Trails

This GPS survey of trails in Hanover, NH, was made by the Trails Committee of the Hanover Conservation Commission with assistance from Boy Scout Troop 45.

Printed copies of the main map are available at the Hanover Town Hall and from the Hanover Improvement Society.

The trails portrayed on this map are open to the public. Most are for foot travel only: hiking, skiing, and snowshoeing. Many of the trails listed are on town property or easements; other trails are on private property but have been approved by the owner for listing on this map. Under New Hampshire law, private owners who allow the public free access to their land are not responsible for injury to users. The landowners have a right to discontinue public use of their trail at any time. There are other trails in town, but, if not listed here, they are probably on private land and land owner's permission should be obtained for access.

Some of the trails are on Class VI Roads. Class VI Roads are historic, public roads that are no longer maintained for traffic. Do not take wheeled vehicles onto these roads in muddy conditions; it ruins the roadbeds for everyone.

When hiking in winter, please keep one ski track clear where possible. Though it's easier to walk in ski tracks, it makes potholes that can catch skis.

Enjoy the trails. Please carry out all that you carry in, stick to the trails, and respect private property.

The maps are in JPEG format. The main map shows the whole town, 343K.
The four sectional sheets of raw survey data are based on USGS maps,
about 700K each.

Main Map

Northwest Sheet

The Trails
AT Appalachian Trail, 13.9 miles in Hanover. The trail comes into Hanover over Ledyard Bridge and goes through town to the DC athletic fields behind Mobil Station on Route 120. It exits Hanover at Goose Pond Road. Trail crosses Trescott Road, Hanover Center Road, and Three Mile Road. Strenuous over Velvet Rocks and Moose Mountain, other sections moderate to easy.

1 River Trail, 1.1 miles. Begin at the end of Maple Street and Downing Road and end at Route 10 opposite Brook Road. Steep near Downing Road, then easy.

2 Quinn Trail, 0.4 miles. Begin at the end of Brook Road and the gate into the Mink Brook Preserve. At the first fork, by the flowering crabapple tree, bear left into the Tanzi Natural Area(5). Easy.

3 Pine Point Trail, 0.2 miles. The trail runs from a point in Pine Knoll Cemetery to Mink Brook. Moderate.

4 South Esker Natural Area, 0.8 miles. Drive into Pine Knoll Cemetery and stay to the left after entering. Park east of the Wastewater Treatment Plant in the cemetery. Trails loop to the Connecticut River and back. Moderate.

5 Tanzi Trail, 0.3 miles. Park on Brook Road at Thompson Terrace and enter where it says Mink Brook Preserve. Follow the Quinn Trail(2) to the two loops in the forest. One can exit or enter from Route 120 between house 's 87 & 89. Easy.

6 Short cut to Velvet Rocks Trail, 0.4 miles. Look for trail entrance on East Wheelock Street opposite Balch Hill Lane by telephone pole 2/55. Trail will intersect the AT near the cut off to the shelter. Strenuous.

7 Spur from top of Velvet Rocks to Trescott Road, 0.4 miles. The trail leaves Trescott Road .35 miles east of the Grasse Road intersection on the east side of the property at 5 Trescott Road and intersects the AT at Velvet Rocks near summit. Strenuous.

8 Grasse Road Trail, 0.3 miles. The trail runs from the intersection of Grasse Road and East Wheelock Street. It leads to the summit of Balch Hill. Moderate.

9 Hunter Trail, 0.6 miles. Start at the end of Morrison Road. The trail goes over the summit of Balch Hill and down to the Piane trail. Moderate.

10 Piane Trail, 0.6 miles. Trail leaves Rip Road opposite house 34 and goes to the summit of Balch Hill. Steep.

11 Hemlock Road Trail, less than 0.2 miles. Trail begins at the Hemlock Road Parking Area and goes to the summit of Balch Hill. Steep at the bottom.

12 Fire Trail, 0.2 miles. This trail provides fire truck and maintenance access to the summit of Balch Hill. It starts at the top of Hemlock Road. Easy.

