| West Branch Peabody River | |
|---|---|
The West Branch near its confluence with thePeabody River | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Hampshire |
| County | Coos |
| Townships | Thompson & Meserves Purchase,Greens Grant |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Spaulding Lake (Great Gulf) |
| • location | Thompson & Meserves Purchase |
| • coordinates | 44°17′4″N71°18′29″W / 44.28444°N 71.30806°W /44.28444; -71.30806 |
| • elevation | 4,232 ft (1,290 m) |
| Mouth | Peabody River |
• location | Greens Grant |
• coordinates | 44°18′39″N71°13′17″W / 44.31083°N 71.22139°W /44.31083; -71.22139 |
• elevation | 1,340 ft (410 m) |
| Length | 5.8 mi (9.3 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Parapet Brook |
| • right | Chandler Brook |
TheWest Branch of the Peabody River is a 5.8-mile-long (9.3 km)[1]river in theWhite Mountains ofNew Hampshire in theUnited States. It is a tributary of thePeabody River, which flows into theAndroscoggin River, which in turn flows east and south intoMaine, joining theKennebec River near theAtlantic Ocean. The West Branch of the Peabody is within the Great Gulf Wilderness of theWhite Mountain National Forest for most of its length. It is paralleled by the Great Gulf Trail, a popular route for backpackers.
The stream rises inGreat Gulf, a largeglacial cirque on the northern side ofMount Washington. The West Branch flows from the outlet of Spaulding Lake, atarn seated at the foot of the east face ofMount Clay, and proceeds northeast deeper into the gulf, withMount Jefferson of thePresidential Range to the west and Chandlers Ridge, a northern spur of Mount Washington, to the east. Upon reaching the outlet of Jefferson Ravine, the river turns east, withMount Adams andMount Madison rising above its northern bank.
The river ends at the Peabody River, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north (downstream) of Glen House, the entrance to theMount Washington Auto Road.