Springtime in the Upper Valley is in full bloom, and Dartmouth students can finally leave their rooms wearing fewer than three layers. Hiking is a great way to get off campus, clear your mind, take in the nice weather and watch the seasons change.
Hitting the trails in the springtime can be a great experience, allowing hikers to see the emerging greenery, comfortable temperatures and incredible views.
Students have been taking advantage of the changing season and the nearby hikes our area has to offer, including Madeline Wolfe ’25.
“I think it’s such a pretty time of year. All the buds of leaves are starting to pop out, so you get little bits of green and little bits of red.” Wolfe said. “It’s so cool to be able to feel both the plants and animals starting to reemerge.”
But, springtime hiking does have its quirks; such as unpredictable weather, ticks and mud, according to Dartmouth Outing Club subclub Cabin and Trail chair Adrianna Drindak ’26.
“One thing I am always thinking about is road conditions,” she said. “I always look up hikes on All Trails to see different reports from people who have hiked there, making sure I can get to the Trailhead. I’m also thinking about ticks this time of year, making sure to check for them after hikes or just long periods of being outside.”
After chatting with three avid hikers — Wolfe, Drindak, and Meredith Farley ’28 — The Dartmouth compiled a list of beautiful and accessible hikes you should add to your 25S bucket list, including three that are within walking distance of campus.
Gile Mountain
Just across the river in Norwich, V.t., Gile Mountain is a popular trail for Dartmouth students. The six-story firetower at the top of the trail offers panoramic views — especially special at sunrise and sunset. The summit is accessible via a 0.68 mile hiking trail.
However, due to unpredictable trail and weather conditions, it is important to check apps and websites such as All Trails to ensure your intended hike is accessible. According to Wolfe, Gile may close for mud season during the spring in order to protect the trail and its biodiversity.
Balch Hill
Hanover’s Balch Hill — located just a three mile walk from Baker-Berry Library — is perfect for a “sunsike,” or sunset hike. There are 10 routes to the top of the 937-foot summit, ranging from easy to moderate and from 0.3 to 1.0 miles. At the summit, you’ll find an abandoned pasture filled with a wide variety of flora and fauna and views of Gile Mountain, Moose Mountain and even Baker Tower!
Mink Brook
Mink Brook Nature Preserve is a 112 acre wildlife preserve, which protects a wide variety of critters from brook trout to bears. You’ll find the preserve just one mile south of the Baker-Berry library, about a 20 minute walk. It’s right off of a residential neighborhood in Hanover, if you walk to Foley House and just keep walking.
Mink Brook offers a host of walking trails, places for picnics and spots for fishing. Bicycles are not allowed — just foot traffic — in order to protect the wildlife habitat and water quality. If you have never hiked in the Upper Valley before, chair of the DOC sub-club Cabin and Trail Adrianna Drindak ’26 suggests exploring Mink Brook.
“Mink Brook is honestly just so lovely, and it’s right there.” Drindak said. “I feel like there’s so many people that dont know about it and there are so many trails to walk around.”
Pine Park
Pine Park offers six miles of trails, accessible just past Occom Pond and via the old Hanover Country Club golf course. The Pine Park loop circles the pine tree-surrounded banks of the Connecticut River. The trail is dotted with a number of benches next to the river, perfect for watching the sunset or a break during a run.
“Running in Pine Park is one of my favorite self-care activities I do at Dartmouth,” Farley said. “It’s a great way to reset my mind after class, especially with all of the sunny weather we’ve been having. Being from Alaska, I find a lot of peace being in nature, so I feel very lucky to have so much access to nature so close to campus.”
French Ledges
French’s Ledges, located in Plainfield, N.H., is great for sunrikes and sunsikes. Upon reaching the summit after eight miles, you’ll arrive at the bald peak, from which you can get a 360 degree panoramic view of the White Mountains to the east and the Green Mountains to the north-west. You’ll find old ski trails, little bridges and a wide variety of trails. French’s Ledges is an easy to moderate level hike, with one steep segment just near the top.
Little Mt. Washington
Next, Little Mt. Washington in Grantham, N.H., is great for hiking, walking and running. This 3.8 mile loop typically takes 1.5 hours to complete. It is a bit less popular than the other mentioned hikes, so it’s unlikely you’ll encounter many other hikers while on the trail, according to the crowd-sourced hiking website All Trails. On your way through the loop, you’ll be walking along snowmobile trails. Along the way, Levitt pond features scenic views and the potential for seeing some frog eggs during the spring months, according to Wolfe.
Mount Cardigan
Mount Cardigan — a half hour drive from campus in Orange, N.H. — is a popular peak for sunrikes. The loop is about 3.1 miles and typically takes hikes two hours to complete. At 3,121 feet above sea level, Cardigan offers panoramic views of Mount Monadnock, Pleasant Mountain, Camels Hump and the White Mountains.
When planning a springtime hike, it’s important to factor in how much time you have and what the trail conditions. You can use via crowd-sourced sites, such as the New England Conditions website and the All Trails app, to help you gauge whether it’s a good day to set out.
