AMC's Lakes of the Clouds Hut

The Most Enjoyable Way to Summit Mount Washington

View of Lower Lake of the Clouds with the hut behind it

AMC huts are rustic, backcountry lodges run by the Appalachian Mountain Club. There are eight huts in the White Mountains, spaced 6-8 miles apart along the Appalachian Trail. They’re only accessible by foot. These huts provide bunkhouses for overnight guests and a place to rest, use the loo, and refill water for day hikers.

In the summer season, AMC huts are fully staffed by energetic young adults called the “Croo.” These tireless twenty-somethings haul food and provisions for the hut twice a week via antique packboards. These frames carry 40 to 80 pounds. They also prepare family-style meals for overnight guests and provide entertainment in the form of wacky skits. It sounds exhausting to me. Clearly, a job for a young person, but they appear to be having the time of their lives.

Family-style dinner at Lakes of the Clouds Hut. Photo credit: Jaime Gagnon

Since meals are included, the huts aren’t cheap. However, there’s a fall discount of $99 per night if you book in the summer. We took advantage of this discount for Lakes of the Clouds, a hut situated between Mount Washington and Mount Monroe at 5,012 feet. We booked a stay for the third weekend in September before the end of full-service season.

My son Henry, his friend Ben, and I met my hiking partner, Jaime, at the hut on a Friday night. Jaime had to hike out early Saturday morning. But Ben, Henry, and I planned to hike up Mount Washington, which is only 1.5 miles from the hut. Luckily, we ended up with perfect weather and were able to summit on a gorgeous, clear day. Sometimes the stars align.

Mount Washington Observatory

Here are all the details on our hike and stay at Lakes of the Clouds if you’d like to plan a trip during the full-service season, which starts in early June.

Hike Distance and Difficulty

This hike is rated as hard, and I would concur. The hike to the hut begins at the large parking lot off Base Station Rd in Jefferson, NH, and follows the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail. Although it’s just 3.1 miles, the first two miles are easy to moderate. The final mile to the hut is an intense climb of rocky boulders. The elevation gain is 2,641 ft, and the hike took a total of 2 hours. This is fast since I was hiking with teenagers who were kicking my butt. Be prepared for a cardio workout and some tired legs. Once that first view of the hut appears, you’ll be ecstatic.

First view of Lakes of the Clouds Hut from the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail

The hike to Mount Washington from Lakes of the Clouds starts on the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail and then connects with the Crawford Path. It’s 3.3 miles round-trip (hut to summit and back) with an elevation gain of 1,293 feet. Our total hiking time was 1 hr 52 min.

Note: The hut staff let us leave our large packs at the hut while we summited Washington. This allowed us to “slack pack,” carrying only the essentials: water, snacks, first aid, and extra layers.

Once back at the hut, we refilled water and had a bathroom break before hiking the final 3.1 miles out to the parking lot. Our full Saturday hike, including the Washington summit, was 6.4 miles and took us about four hours.

Descending the Crawford Path from Mount Washington’s summit

What to Pack

The hardest part about staying in a hut is carrying a heavy pack. They provide three wool blankets and a pillow at all AMC huts. However, you’ll need to bring a sleeping bag and additional overnight needs, like toiletries and extra clothing. Here’s a list of extra items to bring for the hut:

• Sleeping bag

• Pillowcase

• Warm slippers for inside the hut

• Toothbrush/toothpaste

• Deck of cards

• Earplugs for the snorer - there’s one in every bunkroom

• Cash to tip the “Croo” plus $20 cash for overnight parking at the trailhead

  
  

If you’re planning to hike Mount Washington, definitely pack for winter. The temps at the summit can reach just below freezing in September, with wind chill far below that. Here’s a Winter Hiking Checklist that includes everything you’ll need.

The unheated bunkhouses can get cold this time of year (into the 40s), so you’ll want to bring warm clothes for sleeping. The good news about packing loads of people into small bunkrooms is that it heats up quickly.

Lakes of the Clouds bunkroom

Exploring the Lakes

I’ll end by sharing about the two lakes near this hut - Upper and Lower Lakes of the Clouds. These “tarns,” or small mountain lakes carved out by glaciers, are crystal clear and magical. We even discovered tadpoles while exploring the Lower Lake, which is smaller than the Upper Lake. Swimming is allowed in both for brave souls only - the water is frigid.

The hut experience is unique and collaborative. I’d recommend trying it at least once. I’ve been to many of the huts (if only for a cup of coffee on a day hike) and plan to explore them all during my precious time on this big beautiful planet.

Reach out if you have questions about Lakes of the Clouds or summiting Mount Washington. I’d love to help get you there!