Mount Webster (3,910 ft) guards the southeastern approach to Crawford Notch, its western face rising as the dramatic Webster Cliffs above Route 302. The southwesternmost peak of the Presidential Range and formerly called Notch Mountain, Webster takes its current name from statesman Daniel Webster. The Appalachian Trail crosses the summit, which sits on the western boundary of the Presidential Range-Dry River Wilderness. Open ledges near the top afford sweeping views across the Notch to the Willey Range, south into the central Whites, and north up the Presidential chain toward Washington.
The standard approach follows the Webster-Jackson Trail from a trailhead on Route 302 just south of Saco Lake, near the AMC Highland Center. The route climbs steeply on granite-strewn terrain above Elephant Head Brook, passing a spur to the Elephant Head overlook and a pleasant cascade before the rocky upper pitches. Most hikers combine Webster with neighboring Mount Jackson as a roughly 6-mile loop with about 2,350 feet of gain, descending via the Webster Cliff Trail along the exposed ridge above the Notch.
Snow and ice linger on the upper trail into May; microspikes are recommended in spring. The exposed cliff edges call for extra care in wet or icy conditions.