13 Maple Trail, 0.8 miles. Look for trail sign on Reservoir Road approximately 0.1 miles west of Storrs Pond entrance. The trail leads to the summit of Balch Hill. Moderate. A bicycle path descends from the MacDonald Drive cul-de-sac to the paved portion of Reservoir Road. 14 Girl Brook to Connecticut River Trail, 1.6 miles. Enter from the north end of Rope Ferry Road where it becomes a Class VI Road, or from Route 10 in the woods at the north end of the Dartmouth Medical School field. The trail follows a dry Girl Brook bed and the Connecticut River and leaves it at the base of the hill (Freshman Hill) leading to the golf course. Beware of golfers at both entrances to this trail. Easy although with a few short, steep parts at either end.

15 Cathedral Aisle, 0.4 miles. The trail starts at the Girl Brook inlet at the Connecticut River and ends at the base of Freshman Hill. Easy.

16 Esker Trail (Cardiac Hill), 0.3 miles. This trail goes from near the start of Cathedral Aisle(15) and ends at the Golf Course. Hikers should turn around and come back down the trail rather than go onto the golf course. A moderate uphill climb.

17 Ski Trail at the Ray School, 0.2 miles. The trail starts behind the Ray School and connects to ski trails at Storrs Pond. It criss-crosses the Ray School Nature Trail(18). Moderate.

18 Ray School Nature Trail, 0.7 miles. Start at the marsh behind the school, or at the field at the NW corner of the building behind the school. Moderate.

19 Fullington Farms Trail, 0.7 miles. Park at Wilson's Landing on the Connecticut River. The trail begins in the hedgerow on the mainland, follows the riverbank past the Dartmouth organic farm, and circles around the south end of the nursery to Route 10. Easy.

20 Mink Brook Trail, Loop is 1.3 miles and branch to Fred Harris Trail is 0.4 miles. Park at either of the first two parking lots on Moose Mountain Road. From there, you can access the network of trails on Moose Mountain. These trails cross the property of many private landowners so please stay on trail. Easy but with brook crossings.

21 Logging Road, 0.9 miles. Start on Old Goss Road near the Beaver Pond and continue to the AT. Moderate.

22 Old Goss Road or TV Tower Road, 0.8 miles. Part of an old Class VI Road. May not be available for skiing in winter. Easy. 23 Ridge Trail (formerly Orange Diamond Trail), 5.7 miles, 4.5 of which is in Hanover. The trail runs from the AT near South Peak of Moose Mountain and continues along the ridge to Enfield on Route 4. Views. Moderate.

24 Ski Loop, 1.1 miles. The loop starts at the Fred Harris Trail(25) near the AT Junction, ends at Wolfeboro Road at the junction with Fred Harris Trail. The trail disappears near the top of Moose Mountain, but one can bushwhack to the AT just north of the top. Not very good for skiing. Moderate to Strenuous.

25 Fred Harris Trail, 4.1 miles, 3.8 of which is in Hanover. Named for Fred Harris who, as an undergraduate, founded the Dartmouth Outing Club in 1909. Access from Three Mile Road via the AT, trail 26 or 27, or at the intersection of Wolfeboro Road. The south end can be accessed via the Mink Brook Trail(20) on Moose Mountain Road. The north end of the trail begins at the Goose Pond Road in Lyme at a pine tree just west of a barnyard. Stay on the trail and respect private property. Easy.

26 New Fred Harris Access Trail, 0.5 miles. The trail begins at Three Mile Road and ends at junction of Fred Harris Trail(25). It runs through private property. Easy.

27 Old Fred Harris Access Trail, .75 miles. Begin at Three Mile Road at a telephone pole marked 94/37 and end at the Fred Harris Trail(25) near the site of the Fred Harris cabin. Trail is interrupted by a beaver dam and may be impassable except in winter. This crosses private property. Easy.

28 Corey Road, 1 mile, Location. Start at a private the driveway opposite Dana Road on Three Mile Road. This is a Class VI Road, bordered by private property. Please stay on the trail. Easy.

29 Huntington Hill Farm. Hikers may park on Goodfellow Road, 1.1 miles from Route 10. There are many miles of trail in varied habitat: the evergreen ravine of Slade Brook, upland froest, fields with some distant views, a pond, pine plantation, and much forest edge. It is good for hikes, cross-country skiing, and birdwatching. Access is also possible via Old Spencer Road(50). See detailed map of Huntington Hill Farm available from owner. Easy to moderate.

30 Huntington Hill Wildlife Management Area. Begin at Hanover Center Road south of Goodfellow Road at a large sign. The trail crosses a pond and veers to the right. There are two connections to the Huntington Hill Farm(29), one marked by coffee can lids. This trail leads to Goodfellow Road and can connect back to 30 on a private trail. Detailed map available from owner. Easy.

