A Local’s Guide to Hiking in New Hampshire

We have all been there - at the "easy" hike your friend found on the internet. The only issue is...it is NOT easy, and you are now looking up at a massive mountain you did not prepare for.

Picking out the RIGHT hiking trail is critical. Many inexperienced hikers (we all start somewhere) will Google a mountain they want to hike, or type in "easy hikes near XYZ" and go for whatever they see first.

How to Pick Out the Right Hike in New Hampshire:

If you know the area or mountain you want to hike, I always suggest using the website AllTrails. I will explain how to best use the website later in this article.

Let's say you know that you want to hike Mt. Washington. If you type in Google, "Mount Washington Hike," the first thing that pops up is the Tuckerman Ravine trail - the steepest and fastest way to the top. A very difficult 7.7-mile hike with 4,300 feet of elevation gain.

Instead of just Googling it, however, suppose in AllTrails you type in Mt. Washington, you would get a total list of all of the different routes and trails to summit New England's largest peak. So you can look at the variety of mileage, steepness, time, difficulty, etc.

Using AllTrails to Pick Out the Best New Hampshire Hikes for You:

Most people look at total mileage as the most important thing... It's not. You have to consider the elevation gain along with the mileage.

A general rule of thumb is the following:

• 0-400 feet of elevation gain per mile is "easy"
• 400-700 feet of elevation gain per mile is "moderate"
• 700-1000 feet of elevation gain per mile is "difficult"
• 1000+ feet of elevation gain per mile is very "challenging"

Back to Mt. Washington's example. If you took the first hike you saw, Tuckerman's Ravine, it would be 4,300 feet of elevation gain over 3.85 miles to the summit. That is an average of 1,100+ feet of elevation gain per mile - VERY challenging.

If you took the time to look on AllTrails, you would find the Jewell Trail, an easier option. Yes, it is an additional 2 miles; however, it is easier, averaging only 888 feet per mile to the summit.

Pro tips for using AllTrails:

1. Look up reviews and post honest reviews.

Before hiking, I always look up reviews to see if hikers the day before encountered trails being worked on, too much mud, or other conditions affecting the hike.

Leaving honest reviews and checking before you go can save a wasted trip from happening.

2. Use filters.

If you know you can only hike a 3-mile trail, filter your searches in AllTrails that way.

Similarly, if you know you will be bringing a stroller, a dog, need bathrooms onsite, want to hike to a waterfall, or need a hike within 10 minutes of your campsite, you can filter those options too.

3. Use the maps

There are trail maps and elevation maps. You can look at them before, or use them as you hike, so you always know how far you are/where you are on the trail!

I hope this was helpful - Happy hiking!