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Trail Map of Hanover

Foot travel only. Most trails are closed to motorized vehicles and bicycles.
Exceptions are noted below.

Private land. Many of the trails and protected green areas are open to the public by the generosity of owners. Please use the trails in a manner worthy of their trust. Remember, too, that NH law absolves such owners from liability for mishaps.

Class VI roads are historic public roads that are no longer maintained for traffic. Many are good for hiking and skiing. Vehicular use is generally allowed, but may be infeasible. Please don't ride or drive on these roads in muddy conditions. It ruins the roadbed for everyone.

Bicycles are allowed on trails #13A, #31, #33, #36, #37, #71A and Class VI roads.

Snowmobiles are allowed on trail #37 and Class VI roads.

Accessibility. In dry weather sections of some trails may be usable by wheelchairs, strollers and the like, though the trailbeds are not up to ADA standards. Likely sections are #1 from the east, #2 from the west and #31.

Winter hiking. 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

The Main Map (24 X 17.5 inches) shows the whole town as of 2009.
Printed copies are for sale at Hanover Town Hall.

Meanings of terms in the map legend:
Omissions. Starred trails (*) may be used by the public, but are not drawn on the map, by owners' request.
Deprecated trails are largely disused but traceable.
``Lost'' Class VI roads are closed to the public or not traceable.
Parking areas are closely related to trails. General-purpose parking areas are not shown.

Four sectional sheets (11 X 8.5 inches) show raw trails data on USGS base maps.

The Trails

AT Appalachian Trail, 13.9 miles in Hanover: B7-M2. The 2175-mile trail enters Hanover over Ledyard Bridge and goes through town to the Dartmouth athletic fields behind the Mobil station on Route 120. It exits Hanover at Goose Pond Road. Strenuous over Velvet Rocks and Moose Mountain; otherwise moderate to easy.

1 River Trail, 1.1 miles: B7. Runs from Maple Street and Downing Road to the electric substation on South Main Street. Stairs where leaving the river; otherwise easy.

2 Quinn Trail, 0.4 mile: B8. Named for benefactors Brian and Allie Quinn. Runs from the end of Brook Road through the Mink Brook Nature Preserve and the Tanzi Tract(5) to Route 120, between houses #87 and #89. Just beyond a horseshoe bend in the stream 0.6 mile from Brook Road, a side trail leads to a bridge to the Wheelock Trail(68). Easy from Brook Road through Tanzi; steep and rough up to Route 120.

3 Pine Point Trail, 0.2 mile: B7. Runs from a point in Pine Knoll Cemetery to Mink Brook. Moderate.

4 South Esker Natural Area, 0.8 mile: A7. Entrances at the end of Spencer Roal and the southwest corner of Pine Knoll Cemetery. Park near the Water Reclamation Facility at the far end of the cemetery. Trails loop to bluffs above the Connecticut River. Moderate.

5 Tanzi Tract, 0.3 mile: B8. Follow the Quinn Trail(2) to a loop trail that visits rich native vegetation and tumbling Mink Brook. Easy.

6 Short cut to Velvet Rocks, 0.4 mile: D6. Runs from East Wheelock Street opposite Balch Hill Lane to the AT near the cut-off to the Velvet Rocks shelter. Moderate.

7 Trescott Spur, 0.4 mile: E6. Runs from Trescott Road 0.35 miles east of Grasse Road to the AT near the summit of Velvet Rocks. Moderate. The "velvet'' is reindeer moss; please stay off it.

8 Grasse Road Trail, 0.3 mile: B10-C10. Runs from the corner of Grasse Road and East Wheelock Street to the summit of Balch Hill. Moderate.

9 Hunter Trail, 0.6 mile: B10-C10 Trailhead is at the end of Morrison Road. Goes over the summit of Balch Hill and down to the Piane trail. Moderate.

10 Piane Trail, 0.6 mile: A10-B10. Runs from Rip Road opposite house #34 to the summit of Balch Hill. Steep.

11 Hemlock Trail, less than 0.2 mile: B10. Runs from the Hemlock Road parking area to the summit of Balch Hill. Steep at the bottom.

12 Fire Trail, 0.2 mile: B10. Provides emergency and maintenance access to the summit of Balch Hill. The trail starts at the top of Hemlock Road, where there is no parking; park at the Hemlock Trail(11) parking area; Easy.

