White Mt. NF--Welch-Dickey Trail Loop

White Mt. NF--Welch-Dickey Trail Loop

Orris Road Thornton, New Hampshire 03285

Official Website
White Mountain National Forest Official Website

About this Location

The Welch-Dickey Trail is extremely popular due to its relatively easy access to fine views. The trail varies through shady hardwood forests to open expansive views. In the summer, wild blueberries can be picked as you approach the summit. There is some rock scrambling required along this trail, so come prepared with appropriate footwear. The trail is marked by yellow markers. 

There are many scenic areas along the ledgy 4.4-mile loop. 

About White Mountain National Forest

See all hotspots at White Mountain National Forest

In the decades prior to 1911, the unregulated logging practices of private timber companies in the White Mountains had resulted in a damaged landscape susceptible to both fire and flood. Fires had burned thousands of acres, and flash floods affected the water power necessary to the mills of major industrial centers downstream, such as Manchester, New Hampshire, and Lowell, Massachusetts. Concerns over losses to industry, business, and tourism, and the growing conservation movement led to citizen action. The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) and Society for Protection of New Hampshire Forests (SPNHF) spearheaded an effort to ensure the permanent protection of the White Mountains from further depredation. After years of lobbying and intense public pressure, Senator John Weeks of Massachusetts, a native of Lancaster, New Hampshire, introduced legislation that became known as the Weeks Act. The Weeks Act was passed by Congress in 1911, appropriating 9 million dollars to purchase 6 million acres of land in the Eastern U.S. In turn, this led to the creation of the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) in 1918, and twenty-one other national forests throughout the north and southeast. Many of the groups who were instrumental in the passage of the Weeks Act, including the SPNHF and the AMC, are still active today, and the WMNF has grown from 7,000 acres to almost 800,000. Today, the reforested mountains and hillsides supply forest products and provide magnificent recreational opportunities while maintaining healthy watersheds and ecosystems.

Notable Trails

The AllTrails website has a description and map of a hike on the Welch-Dickey Trail.

Features

  • Restrooms on site

  • Wheelchair accessible trail

  • Entrance fee

Content from Official Website and White Mountain National Forest Official Website

Last updated November 13, 2023