Guide to DOC Cabins
I spent this summer on the Dartmouth Outing Club’s Cabin and Trail Crew. It was a summer filled withstimulating intellectual conversations, crack (this, NOTthis), shenanigans and lots of manual labor. I injured my shoulder while doing work during the third week and got put on the injured-squad of cabin crew. This meant that I spent the next seven weeks traveling from cabin to cabin chopping wood, cleaning and dealing with moremouse poopthan I ever care to see again. Through this summer I discovered what, in my opinion, is the most under-utilized resource Dartmouth has to offer —beautifully maintainedcabins all over the wilderness of New Hampshire. Here is a guide to the best that each cabin has to offer, as well as how to rent a cabin.
The DOC has seven cabins outside of theSecond College Grantthat are open to anyone, and three DOC cabins inside the Grant that are only open to Dartmouth students, alums and employees. (It also has seven OPO cabins inside the Grant which are open to alums for when you want to come back but not be the creepy alum in a frat basement.) There is also Titcomb Cabin on Gilman Island, which is owned and reserved throughLedyard Canoe Club.
You can rent DOC cabins up to three weeks in advance (four weeks for student DOC members) or OPO cabins up to six months in advance. All cabins are open year-round, except in the Grant for the month of April (although in order to get to cabins it can be a trek through snow as the Grant roads are not all plowed).
The Cost:
DOC cabins cost $5 for DOC student members, $10 for non-DOC Dartmouth students per person per night.
How to Rent:
The Dartmouth Outing Club’sCabin Websiteis where this information is nicely laid out.Check availabilityonline, and then come into Robinson Hall to reserve your cabin. You can also call (603) 646-2834.
What next?:
Once you have rented, you will receive a blitz with instructions specifically for the cabin you will be staying at.
How do I use things in the cabin?:The DOC has madeinstructional videosso that you aren’t stuck trying to light the stove when all you want is your Annie’s Mac.
THE CABINS:
Go to the DOCwebsitefor more specific information on each cabin.
Know what you’re getting into — only Billings has indoor plumbing and electricity, whereas the rest of the cabins have privies, woodstoves for cooking and heat. Some additionally have gas stoves and mantles. Also, the running water only works in the summer (though can be spotty) and is not potable, so be prepared to boil or pack clean water. Finally, no open fires are allowed outside. Almost every cabin has burned down at least once, so let’s try to preserve these beautiful places!
Location: Randolph, NH
Maximum Capacity: 14 people
Distance from Hanover: 98 miles
Distance of hike in from the parking lot: 20 yards
Location ranking: 10/10
View ranking: 3/10
Things to do nearby:There are a ton of mountains very close by – hike Mt. Adams, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Madison, Mt. Washington, Mt. Monrow or Mt. Eisenhower. You can also visit Berlin, New Hampshire, which is 20 minutes away, or Androscoggin Wayside Park along the Androscoggin River.
Special Features:Electricity, indoor bathroom (must use the privy in the winter) with shower, hot water, refrigerator
66 Lodge (fondly, but incorrectly, referred to as Harris)
Location: On 3 Mile Road in Etna
Maximum Capacity: 49 people
Distance from Hanover: 8 miles
Distance of hike in from the parking lot: 0.6 miles
Location ranking: 7/10
View ranking: 9/10
Things to do nearby:Hike the surrounding trails (Appalachian Trail, Harris Trail, Clark Pond Loop, Moose Mountain), go snowshoeing, go cross-country skiing, build a fire in the fireplace (costs extra), have a dance party, go mattress-sliding down the stairs, visit Goose Lake
Special Features:
- 66 Lodge was built for large gatherings, able to accommodate up to 49 people with three lofts, a balcony, huge wraparound porch, and full kitchen with six-burner stove.