13 Maple Trail, 0.6 mile: B9-C9. Runs from Dot Strong Trail(13A) near MacDonald Drive to the Fire Trail(12) near the summit of Balch Hill. Moderate.

13A Dot Strong Trail, 0.3 mile: B9-C9. Named for a neighborhood humanitarian. Runs from Reservoir Road about 0.1 mile west of the Storrs Pond entrance to the bottom of MacDonald Drive. Open to bicycles. Easy.

14 Girl Brook Circuit 1.6 miles: B5-C6. Trailheads are in the golf course northwest of Occom Pond and off Rope Ferry Road Extension. Taken counterclockwise, the trail runs along Girl Brook and the Connecticut River, then up Freshman Hill to the golf course. Treacherous stream crossings in high water; steep grade down from Rope Ferry Extension; otherwise easy.

15 Cathedral Aisle, 0.4 mile: C5. This variation from the Girl Brook Circuit(14) runs from the mouth of Girl Brook to the base of Freshman Hill. Easy.

16 Esker Trail (Cardiac Hill), 0.3 mile: C5. Runs uphill from near the start of Cathedral Aisle(15) to the golf course. In golfing season hikers should not go on the golf course. Moderate

17 Hanover Country Club. In winter groomed ski trails on the golf course connect via Girl Brook East(47) with the network on Oak Hill(33). Tickets are sold at the Dartmouth Outing Club house on Occom Pond.

18 Ray School Nature Trail, 0.7 mile: C5-D5. From entrances at the marsh beyond the school and the building behind the school, this trail loops along Girl Brook. Moderate.

18A Ski Trail at the Ray School, 0.2 mile: C5. Begins behind the Ray School and connects to ski trails at Storrs Pond. It criss-crosses the Ray School Nature Trail(18). Moderate.

19 Fullington Farm Trail, 0.7 mile: D4-E3. 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, 1.3 miles: J6-J7. 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. Easy, but with brook crossings.

21 Logging Road, 0.9 mile: J6-K5. Runs from Goss Road Extension(22) to the AT. Moderate.

22 Goss Road Extension, 0.7 mile: J6-K6. Begins near the top of Moose Mountain Road. Maintained for access to a TV tower, this Class VI road is a somewhat raw, but wide open way along the Moose Mountain Ridge. Easy. A lost section continues 0.7 mile to Goss Road.

23 Ridge Trail (formerly Orange Diamond Trail), 4.5 miles in Hanover, 1.2 in Enfield: K5-J10. Runs from the AT near South Peak along the ridge of Moose Mountain to Enfield on Route 4. Views of Mt. Washington, Mt. Cardigan, Mascoma Lake, and (in winter) Killington Peak. Blazed light blue north of Pasture Road. Moderate, but occasionally tricky to follow southward.

23A Tower Trail, 0.6 miles: K6. This former route of the Ridge Trail(23) is easy to follow, but raw north of a TV tower on the ridge and badly eroded south.

24 Ski Loop, 1.1 miles: J5-K5. Originally part of a back-country ski trail that also utilized Wolfeboro Road(40), the trail can be traced from the Fred Harris Trail(25) near the AT almost to the AT on the ridge of Moose Mountain. It has not been cleared since the ice storm of 1998. Moderate to strenuous.

25 Fred Harris Trail, 3.8 miles in Hanover, 0.3 in Lyme: J6-L2. This former route of the AT is named for Fred Harris who, as an undergraduate, founded the Dartmouth Outing Club in 1909. The trail may be reached from Three Mile Road via the AT, the Fred Harris Cabin access trails(26,27) or Wolfeboro Road(40); from Moose Mountain Road via the Mink Brook Trail(20); and from Goose Pond Road in Lyme at a large pine just west of a barnyard. Easy.

26 New Fred Harris Cabin access trail, 0.5 mile: J5. Runs from a parking area on Three Mile Road 1.0 north of Old Dana Road to the Fred Harris Trail(25), Easy.

27 Old Fred Harris Cabin access trail, 0.75 mile: J5. Runs from utility pole 94/37 on Three Mile Road to the Fred Harris Trail(25) near the Fred Harris Cabin. Easy, except for a sometimes challenging beaver-dam traverse.