31 Storrs Pond Ring Trail, 1.6 miles. Begin at the end of camp site service road by beach at area 1. Keep left at junctions with ski trails of Oak Hill. After passing Ferguson Field junction, pass through the ball field at the next picnic area to connect back to the parking lot. It is also possible to connect to roads of Dartmouth Printing Co. Easy.

32 Ferguson Field, 0.25 miles. The field is on Route 10 across from Kendal and provides access to the Storrs Pond Ring Trail(31). Easy.

33 Oak Hill Trails, several miles. Park in the upper lot of Storrs Pond. See Storrs Pond/Oak Hill map available at the Improvement Society or Dartmouth Outing Club, or on-line at www.dartmouth.edu/~opo/images/silverfox/oakhill2000.gif. Trails are groomed for skiing and tickets may be bought at the hut at the end of the parking lot or at Occom Pond across from the golf course. Moderate.

34 Highway 34, 1.8 miles. Begin at the Frank Fetter bridge near the reservoir on Reservoir Road. The trail ends at Route 10 opposite Fullington Farms. See Storrs Pond/Oak Hill map for greater details. Skiers and hikers may cross the road and continue through the fields to the Wilson's Landing. Moderate.

35 Rinker Tract: Brook Trail, Quarry Loop, and Hillside Trail, 0.4 miles. Access from Route 10, north of Kendal, south of Fullington Farm, at the bottom of the hill. Steep in places.

36 Goodwin Forest Logging Road, 0.4 miles. Begin at the junction of old Highway 88 (Tunis Road) and Goose Pond Road. It leads to an open area in the Goodwin Forest. Not maintained, wet underfoot in places. Slight uphill grade going into the forest.

37 Snowmobile Trail, 1.4 miles. NH Skimobile Route 5. Enter from the Goose Pond Road near Wolfeboro Road and continue to the Canaan Turnpike. This is a small section of the trail which continues across the Canaan Turnpike. Easy grade, but wet and difficult footing.

38 Old Highway 38 Trail, 1.4 miles. This trail connects Cuttings Corner at the end of Greensboro Road to Trescott Road opposite Partridge Road. Parking is easiest at the town property on Greensboro Road. Easy.

38A Connecter to AT, 0.4 miles. This trail connects Old Highway 38 Trail to the AT. Follow the blue blazes to avoid taking a wrong turn into private trails. Easy.

39 Old Logging Road, 0.9 miles. Begin at the major bend in Goss Road on the back side of Moose Mountain. This trail is on property owned by the Park Service. It is reported that this trail was used to access the plane crash on Moose Mountain in 1968. Slight incline.

40 Wolfeboro Historic Trail, about 10 miles. Parts of this 18th century road are traceable in Hanover from Goose Pond to the Storrs Pond entrance on Reservoir Road. A section through water company land is not open to the public and a section from Elm Road to Hanover Center Road has been returned to private ownership. The 2.8 mile section over Moose Mountain is strenuous and the short Class VI stretch west of Three Mile Road is quite steep. Other sections are moderate. From Dogford Road to near Elm Road, it is flanked by a hill farm with a fine view and wall. Please stay on the trail here and do not disturb the cattle.

41 Pasture Road, 0.4 miles. This is a Class VI Road. Start by scaling the rock wall along Goss Road 2.7 miles from where the road turns to dirt coming from Enfield. This is just north of a brook which has a private logging road on the south side. Part way up Moose Mountain the trail is obscured by recent logging. It then loops around to the north of the pasture walls (the inverted U on the map) to meet Pasture Trail(41A). The road is a moderate incline, not maintained, with downed trees. Stone walls are visible occasionally.

41A Pasture Trail, 0.5 miles. Start at the top of Moose Mountain Road south of beaver pond and follow trail to Ridge Trail(23). Turn right on Ridge Trail. Pasture Trail leaves the Ridge Trail to the east. It meets the impressive walls of an old pasture at its northwest corner. Continue along the north pasture wall and on to the old Pasture Road(41). The trail is marked with white and blue blazes. Easy.

42 Dartmouth College Morton Farm, 2 to 4 miles of loop. Access trails from the end of the Morton farmhouse driveway on Laramie Road, or on a path from Birchview Terrace on Blueberry Hill. The trail system has several loops. Mainly for horses but good for skiing. Gradual up and down slopes.

