Gretchen Stuppy Carlson
The Black Mountain cabin NH offers a backcountry experience without the need to pack in a tent! We stayed in the Black Mountain cabin during the late winter of 2021 and loved waking up in a cabin with incredible views of Mount Washington across the valley.
We found the cabin basic but comfortable and enjoying skiing into the mountain cabin and not bringing a tent. In this article, we’ll share exactly what you need to know to plan a visit to Black Mountain cabin including making a reservation, what amenities to expect, what to pack and exactly how to get to the cabin.
See a Short Video of our Visit to Black Mountain Cabin where Freja gives a little tour.
Quick Look at Staying at the Black Mountain Cabin NH
There are several huts and cabins in New Hampshire that you can reserve in advance and spend the night in the mountains. The Appalachian Mountain Club offers several high mountain huts that are catered during parts of the year. We love these huts, but if you are looking for a quieter and less expensive option you can also stay in one of several cabins in the White Mountains.
Black Mountain cabin (and Doublehead Cabin) both offer excellent options at a fraction of the cost. To stay at Black Mountain cabin NH, you will need to reserve the cabin in advance and then hike into the cabin with your sleeping bags and food for the night. The cabin has 8 bunks, several tables and benches, a vault toilet and a woodstove.
There is no water and electricity in Black cabin and you will need to treat water or bring it in with you. While you don’t need to bring a tent, you will need to bring a camp stove, matches, food, sleeping bag, flashlights and other camping supplies.
To reach the Black Mountain Cabin, you will need to hike 1.4 miles with an elevation gain of 1200 feet. It is also possible to cross country ski to the cabin.
About Black Mountain Cabin NH
Black Mountain Cabin was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The cabin was renovated in 1992 and has become a popular place to hike and ski. The cabin is located in a clearing with views across to Mount Washington and you may see downhill skiers pass below the cabin.
How to Reserve the Black Mountain Cabin NH
You can reserve the Black Mountain cabin on recreation.gov all year long. Weekends tend to book up months in advance, but you can often get mid-week reservations (especially during the off season) just a few weeks out. We booked a Saturday night stay in March about 3 months in advance.
When you reserve the cabin, you get the entire cabin – you can’t just reserve a bunk. The cabin costs $48/night including the booking fee. You can get a partial refund if you need to cancel.
Hiking to Black Mountain Cabin NH
Option 1: To get to the trailhead, turn into Jackson Village off route 16 and follow the loop through town until you reach 16B/Carter Notch Road. Follow this road for 3.9 miles and turn right onto Melloon Rd. Follow this for 1/3 mile and look for parking. There is a small lot here for 5-6 cars.
You will see the trail sign at the start of a private driveway. The trailhead is about 100 feet up this private drive. The trail is about 1.4 miles from here to the cabin and increases elevation moderately but steadily.
Option 2: Another option is to take the East Pasture Trail (this is across country ski trail). This is what we did since we did a combination of skiing and snowshoeing tot he cabin.
From Route 16, take Route 16A into Jackson village. Continue until reaching Route 16B/Black Mountain Road. Turn onto Black Mountain Road and drive approximately 2 miles. Just past Black Mountain Ski Area, veer left onto Black Mountain Road. After 0.5 miles, reach the East Pasture Trailhead with parking for about 10 vehicles. The trail starts on private property.
We found the start of the East Pasture Trail easy to ski but the last section was difficult on skis and we would have prefered snowshoes. You can often get trail conditions by reading the reviews on All Trails.
Black Mountain Cabin Map
Things to Know About The Black Mountain Cabin
It’s important to note that the cabin is rustic compared to other mountain lodges in places like Italy or even in the White Mountains. Below you can see what to expect when you plan and arrive at the cabin.
Amenities
Black Mountain Cabin NH has space for 8 people in 8 different bunks. The cabin is split into the main large room and 4 small rooms with 2 bunks each.
The main room has some tables and benches and a small woodstove. There may or may not be firewood depending on who visited last, so if you want firewood you may want to pack it in. You can also use fallen wood in the area, although we didn’t find much especially with the snow.
Outside there is a small shed for chopping wood and nearby is a vault toilet. There is a small broom for cleaning.
In general you should plan to pack all cooking gear and sleeping gear.
There is no electricty or water at the cabin
What to Pack
What you pack for your visit depends on what time of year you are visiting. The cabin is not insulated and drafty so if you are visiting in the winter, make sure you pack warmly.
Here is a list of what to pack – this doesn’t include personal items like clothing and hiking essentials – you can see our list here.
- Cooking Gear – this includes silverware, stove, pots, and cups
- Sleeping Gear – sleeping pad and sleeping bag
- Firewood (optional but helpful in the winter)
- Water – there will be limited water at the cabin although you can melt snow and boil it. Pack extra water for your visit.
- Flashlight or Headlamp
- Skis, microspikes or snowshoes (for a winter visit)
You Might Also Like:
- Complete White Mountains New Hampshire Fall Guide: Itinerary and Best Activities
- 11 Easy Hikes in the White Mountains
- Guide to the NH 48 – 4000 Footers: Hike the Whites!
