[VAULT] Welch-Dickey Loop (White Mountain National Forest)

Welch-Dickey Loop (White Mountain National Forest)

Hike Type: Loop

Distance: 4.3 miles

Elevation: 1,798 feet

Time: Unknown
Hiking Challenges: 52 With-a-View

The Hike

This was a big day in my hiking career - the first time I would hike a 4000-footer and still have energy to hike more afterwards! Given, it was only Mt. Tecumseh, but it still counts! I remember after hiking Moosilauke and the Osceolas, all I wanted was to have the strength and energy to explore more, but my body was SHOT after those hikes, which is why this was a special moment. We drove from our mini-lunch at the Waterville Valley ski area parking lot to the large Welch-Dickey trailhead, fixed with bathrooms - yay!

The plan was to hike the counter-clockwise loop as heavily suggested. The trail was straight-forward and not too strenuous. There were many signs as the trail approached the Welch Ledges:

"You are entering an area containing rare plants, some of which grow on exposed rocks or in rock crevices. To help protect these sensitive habitats, please stay on trails and avoid stepping on plants or disturbing shallow soils."

"Protect fragile plants on Welch ledges. The islands of soil and plants on Welch and Dickey Mountains contain fragile and rare species in New Hampshire that can take up to 400 years to develop. WHile on the ledges please: stay on trails or bare rock, do not walk or sit on vegetation, do not remove the rocks or logs that protect the outcrop islands, leash your pet."

The trail leading up to the ledge was clearly laid out with log barriers to keep us on-trail. The view was beautiful! We enjoyed the view out to the Sandwich Range and then continued hiking up the seemingly endless slabs toward Welch Mountain. We squeezed through a really neat rock and made our way up to the beautiful, slabby summit.  

We descended briefly and then shot up to the summit of Dickey Mountain, where a bouquet of pink lady slippers was waiting to greet us! We planned a break up top, but a LARGE group of children persuaded us to continue on. The descent was along a long, slabby spine that provided many more views, eventually landing us in the woods, where we completed our hike!

Step-by-Step

- Follow Welch-Dickey Loop Trail counter-clockwise.

Originally written and posted Tuesday, October 29th, 2024 at 10:46am.