State: New Hampshire
Location: White Mountains National Forest
Length, Round Trip: 4.4 miles
Trail Type: Loop
Minimum Elevation: 1100 feet
Maximum Elevation: 2734 feet
Elevation Change: 1900 feet
Best Season: May to October
Difficulty: Difficult
Usage: Heavy
Parking: White Mountains National Forest Fee Site.
Whitewater on a New Hampshire River
Trail Information
The Welch-Dickey Loop goes over two rocky summits at the entrance to Waterville Valley. This trail is very popular as evidenced by the size of the parking lot and the number of cars usually there but it does have real dangers. It is a great hike in good weather for athletic people who like scrambling over ledges. If you have small children, you might want to scout the route before inviting them or else be prepared to turn back. Excellent views are offered for very little effort along a trail that travels through a forest of jack pine.
At the upper end of the parking lot, walk up a wide path to a trail sign where the Welch-Dickey Loop turns right into the woods. The eroded road ahead is the Dickey Notch mountain bike trail which connects to the Dickey end of the loop. The trail shortly crosses a brook and then runs parallel on the far side for 0.7 miles before turning uphill. After a long switchback, there is a section of trail worn down to bedrock before the first open ledges are reached at 1.2 miles. This area is an alpine zone and hikers should stay on the rock slab. Protecting the alpine zone is very important because once destroyed, the soil becomes highly vulnerable to erosion and revegetation is very slow. There are extensive views down the valley and to the summits, making a hike to this point and return interesting for those not wanting to do the whole loop.
The trail reenters the woods and climbs again, coming out on another large slab which it crosses diagonally. This is one of several on the loop and anyone who has trouble here should probably turn around. Further on, the trail returns to the woods and climbs more steeply over smaller ledges before coming out in the open again. The summit of Welch Mountain (el. 2,605 feet) is just left of the trail at 1.9 miles and provides views in all
Directions
. Beyond the summit, the trail descends a steep open slab before crossing the col and entering the trees. The trail climbs some steep ledges before coming out in the open again.
The trail ascends another ledge and passes the summit of Dickey Mountain (el. 2,734 feet) at 2.4 miles. After the summit, the trail descends in the woods and then down a steep slab before going back in the woods. The trail next runs over a long but relatively easy slab at the top of some large cliffs. Finally, the trail descends moderately then levels off even more in the woods and reaches the old woods road carrying the Dickey Notch mountain bike trail at 4.4 miles. The parking lot is about 100 yards to the left.
Directions
From Interstate 93:
Take Exit 28 off of Interstate 93. Drive 5.9 miles northeast on New Hampshire Route 49 and turn left on Mad River Road. After 0.7 miles turn right on Orris Road and after another 0.6 miles turn right into parking lot. The trail leaves from the upper end of the parking lot.
