1.9 mi of trail, end to end · about 50 ft of climbing · 700 ft of descent · 2,045 ft–2,690 ft · native material surface · trail No. 31438 · trail class 3 · typical grade 10-12% · tread 18-24 inches wide · hiking, bike
TrailheadsMadison Gulf / Old Jackson Road North Trailhead 2,691 ft Drive there · Pinkham Notch Trailhead 2,032 ft Drive there
Madison Gulf / Old Jackson Road North Trailhead the Forest Service's write-up
The Madison Gulf trail leads through the Great Gulf Wilderness to Madison Gulf, a very steep and rocky area with several ledge outcroppings, bouldery areas and a chimney with loose rock (not recommended for descent). Old Jackson Road, part of the Appalachian Trail, has moderate grades and decent footing as it leads to Pinkham Notch.
The lines are the US Forest Service's National Forest System trails layer (public domain), read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end, and the class, surface, grade and tread width are the forest's own entries where it publishes them - a forest that publishes the centreline alone has none. The trailheads and the points along the way are the Service's recreation points, and the write-ups its own recarea text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the forest's own site before you go.
