Mount Passaconaway

Mount Passaconaway is a 4,043-foot summit located within the Sandwich Range Wilderness, surrounded by dense forests and granite outcrops. The mountain features multiple hiking routes that wind through mixed woodland terrain on its slopes.

The peak was originally called North Whiteface before geologist Charles Henry Hitchcock renamed it in the 1800s. The new name honored a 16th-century Pennacook tribal sachem.

The summit carries the name of a Pennacook tribal leader, and the local trail network reflects the hiking traditions that developed among early residents and visitors.

The main approach starts at the Ferncroft Road parking area and follows Dicey's Mill Trail, which has a steady, manageable grade. Visitors typically need several hours for the full round trip hike.

The northwest face shows marks from a major 1890 landslide that carved a path through the forest. This natural event eventually became the foundation for the Downes Brook Slide Trail that hikers use today.