- It has different reservation policies
- As it is the newest cabin, 66 Lodge feels far from rustic but is secluded and home-y, and also has a privy modeled after Dartmouth Hall
Hinman
Location: On Reservoir Pond in Lyme
Maximum Capacity: Nine people
Distance from Hanover: 17 miles
Distance of hike in from the parking lot: 50 yards
Location ranking: 9/10
View ranking: 10/10
Things to do nearby: hike Mt. Smarts or Mt. Cube, hike up the Ski Way in the summer to Holt’s Ledge, ski at the Dartmouth Skiway in the winter (only 5 minutes away), get ice cream at Lyme Country Store
Special Features: Raft on the lake to swim to, boat house with a canoe, wheelchair accessible
Need to know about Hinman:
- Hinman is a one-room cabin with a loft, a gas stove/oven and a porch
- All the mattresses have beds (including bunk-beds in the loft)
- Located on a beautiful pond which is great for swimming, fishing, or canoeing
- Close to campus and the Dartmouth Skiway
- There is a yellow lab that likes to visit the cabin and look for food; he is completely friendly and makes a wonderful companion
Armington
Location: On Armington Lake between Warren and Piermont
Maximum Capacity: Nine people
Distance from Hanover: 33 miles
Distance of hike in from the parking lot: 50 yards
Location ranking: 7/10
View ranking: 10/10
Things to do nearby: Hike Moosilauke (20 minutes away), go to Fat Bob’s ice cream in Warren, go to the Green House bar in Warren for Open Mic Night on Thursdays
Special Features: Dock and boathouse with a canoe
Need to know about Armington:
- Armington is a one room cabin with a loft, a gas stove/oven, and porch
- It is right next to Walt Whitman Summer Camp in the summer so be prepared for approximately one million screaming children
- Located on a beautiful lake, so has one of the best views of the cabins
- In the winter it is really close to the road, so there is no need to hike in very far
- The privy is right next to the cabin — very useful at night
Great Bear
Location: Northeast of Glencliff
Maximum Capacity: Eight people
Distance from Hanover: 42 miles
Distance of hike in from the parking lot: 1/3 mile
Location ranking: 8/10
View ranking: 7/10
Things to do nearby: Hike Moosilauke (Glencliff and Tunnel Brook trails start right outside the cabin), go to Fat Bob’s ice cream in Warren, Go to the Green House bar in Warren for Open Mic Night on Thursdays, go swimming, go swimming in the river down the road (it has a natural waterslide)
Special Features: wraparound porch with a swinging porch chair, 2-seater privy with chess board
- Great Bear is a one-room cabin with a loft, only a wood stove to cook on (very hot in the summer) and an awesome loft (that also can get very hot in the summer)
- This is a great cabin to escape to, but not a great one to carry lots of things to, since it is a 1/3 mile hike uphill into it
- It is located next to the “Glencliff Home,” which blows a creepy train whistle at 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. every day. Do not worry about it, just be warned
- It has a patch of wild blueberry, raspberry and strawberry bushes outside that are perfect to eat in the summer
- It has a nice lawn with what seems to be a fire pit outside, but IS NOT. Do not have outdoor fires — Great Bear has burned down at least twice already
John Rand
Location: On the Al Merrill ski loop a half mile from the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge
Maximum Capacity: Eight people
Distance from Hanover: 46 miles
Distance of hike in from the parking lot: 0.5 miles
Location ranking: 9/10
View ranking: 6/10
Things to do nearby: Hike Moosilauke! Ridge trail is right outside the door, and Gorge and Snapper connect from there. Visit Warren and eat at Fat Bob’s ice cream shop or go to the Greenhouse bar for open mic night on Thursdays. Swim in the Baker River, hang out at Moosilauke Lodge and eat Lodge dinner or hike to the fire tower.
The path to the cabin is also a dog-walking path for some locals – you are not as secluded as you may think!
Special Features:
- John Rand is a one-room cabin located off the access road leading to the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge, just minutes from the Baker River. It only has a wood stove to cook on (which gets very hot in the summer) and one massive bunk bed (great for snuggling).
- The privy is REALLY far away — beware.
- John Rand is great if you want the experience of staying at the Lodge with the privacy of staying at a cabin, since it is a 10-minute walk from the Lodge.
- It is located on the Al Merrill ski loop ,which leads up to the fire tower, and is a prime cross-county skiing location in the winter.
Nunnemacher
Location: Dartmouth Skiway in Lyme
Maximum Capacity: 20 people
Distance from Hanover: 10 miles
Distance of hike in from the parking lot: 0.75 miles uphill
Location ranking: 9/10
View ranking: 7/10
Things to do nearby: Hike Mt. Smarts, Mt. Cube or the Skiway in the summer to Holt’s Ledge. Hike the Appalachian Trail up the Skiway, ski at the Skiway in the winter (it is located on the mountain!) and get ice cream at Lyme Country Store.
Special Features:
- Nunnemacher is a three-room cabin with a huge loft and rooms ideal for large groups. But even though it has a gas stove, it has no lights or consistent water, so pack flashlights and water!
