide and descend via South Tripyramid Peak.
Trail X Factors: Moisture on Rock & Loose Trail Conditions
When hiking the Tripyramid Loop, the biggest x factors are going to be on your ascent and descent. The ascent via the North Slide is very slabby with loads of rock scrambling and steep class 2 and minor class 3 hiking. If these rocks are wet, you are going to have a very miserable and much more dangerous time hiking. On the way down from South Tripyramid trail conditions are pretty poor with loads of gravel, sand and loose rocks.
Hike Tip(s): Hiking poles play a weird role in this hike. I do recommend having them because your knees will thank you while descending the crappy trail conditions of the South Tripyramid Peak. However, on the North Slide trail you will want to be using your hands and have a pair of grippy shoes to help you on the slabby rock. Beware of any sort of fungus or lichen on the rock because even on a dry day, these sections can be very slippery.
Best Views: This hike starts as a typical New England trail through green forests, following bubbling streams with relatively no views. However, as you begin to ascend the North Slide there are fantastic views of the White Mountains and neighboring Waterville Valley on a clear day. The summit of North and South Tripyramid Peaks have almost zero summit views, the Middle Tripyramid Peak has nice views to the north and south. In my opinion the best views though are hiking down the South Tripyramid Peak which has outstanding views of the entire area on a clear day.
Tripyramid Peaks Loop Hike Route
Gear Needed
- Mickey’s Mountain Kit
- Backpack
- Hiking Shoes or Hiking Boots – good traction is key!
- Map of area or GPS – I use the Garmin inReach
- Bug Spray
- Optional: Hiking Poles
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Our trip to Tripyramid Peaks: July 2020
After a failed trip up Mt Washington, I wanted to give Jackie another shot at tackling some mountains in New Hampshire. After a quick Google, we found the North Slide trail on the Tripyramid Loop hike to be a close second to Huntington Ravine. We left Juno at home for this one but ultimately she could have tackled this hike.
The hike was beautiful with some fun scrambling up the North Slide trail, great views from the Middle Tripyramid Peak and a slow going descent down the loose trail conditions of the unranked South Tripyramid Peak. This was a great hike and one that I would highly recommend for anyone looking for a fun scramble in the White Mountains.
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2 thoughts on “Tripyramid Peaks Hike Loop Trail Guide”
Can you go around steep portion through the woods?
I suppose you might be able to in sections, but that would kind of defeat the whole purpose of this hike, no?