28 Corey Road, 1 mile: I5-I6. The upper end of this Class VI road, on Three Mile Road near Old Dana Road, serves also as a private driveway. The lower end crosses a field from a gate on Wolfeboro Road 0.3 mile from Hanover Center. The Corey homestead cellar hole is on a knoll SW of the second brook crossing, counted from the lower end. Easy.

29 Huntington Hill Farm, 5 miles: H2-H3. The primary trailheads on both sides of Goodfellow Road are 1 mile from Route 10. A network of well cleared trails traverses varied habitat¢the evergreen ravine of Slade Brook, upland forest, fields with distant views, a pond, pine plantation, and much forest edge for bird watching. Many of the trails are marked with red arrows; a major loop is pointed out by white arrows at junctions. Easy to moderate.

30 Huntington Hill Wildlife Management Area. H3-I3. A large sign beside Hanover Center Road marks the entrance to this trail, which crosses a pond, veers to the north and continues to Goodfellow Road. A side trail to Huntington Hill Farm(29) is marked by coffee-can lids. Easy.

31 Storrs Pond Ring Trail, 1.6 miles: C5-D4. Running counterclockwise around Storrs pond, the trail passes junctions to Oak Hill(33) and Ferguson Field(32), and through a ball field and a picnic area. Open to bicycles. Access fees are charged at some seasons. Easy.

32 Ferguson Field, 0.25 miles: C4-D4. Runs through a field on Route 10 across from Kendal to Storrs Pond(31). Easy.

33 Oak Hill Trails, several miles: D5-E4. Park in the upper lot of Storrs Pond. Trails are groomed for skiing. Tickets may be bought at a hut at the parking lot or at the Dartmouth Outing Club house on Occom Pond. Open for mountain bikes in dry seasons. Moderate.

34 Highway 34, 1.8 miles: D3-D5. Begins as a Class VI road off Route 10 opposite the Dartmouth Organic Farm; runs uphill along the brink of a ravine and through Oak Hill(33) to the Frank Fetter bridge at the top of Reservoir Road. Moderate.

35 Rinker Tract: Brook Trail, Quarry Loop, Hillside Trail, and Storrs-Rinker Trail, 0.6 mile: D4. Access from Route 10, at the bottom of the hill north of the Chieftan Motel. Easy to moderate.

36 Goodwin Forest Logging Road, 0.4 mile: M3-N3. Runs uphill from the north end of Tunis Road(88) to a reforesting log landing in the Town's Goodwin Forest. Sporadically maintained. Open to mountain bikes. Moderate.

37 Snowmobile Trail, 1.4 miles: O3-O4. This section of NH Snowmobile Route 5 runs from Goose Pond Road near Wolfeboro Road to the Canaan Turnpike. Easy grade, but wet and difficult footing.

38 Old Highway 38, 1.4 miles: E8-F7. Runs from Greensboro Road opposite the town storage yard to Trescott Road opposite Partridge Road. One short steep pitch at south end; otherwise easy.

38A Connecter to AT, 0.4 mile: E6-E7. The trail connects Old Highway 38(38) to the AT. Follow blue blazes to avoid taking private trails. Easy. Continuation north of the AT leads only to private land.

39 Old Logging Road, 0.9 mile: L5-K6. This unmaintained trail at the northern extremity of Goss Road is on land owned by the National Park Service. Easy.

40 Wolfeboro Road, about 10 miles: D5-O4. This 18th century road is traceable in Hanover from the Canaan border to the Storrs Pond entrance on Reservoir Road. The part in Hanover Water Company land is closed to the public, and the part between Elm Road and Hanover Center has been given up by the town. The 2.8 mile part over Moose Mountain and the short Class VI part west of Three Mile Road are strenuous. The rest is moderate. From Dogford Road to near Elm Road, Wolfeboro Road traverses a hill farm with a fine wall and view.

41 Pasture Road, 0.8 mile: J7-K8. The trail, which partly follows a Class VI road, begins opposite the parking lot at the top of Moose Mountain Road. East of the Ridge Trail(23) it is marked with blue-white blazes, and passes impressive relics from wall-building days. The connection to Baum Conservation Area(74) should be complete in 2010. The historic Pasture Road (not shown) continues to Goss Road. Moderate.

42 Dartmouth College Morton Farm, several miles. I9. These trails may be accessed via the Morton farmhouse driveway on Laramie Road, or via a path from Birchview Terrace on Blueberry Hill. Mainly for horses but good for skiing. Easy.

