The Lakes of the Clouds are a set of
tarns
A tarn (or corrie loch) is a proglacial mountain lake, pond or pool, formed in a cirque excavated by a glacier. A moraine may form a natural dam below a tarn.
Etymology
The word is derived from the Old Norse word ''tjörn'' ("a small mount ...
located at the
col between
Mount Monroe
Mount Monroe is a mountain peak southwest of Mount Washington in the Presidential Range of the White Mountains in New Hampshire, United States. It is named for American President James Monroe and is the fourth highest mountain on the 4000 foot ...
and
Mount Washington in the
White Mountains of the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
of
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the nor ...
. The lakes form the source of the
Ammonoosuc River, a tributary of the
Connecticut River. They are recorded by the
Geographic Names Information System
The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) is a database of name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features throughout the United States and its territories, Antarctica, and the associated states of ...
as the highest elevation lakes in the United States east of
South Dakota
South Dakota (; Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux Native American tribes, who comprise a large porti ...
.
The
Lakes of the Clouds Hut, a rental hut and lodge for hikers operated by the
Appalachian Mountain Club
Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) is the oldest outdoor group in the United States. Created in 1876 to explore and preserve the White Mountains in New Hampshire, it has expanded throughout the northeastern U.S., with 12 chapters stretching from Ma ...
, is adjacent to the lakes, facing west. Lakes of the Clouds may be reached by hiking from
Marshfield Station, on the
Mount Washington Cog Railway
The Mount Washington Cog Railway, also known as the Cog, is the world's first mountain-climbing Rack railway, cog railway (rack-and-pinion railway). The railway climbs Mount Washington in New Hampshire, United States. It uses a Rack railway#Mars ...
, via the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail (in approximately four hours). The area is also traversed by the
Crawford Path
The Crawford Path is an hiking trail in the White Mountains of New Hampshire that is considered to be the United States' oldest continuously maintained hiking trail.
It travels from Crawford Notch to the summit of Mount Washington (Agiocochook ...
(part of the
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian Trail (also called the A.T.), is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian ...
) and the Dry River Trail.
See also
*
List of lakes of New Hampshire
*
Presidential Range
The Presidential Range is a mountain range located in the White Mountains of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. Containing the highest peaks of the Whites, its most notable summits are named for American presidents, followed by prominent public ...
References
External links
Lakes of the Clouds on TopoQuest
Lakes of Coös County, New Hampshire
Mount Washington (New Hampshire)
Lakes of New Hampshire
{{NewHampshire-geo-stub