Appalachian Trail, NH

The Appalachian Trail enters New Hampshire northbound from Vermont at the Ledyard Bridge over the Connecticut River in Hanover. The home of Dartmouth College, Hanover is a favorite spot for some R&R before heading off to the challenges of the Whites. The trail is marked by a plaque in the sidewalk at the corner of E. Wheelock and Main Streets in Hanover. It rounds the corner onto Lebanon Street and passes right in front of Hanover Outdoors.

The AT runs right through downtown Hanover, right past the Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop and our front door. For grizzled thru-hikers, who find it invigorating to carry everything you need on your back and sleep under the stars, this is a perfect spot for a zero day before tackling the White Mountains (for north-bounders). Stop in our store to re-supply, send a package home via UPS, or just get advice on the best places to grab a pint, eat some real food, and find a bed for the night.

Hanover Outdoors welcomes all AT hikers. If you are a through-hiker and need an address for a send ahead or bounce box, we are open seven days a week and are happy to accept and hold your supplies. In a pinch, we have even been known to shuttle hikers to local destinations.

Visitors to the area can enjoy a day hike among the mountains and valleys through which the footpath meanders, and stop for lunch by a small mountain stream. While in N.H., a visit to Mount Moosilauke is a must. Dartmouth College owns 4,600 acres on this 4,802 foot peak (about a third of the mountain above 2000 feet). It is the tenth highest peak in the state, with a summit many claim has the best view in the White Mountains.

The Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC) www.dartmouth.edu/~doc owns a chain of cabins extending northwards from Hanover to the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The first DOC cabin is on Moose Mountain, fewer than ten miles from Hanover.

North of Hanover and Mount Washington, one of our staff favorites is Pinkham Notch in Gorham, NH. A well deserved treat after the punishing descent from Mt. Madison, Joe Dodge Lodge (603-466-2727) offers a comfortable respite from the Trail. From the lodge you can access Tuckerman Ravine, the Presidential Rail Trail, picturesque Glen Ellis Falls, Crystal Cascade, and Lost Pond. Enjoy free naturalist programs, paddling, bird-watching, animal-tracking and snowshoeing. Private and shared bunkrooms run about $60, including breakfast and dinner, while camping is permitted in Pinkham Notch itself for the more rugged hiker.

For additional information about the AT in New Hampshire, contact the New England Regional Office in Lyme at (603) 795-4935.