43 Wardrobe Road, 1.5 miles. This is a Class VI Road that runs between Goodfellow Road near Hanover Center Road and Rennie Road near Fern Lane. Gradual downhill from Goodfellow to Rennie Road.

44 Jogging Trail, 0.2 miles. Enter from Route 10 behind the fire station. At the bottom of the hill, it intersects the golf course. To access Pine Park, continue across the fairways, watching out for golfers. Steep and narrow.

46 Etna Highlands Road, 2.5 miles. This is a Class VI Road. The road connects Etna to the Morton Farm off Laramie Road. About 1.2 miles is dirt road, 1 mile is trail, and the .3 mile section near Etna is overgrown.

47 Girl Brook East, 1.3 miles. Park at the fields on Reservoir Road. Walk across the fields to the trail. It ends at Route 10 at the driveway of 11 Lyme Road. Cross Route 10 to continue on trail 14 to Pine Park. There is a spur leading to and from the condominiums at Brook Hollow. This can also be accessed from the Ray School via the sewer easement. Easy.

48 Cliffside Trail, 1.1 miles. This trail runs from the Connecticut River Trail(14) in Pine Park near the bottom of Freshman Hill to the back of the Tom Dent Cabin just above the Ledyard Canoe Club. It crosses private property, is unmaintained and slippery in wet weather. Not recommended for casual walkers. Narrow with difficult footing.

49 Coleman Road, 0.7 miles. A Class VI Road, this runs from Dogford Road to Pineo Hill Road. Take the trail closest to the stream as the other is a private logging road. The public is asked to avoid walking close to the house. A small brook crosses the road five times and runs along the road for a short distance. The trail is unmaintained and footing is difficult.

50 Old Spencer Road, 0.7 miles. A Class VI Road, this runs from Dogford Road to Old Lyme Road. Moderate slope down from Dogford Road.

51 Pipers Lane, 0.5 miles. This Class VI Road starts where the maintained Pipers Lane ends and continues to River Road through a narrow ravine. Moderate slope down to River Road.

52 Waterfall Trail, 0.5 miles. Start at the west side of Route 10 across from the entrance and exit for Old Lyme Road just north of Slade Brook. The entrance is marked with a green sign and the trail is marked with yellow arrows. The trail is on private property. It eventually leads to River Road. Easy.

53 Barnes Trail, 0.5 miles. Begin at the logging road on Old Lyme Road to the left of the hiking bridge at the start of Old Spencer Road(50). A sign marks the beginning of this trail. Follow the yellow arrows to a major junction with the Bridle Trail(54) and Huntington Farm trails(29). Easy.

54 Bridle Trail, 0.4 miles. This trail leaves Old Spencer Road(50) about 1000 feet up from the bridge, marked by a sign. The yellow arrows lead to Slade Brook and a choice of trails into Huntington Hill Farm(29). There is a waterfall off to the left before the intersection with Slade Brook. Easy.

55 Slade Brook Link, 0.3 miles. This trail leaves Old Spencer Road(50) about 1000 feet down from Dogford Road. Besides a sign and yellow arrows, there are orange boundary blazes beside the trail. At Slade Brook, turn left to a footbridge that connects with the Huntington Farm trails(29). Foot travel welcome. Easy.

56 Hayfield Lane Easement, 0.4 miles. Where Hayfield Lane curves right, the trail goes straight ahead along the stone wall. A T-segment to the right doubles back to a house and then leads to Alswell Farm field and trails(57). Easy.

57 Alswell Farm Trail, 0.5 mile. The trail is located off the Wolfeboro Road about 0.5 miles east of the north end of the Hanover Center common. Park at the edge of the road after the last driveway on the maintained portion of the road. From a chained entrance about 300 feet ahead, the trail crosses a field, enters the woods at the field's northeast corner, crosses Slade Brook, and loops back to meet Wolfeboro Road just east of a small pond on Monahan Brook. This trail connects with the Hayfield Lane trails(56). Foot travel only.

58 Chandler Road, 0.7 miles. This is a Class VI Road that runs from the end of built-up Chandler Road to Three Mile Road. Easy.

59 Mountainside Trail, 0.5 miles. This trail leaves from the upper loop of the Mink Brook Trail(20). It is well marked and leaves after a "No Horses" sign. It climbs the mountain and ends at "Tully's Walkie-Walkie" near the Logging Road(21). Foot travel only. Steep.

