SectionHiker.com Backpacking Gear Reviews and FAQs 
Sawyer Pond is a picturesque backcountry pond on the east side of the White Mountain National Forest, near Crawford Notch and Bartlett, NH. It’s easy to hike into, making it an ideal destination for families, small groups, or couples who want a quiet place to camp without undertaking a huge backpacking trip. The pond is 40 acres in size and quite scenic with a great view of nearby Mt Tremont and a smaller peak called Owls Cliff.
The pond has 6 large campsites (max 8 people per site), fire rings, two outhouses, and nearby lean-to shelter that can sleep another 6 people. Camping is free, but the campsites are first-come, first-serve. The pond is stocked with trout and fishing is permitted with a New Hampshire fishing license. You can also swim or mountain bike on nearby forest roads, XC, and snowmobile trails.
On the clear nights, the star-gazing from Sawyer Pond can’t be beat. There’s no light pollution and the large open space above the pond provides an unobstructed view of the heavens. Fall foliage is a particularly beautiful time to visit when the trees and surrounding hillsides have turned a golden yellow, orange, and red.
Rating/Difficulty
Easy
Distance/Elevation Gain
1.5 miles with 150 ft of elevation gain.
Recommended Duration
1 night/2 days
Season
June thru October
Permits Required
None.
Regulations
Backcountry Camping Regulations for the White Mountain National Forest.
No Fires or Camping except at Designated Campsites in the Sawyer Pond Scenic Area
Trailhead Directions
- Sawyer Pond Trail Trailhead. Sawyer River Road is a gravel forest road (FR 34) located 1.6 miles north of Sawyer Rock Picnic Area on Rt 302. Turn left from Rt 302 onto Sawyer River Road and drive 3.8 miles to its end, where there will be a parking area on your right. This is 1.8 miles past the Signal Ridge Trail parking area, which you’ll pass earlier on the road.
- Note: The south (other) end of the Sawyer Pond Trail leaves from Rt 112, the Kancamagus Highway. The directions above are from the north end of the trail, which is where you want to start the trip.
Trail Sequence
The route follows the following trails in sequence. Refer to the AMC White Mountains Trail Map 3: Crawford Notch-Sandwich Range (2017 ed), although I’d recommend buying the complete AMC White Mountain Waterproof Map Set (2017 ed) rather than one map at a time, because it’s less expensive that way. Detailed trail descriptions can also be found in the AMC White Mountain Guide (2017 ed), which is considered the hiking bible for the region. Take photos of the relevant pages using your phone for easy reference, instead of carrying the entire book with you on hikes.
- Sawyer Pond Trail – 1.5 miles from parking lot to campsites
Camping and Shelter Options
Sawyer Pond has 6 campsite platforms capable of holding multiple tents. There is a maximum of 8 people per campsite. An adjacent lean-to can house an additional 6 people. Campsites are first-come, first serve. Each campsite has a fire ring. There are two outhouses. If the campsites are full, you must hike a quarter-mile away before camping at a dispersed site. Fires are prohibited in the Sawyer Pond Scenic Area except at designated fire rings.
Please observe all White Mountains Backcountry Camping Regulations and leave no trace.
Water
Water is plentiful on this route which parallels a small mountain stream before it arrives at Sawyer Pond. The use of a backcountry water filter or purification device is strongly recommended.
On the Trail
There’s a kiosk next to the trailhead parking lot, which has room for about 10 cars. Pass the kiosk and turn left onto the small pedestrian bridge across the Sawyer River to begin hiking up the Sawyer Pond Trail.
The trail enters forest and climbs gently over assorted rocks and tree roots, in other words, a typical White Mountain trail. The trail is well beaten down and very easy follow, with intermittent yellow blazes painted on trees. The 1.5 miles to the pond should take you anywhere from one to two hours to hike, depending on your pace and how much pack weight you’re carrying. There’s no need to load up with too much water for this short stretch and carrying one liter should be sufficient, provided you have a filter or purifier with you to process more water when you reach the pond and the campsite.
You’ll soon hear a brook on your right as it flows through the forest. It runs along the trail for most of the way to the campsite and drains into the Sawyer River, near the bridge you crossed earlier. Just before you reach the campsite, you’ll take a right-hand turn at a well-marked sign that has a diagram of the campsite locations.
When you reach a small stream fed by the adjacent pond, turn left 270 degrees, before crossing it. After you’ve turned, the pond will be on your right, and you’ll soon see Mt Tremont and Owls Cliff beyond its far shore. They’re two round knobs with distinctive profiles.
The lean-to shelter is another .15 miles down the spur trail. It’s in remarkably good condition and perfectly suitable for sleeping in.
The best time to visit the Sawyer Pond campsites is during the week when there are few people around and there’s little competition for campsites. The campsites become busier on weekends because they’re such a short hike in from the road. Access to the pond becomes much more difficult in late fall and winter because Sawyer River Road is closed to vehicles in winter and usually only opens in late spring.
I cringed when I read your review of Sawyer Pond. Not because of the quality of the review, but because Sawyer Pond is heavily overused. It is a beautiful pond surrounded by montains and woods, but it is being trashed by irresponsible persons who use it as a party spot, hauling in cases of beer, chopping down trees and often going home leaving fires smouldering in the fire pits. Forget about visiting it on a weekend. I would not be surprised if the Forest Service closes it in the near future.
I fear that its beauty will be its downfall.
I wouldn’t get your hopes up about the forest service. There’s no way they can shut down that area unless they build a wall. They key to getting solitude is to avoid long holiday weekends and to arrive a day early (if coming on a weekend) to pick a secluded spot away from the shelter. Otherwise mid-week is fine. I know plenty of people who’ve been blown away by camping at Sawyer Pond.
Last time I went there wasn’t a soul in sight nor looked like one had been there for months.