Fall Foliage Hike: Welch-Dickey Loop, Thornton, NH

-

The changing of seasons is one of the best parts of living in the northeast.  Especially when the kaleidoscope of colors emerge in Autumn.  New England's Fall foliage attracts visitors from around the world, every year. With mid-October through early November being the peak in the season, we make all efforts to get outdoors and enjoy the Autumn scenery.

Welch-Dickey Loop-Thorton-New Hampshire

Two years ago was the first time we hiked Welch-Dickey Loop in Thornton, New Hampshire.  It immediately became our favorite mountain hike for Fall foliage in New England.  Being only a 2 hour drive from Boston, with a hike time averaging around 4 hours, this trip is definitely doable in a day for those in the area.    

Montauk Tackle- Welch-Dickey Loop-Thorton-New Hampshire
Wearing a Montauk Tackle 1/4 zip pullover

Montauk Tackle- Welch-Dickey Loop-Thorton-New Hampshire

One of the best features of this hike is that you climb up two summits.  We did Welch first, followed by the Dickey summit, taking the loop trail.  The Welch summit is 2,605ft and the Dickey summit is 2,734ft.  As with most mountain hikes in New England, the trail starts through the woods with a gradual ascent.  The path is pretty rocky and due to rain during the week, it was muddy throughout the initial part of our climb.

Welch-Dickey Loop-Thorton-New Hampshire



Welch-Dickey Loop-Thorton-New Hampshire

The hike up the Welch summit was the more challenging of the two.  There were several steep areas,climbing up slates of rock. The rain from previous days made certain parts of the climb slippery, adding an element of difficulty.  Without hiking shoes, it would be difficult to gain traction in these parts of the hike.  The trail to Welch had many scenic overlooks to stop and take photos of the beautiful vistas.  When you reach the top, you also get a view of the Dickey summit up ahead.    

Welch-Dickey Loop-Thorton-New Hampshire
View of the Welch summit from Dickey's summit
The climb to the Dickey summit, as well as the descent down, is much easier and less steep.  You get great views of the valleys and rolling hills of autumn colors surrounding the summit. Our favorite part was the view of the Welch summit behind us.  There are tons of great photo opportunities throughout this entire hike outing.

We are fortunate to be able to experience four seasons living in the northeast of America.  We encourage our fellow hikers in this area of the country, to get outdoors this Fall and take in the beautiful scenery of the season.

Welch-Dickey Loop-Thorton-New Hampshire

Welch-Dickey Loop-Thorton-New Hampshire

Welch-Dickey Loop-Thorton-New Hampshire


Kristy Albano & Matt Pickering                                                      
Location: Welch and Dickey Mt Trail, Thornton, NH 03285, USA

Popular posts from this blog

Snorkeling at Baby Beach- San Nicolas, Aruba

-
Image
Baby Beach is a great day-trip to make if you've rented a car in Aruba. It’s located on the southern tip of the island in San Nicolas.  Baby Beach gets its name from the tranquil cove of water that surrounds the beach being so calm that even young children are safe to swim in it. The drive down from the hotel area takes around 40 minutes. It’s a fun ride down stopping at the shops in Oranjestad or checking out one of the more local restaurants once you get south of the airport. Directions in Aruba are pretty easy to follow. There are only a few highway-type roads and because it’s a small island, you can usually find the water as a point of reference if you get off-route. Baby beach definitely has a unique look to it, as the rough ocean flows into a protected, horseshoe shaped cove where everyone swims around.  Because there are only a few hotels nearby, the beach has a local flair. However you’ll see plenty of tourists and guided tours as well. There are als
Read more

Wessagusset Beach- North Weymouth, MA

-
Image
Although Summer is already over, we still enjoy going to the beach.  One of our favorite and also most convenient locations is Wessagusset Beach in North Weymouth.  The stone wall of the beach runs along Fort Points Road where you'll find a small cove, with parking as well.   The beach is relative small and very rocky, so you probably won't find yourself walking barefoot in the sand.  However it is the perfect beach to catch some rays, otherwise enjoy the sunset. With Wessagusset Yacht Club  close by, you will always see a few boats out in the water. Snapper Blue The beach is also an attraction for some fisherman with striper and bluefish along the shores.  But rumor has it that fishing has been slow this year. Our favorite part about this beach is that it faces west overlooking the Boston skyline.  So we've seen a few amazing sunsets and views from Wessagusset.  Here are some of many more to come! Waves before a Storm
Read more

Wompatuck State Park- Hingham, MA

-
Image
We love uncovering new parks and trails!  Especially ones right outside of Boston, making it easy for those of you living your busy city lives to find time to escape and enjoy some fresh air and the outdoors. This past weekend we explored Wompatuck Park which is primarily located in Hingham, MA but crosses over into Cohasset, Norwell and Scituate. As you can imagine, this park is huge with 3,500 acres of recreational area. Wompatuck is a popular spot for campers with over 260 wooded campsites  (including half with electricity). There are also certain areas that are accessible for hunting, but definitely check out the park  regulations beforehand. Aside from that, there are around 12 miles of biking trails , extensive paths for trail hiking and cross country skiing, and the Aaron Reservoir which is perfect for fishing and kayaking.  Only non-motorized boats are permitted in the Reservoir but it's an easy put-in from the boat launch area of the park.  During our
Read more