Tips For Hiking In New Hampshire and Maine

Now that winter is officially gone and summer is around the corner, it’s a great time to get outside and explore the beautiful trails in New Hampshire and Maine! Because there are thousands of trails to hike and explore, we won’t even start to list them all. Instead, we’ll provide you with resources to find ones near you (or wherever you’re traveling), how to pack properly for the journey and important tips and tricks for a safe and beautiful hike!

Finding A Trail

There are many great resources for looking up trails to hike. One of our favorite websites is Alltrails.com (it’s also an App!). AllTrails allows you to search nearby trails and walking paths by area within a certain radius. Once you’ve honed in on a location, you can set preferences such as driving directions, length, difficulty, accessibility, and the most important… if it is dog friendly! The best part about this site is people can leave comments and instructions about the path such as where to find the entrance, if there are any treacherous spots, and favorite places for photographs.

What To Pack

No matter if a hike is 15 minutes or 15 hours (yes those exist), it is incredibly important to be prepared. You never know if the weather will change or if you’ll accidentally get hurt or lost. Always pack plenty of water, a few extra layers (like a jacket or extra socks), navigation tools (a printed map, compass, or GPS), snacks, a knife or multi-tool, and first-aid supplies. Don’t forget sunscreen and bug spray! Adjust accordingly to the duration and difficulty of the hike. New Hampshire H Fish and Game has put together an excellent packing list here. Superficially for New Hampshire, it is highly encouraged to purchase a Safe Card for $25 in the case you need to be rescued, it will save you thousands!

Important Details

• Before beginning a hike, whether you are by yourself or with a group, always tell someone you trust where you are going and your expected return time. Keep them updated if cell service allows and always let them know when you are finished and headed home.
• If you feel unprepared or the weather abruptly changes, turn back, you can always try again on a different day.
• Wear appropriate footwear; do not use a long hike to break in a new pair of shoes, and make sure they are closed toe with plenty of support. In the spring especially, it’s HIGHLY encouraged to pack ice cleats or spikes – there can be ice on the mountains in NH until the end of May and some cases, June.
• Lastly and most importantly: take only photographs and leave only footprints.

Happy Hiking!