60 Red Pine Trail, 1.3 miles. Park on Etna Highlands Road just west of Hayes Hill Road. There are two loops of trails. Foot travel only. Easy.

61 Back Woods Trail, 0.5 miles. The trail begins just east of the Sibley House on the Class VI section of the Etna Highlands Road. It heads north and meanders through a logged section of land. It ends at the far end back on the Class VI Road. Foot travel only. Easy but the footing is tricky.

62 50-acre Trail, 1 mile. This trail leaves the Class VI portion of Etna Highlands Road opposite trail 61. It meanders to the south, through some forest off to the east, and some overgrown fields to the west, making two loops. Foot travel only. Easy.

63 Great Hollow Rd to Stevens Rd, 0.4 miles. Begin on Great Hollow Road just south of Mink Brook at the sign for Domus, Inc. It crosses a stream and continues in the woods to Stevens Road. This is an easement on private property for foot travel only. Footing is uneven and it is slightly uphill toward Stevens Road.

64 Mt. Support Trail, 0.6 miles before it crosses into Lebanon. Start at a ford across Mink Brook about 0.2 miles along the sewer easement west from the field at the big bend in Greensboro Road. Cross the brook, turn left and then right and continue up hill. After a short way, it flattens out. The trail may eventually be linked up to a Lebanon trail and connect to Route 120. Moderate.

65 Ledyard Link, 0.4 miles. The trail begins as a path through two downed pine logs directly across from the intersection of Wheelock, Trescott, and Grasse Roads. It is not a well-worn path, but is marked in blue. It crosses the access road to the water tower, entering the woods again about 75 yards along the road to the west. It meets trail 6 at the Ledyard Spring. Moderate.

66 Urban Trail, 0.6 miles in four short segments. The trail follows the sewer easement from Valley Road Extension between house s34 and 36 and leads to Kingsford Road between s9 and 11. From Kingsford Road, between s12 and 14, it leads to Rayton Road between s19 and 21. This section of the trail is wide and open, but indistinct. There is a gap to Haskins Road, which it leaves between house s20 and 22 and leads up to Low Road. Again, it is indistinct. At Low Road, the trail goes between house s22 and 24 heading up hill and leads up to the Velvet Rocks Shelter. This part of the trail is easy to follow. The terrain of the whole trail varies from easy at the bottom to possibly the steepest trail in Hanover as it approaches the shelter. When coming down hill, cross Low Road and find the path between s19 and 21. If you wish to avoid the steep part, turn right after passing the backyards and look for a trail.

67 Bogia Easement, 0.2 miles. Access to Balch Hill summit from East Wheelock Street just up hill from Balch Hill Road. Not cleared at Wheelock Sreet end. Moderate.

68 Wheelock Trail, 1 mile. Begin at Route 10, south of Mink Brook across from Pine Knoll Cemetery. Walk the sewer easement to the power line, then follow the blue tape under the power lines into the woods and back out onto the power line to a second Mink Brook Preserve Sign. At this point, the trail is marked with blue blazes on the trees. It continues across Trout Brook, past the intersection of trails and along Mink Brook to the sewer easement. One can cross the brook and circle back via the sewer easement to the Tanzi tract(5) and the Quinn Trail(2). Easy.

69 Trout Brook Trail, 0.4 miles. Park at the end of Brook Road and enter through the gate to the Mink Brook Natural Preserve. The trail forks to the right off the Quinn Trail(2) about 0.2 miles from Brook Road, by the crabapple tree. The trail crosses Mink Brook (not passable in all seasons) and the Wheelock Trail(68), beyond which it veers left up an incline. Orange marks lead past Trout Brook to the power line. Trails under the power line continue into Lebanon. Moderate inclines.

70 Lowland trail, 0.2 miles. This trail lies wholly within the Mink Brook Nature Preserve. From the intersection of the Wheelock(68) and Trout Brook(69) Trails, it heads more southerly than 69 to the power line. Bicycles are not permitted in the Mink Brook Nature Preserve. Easy.

88 North Tunis Road (old Highway 88), 1.7 miles. This is a Class VI Road that runs from Goose Pond Road to Wolfeboro Road 0.5 miles southeast of the AT. Some of the road is bordered by town land and some by private property. Easy and a very good ski trail.