- While Nunnemacher is large it’s not the prettiest cabin, but what it lacks in beauty it makes up for in location!
- It has a two-seater privy — perfect for partner poops!
- It is great to ski-in ski-out in the winter or explore the Skiway by hiking in the summer.
- Since it is located just off the Appalachian Trail you can meet lots of thru-hikers!
Ritchie Smith
Location: Agassiz Basin
Maximum Capacity: Eight people
Distance from Hanover: 58 miles
Distance of hike in from the parking lot: 200 yards
Location ranking: 9/10
View ranking: 8/10
Things to do nearby: Hike Moosilauke (the Lodge is 10 minutes away), explore North Woodstock or Lincoln, drink a microbrew at the Woodstock Inn, get ice cream at Coneheads in North Woodstock, ski at Loon Mountain, hike Franconia, go swimming in the Moosilauke River, hang out at Moosilauke Lodge and get Lodge dinner.
Special Features:
- Ritchie Smith is a one-room cabin with a loft, gas stove and gas lighting.
- It is located right next to Moosilauke Brook with a great swimming hole deep enough to jump in.
- The cabin is a good distance into the woods, so keep that in mind when packing.
- The path to the cabin is also a dog-walking path for some locals — you are not as secluded as you may think!
THE GRANT CABINS:
Location: Second College Grant in Clarksville
Maximum Capacity: Six people
Distance from Hanover: 140 miles
Distance of hike in from the parking lot: 50 yards
Location ranking: 8/10
View ranking: 7/10
Things to do around: Explore the Grant, swim in the Dead Diamond River or Monahans Bathtub, hike Diamond Peak, visit the Miller-Quinn Landing Strip to see if any planes land, visit Diamond Gorge, go canoeing or kayaking, go to Half Moon Beach, hike the Sanderson Brook Falls Trail, visit LL Cote Sports Center in Errol, see the Hellgate bridges, visit Brungot’s Lookout. Check out more activities here.
Special Features:
- Alder Brook is a one-room cabin with a loft and gas stove.
- While it is farther into the Grant (no Grant roads are paved, so an extra three miles can take 20 minutes), it is closer to more Grant sites.
Peaks
Maximum Capacity: 12 people
Distance from Hanover: 138 miles
Distance of hike in from the parking lot: 20 feet
Location ranking: 7/10
View ranking: 10/10
Things to do nearby:Explore the Grant, swim in the Dead Diamond River or Monahans Bathtub, hike Diamond Peak, visit the Miller-Quinn Landing Strip to see if any planes land, visit Diamond Gorge, go canoeing or kayaking, go to Half Moon Beach, hike the Sanderson Brook Falls Trail, visit LL Cote Sports Center in Errol, see the Hellgate bridges, visit Brungot’s Lookout. Check out more activitieshere.
Special Features:
- Peaks Cabin is a two-room cabin with a screened-in porch and gas stove
- The cabin can get very buggy during mosquito season near the beginning of the summer.
- Peak Cabin has a beautiful view overlooking the Dead and Swift Diamond Rivers.
Stoddard
Maximum Capacity: 10 people
Distance from Hanover: 143 miles
Distance of hike in from the parking lot: 50 feet uphill
Location ranking: 8/10
View ranking: 7/10
Things to do around:Explore the Grant, swim in the Dead Diamond River or Monahans Bathtub, hike Diamond Peak, visit the Miller-Quinn Landing Strip to see if any planes land, visit Diamond Gorge, go canoeing or kayaking, go to Half Moon Beach, hike the Sanderson Brook Falls Trail, visit LL Cote Sports Center in Errol, see the Hellgate bridges, visit Brungot’s Lookout. Check out more activitieshere.
Special Features:
- Stoddard is a one-room cabin with an awesome loft, connected wood shed (very nice in the winter) and a gas stove.
- Stoddard is currently out of commission since it is undergoing renovations.
- It has a brand new privy as of this summer (although it is VERY far away).
Information credited to the Dartmouth Outing Club.
The article has been revised to reflect the following corrections:
Correction appended: October 3, 2014
The original version of this article incorrectly listed the location of Billings Cabin as in Reservoir Pond in Lyme and the presence of a dog walking path at Stoddard Cabin.
Correction appended: October 14, 2014
The original version of this article stated that there is a windsurfer board at Armington Cabin, but it is not supplied by the Dartmouth Outing Club.