43 Wardrobe Road, 1.5 miles: I1-I3. This Class VI road runs between Goodfellow Road near Hanover Center Road and Rennie Road near Fern Lane. Easy downhill from Goodfellow to Rennie Road, with one difficult stretch near Pingree Brook.

45 Aggie Kurtz Trail, 0.8 mile: H10-H9. Named for the moving spirit of the former Hanover Trails Association. Runs north from Blueberry Hill behind properties on Laramie Road to Morton Farm(42). Easy.

46 Etna Highlands Road, 2.5 miles: F8-H9. Alternating between Class V and Class VI, this road runs from Etna Village to Morton Farm(42). Class VI sections toward the ends are bushwacks.

47 Girl Brook East, 1.3 miles: C5-C6. The north end of the main stem of this trail is a footbridge downhill off the driveway of the Dartmouth Day Care Center on Reservoir Road. At the south the trail can be entered from Route 10 0.35 mile north of Park Street or from the corner of Verona Avenue and Willow Spring Lane. Easy.

48 Cliffside Trail, 1.1 miles: B5-B6. Runs from the Girl Brook Circuit(14) in Pine Park near the bottom of Freshman Hill to the back of Tom Dent Cabin just above the Ledyard Canoe Club. A narrow sidehill trail, irregularly maintained, with frequent scrambles.

49 Coleman Road, 0.7 mile: G3-F3. This Class VI road runs from Dogford Road to Pineo Hill Road. The public is asked to avoid walking close to the house on Pinneo Hill. A small brook crosses the road five times and runs along the road for a short distance. Take the trail closest to the brook, as the other is a private logging road. The trail is irregularly maintained and footing may be difficult.

50 Old Spencer Road, 0.7 mile: G2-G3. This Class VI road runs from Dogford Road to Old Lyme Road. Moderate.

51 Pipers Lane, 0.5 mile: G1-G2. This Class VI road runs from the maintained part of Pipers Lane to River Road through a narrow ravine with a town nature preserve to the north. Easy.

52 Waterfall Trail, 0.8 mile: F2-G2. Starting from River Road just north of Purling Brook Road, the trail traverses the Jim and Evalyn Hornig Natural Area past a waterfall and ends at Route 10 between the ends of Old Lyme Road. Easy.

53 Barnes Trail, 0.5 mile: G2-G3. This wide woods road begins at a gate on Old Lyme Road just north of Old Spencer Road(50). After entering Huntington Hill Farm (signposted), it merges with the Bridle Trail(54). Easy to moderate.

54 Bridle Trail, 0.4 mile: G3. easy. The trail leaves Old Spencer Road(50) at a broad junction about 1000 feet from Old Lyme Road. There is a waterfall off trail downstream of the Slade Brook crossing. The crossing, site of a defunct bridge, may be difficult; otherwise easy

55 Slade Brook Link, 0.3 mile: G3-H3. Runs from Old Spencer Road(50) about 1000 feet from Dogford Road down to a bridge across Slade Brook. There are orange boundary blazes beside the upper end. Easy

56 Hayfield Road Easement, 0.4 mile: I4. Where Hayfield Road curves south, the trail continues east along the stone wall. Go right at a T junction to the field and trails at Alswell Farm(57). Easy, but poorly marked.

57 Alswell Farm Trail, 0.5 mile: I4. From a gated entrance about 300 feet beyond the end of the maintained part of Wolfeboro Road east of Hanover Center, 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. Easy.

58 Chandler Road, 0.7 mile: H6-I6. This Class VI road runs from the end of maintained Chandler Road to Three Mile Road. The south entrance is hidden by a hedgerow. Easy.

59 Mountainside Trail, 0.5 mile: J6. The trail leaves from the upper loop of the Mink Brook Trail(20) near a "No Horses" sign. It climbs the mountain to "Tully's Walkie-Walkie", a diversion from the Logging Road(21). Steep.

60 Red Pine Trail, 1.3 miles: G8-G9. Park on Etna Highlands Road just west of Hayes Hill Road. There are two loops of trails. Easy.

61 Back Woods Trail, 0.5 mile: H9. The trail begins just east of the last house on the maintained section of Etna Highlands Road. It soon heads east and meanders through a logged section of land, then meets the Class VI road again at the far end. Easy grade, but the footing is tricky.

62 50-acre Trail, 1 mile: H9. The trail leaves the Class VI portion of Etna Highlands Road opposite Back Woods Trail(61). It makes two loops, through forest to the east, and overgrown fields to the west. Easy.

63 Great Hollow Rd to Stevens Rd, 0.4 mile: F8. Park in a small lot off Great Hollow Road opposite the trailhead south of the Mink Brook bridge. Follow the brook east, then turn uphill along a small tributary and continue to Stevens Road. Moderate upgrade toward Stevens Road.

64 Mt. Support Trail, 0.6 mile in Hanover. E8-E9. The trail, no longer a Class VI road, starts near a ford across Mink Brook about 0.2 mile along the sewer easement west from the field at the big bend in Greensboro Road. It passes a small old quarry. Indistinct through the saddle east of Mt. Support, it joins a network of woods roads in Lebanon that leads to Route 120 and the former Wilson Tire building. Moderate.

65 Ledyard Link, 0.4 mile: D6. Runs from the top of East Wheelock Street opposite Grasse Road to Ledyard Spring, where it meets connectors to the Short Cut to Velvet Rocks(6) and the AT. The trail crosses a water-tower access road, along which it jogs right about 75 yards. Blazed blue. Easy.

66 Urban Trail, 0.6 mile in four short segments. C6-C7. The trail follows the sewer easement from Valley Road Extension between houses #34 and #36 to Kingsford Road between #9 and #11. From Kingsford Road, between #12 and #14, it runs to Rayton Road between #19 and #21. This section of the trail is wide and open, but indistinct. There is a gap to Haskins Road. From Haskins Road between #20 and #22 it runs to Low Road between #19 and #21, again indistinct. From Low Road, between #22 and #24 it heads uphill to the Velvet Rocks Shelter. The terrain varies from easy at the bottom to possibly the steepest trail in Hanover near the top. To avoid the steep part, turn south behind the backyards of Low Road and make your way to the AT.

68 Wheelock Trail, 1 mile: B8-C8. East end is on Buck Road, 0.1 mile off Route 120. West end is on Route 10 just southeast of the Mink Brook bridge. Best parking is at the electric substation northwest of the bridge. From Route 10, walk east through the meadow to a Mink Brook Nature Preserve sign, then follow light blue blazes to Buck Road. Runs along a very scenic stretch of Mink Brook and, near the east end, opposite remains of Wheelock's mill. Easy grade, with narrow side-hill footing in spots.

69 Trout Brook Trail, 0.4 mile: B8-C8. From a major junction on the Wheelock Trail(68) this trail follows Trout Brook uphill to a power-line corridor. Continuing trails connect to Indian Ridge(72), Easy.

70 Lowland trail, 0.2 mile: B8. From a major trail junction on Wheelock Trail(68) this trail crosses Trout Brook to a power-line corridor. From there a trail continues to Sachem Village. Easy.

71 Troop 45 Trail (Oli's Trail), 0.4 mile: D7. Runs through rugged ledges and ravines from the top of Velvet Rocks Drive to a switchback on the AT. Moderate,

71A Silent Brook Trail, 0.6 miles: D7. For the upper end of this trail, park at the top of Velvet Rocks Drive. For either of the two lower ends, park along the eastern spur of Silent Brook Drive. The lower ends are on Forest Edge Drive and at the top of a grassy field on Silent Brook Drive. The trail dips sharply into a ravine at the upper end; otherwise easy. Open to bicycles.

72 Indian Ridge, about 2 miles: E8 and south. This network overseen by the Hanover Conservation Commission connects to DHMC, Boston Lot and Sachem Village. Map is available at Hanover Town Hall.

74 Baum Conservation Area, 2.4 miles: J7-K8. Parking lot on Goss Road (continuation of Maple Street, Enfield) is 3.4 miles from Route 4. A southern ``yellow'' loop (0.9 mile) and a northern ``blue'' loop (1.6 miles) traverse ledgy terrain in rapidly regrowing forest. Moderate.

88 North Tunis Road (old Highway 88), 1.7 miles: M5-N3. This Class VI road 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. Very wet in places, but a good ski trail. Easy.

Map prepared by Douglas McIlroy.
GPS trail data collected by the trails committee of the Hanover Conservation Commission and Boy Scout Troop 45.
Base map data from Town of Hanover Master Plan, 2003.

Updated January 2010