x

Be the first to add a review!!!

Mount Hale Hiking Trail Guide: Map, Trail Descriptions, Pictures & More

by

Article Categories: Hiking

Mount Hale is a 4,055 foot mountain located in the Twin Range in Bethlehem, New Hampshire, Grafton County in the White Mountains. The shortest trail to the summit of Mount Hale is by taking the Hale Brook Trail. Mount Hale is considered one of the easiest hikes out of all the 4,000 footers, though the summit lacks any views. The summit is an open circle field with a big cairn in the center. This is most often hiked with Mount Zealand.

Elevation: 4,055 feet

Elevation gain: 2,300 feet

Distance:  4.6 miles roundtrip

Duration (book time): 3 hours

Difficulty: Easy

Mount Hale Trail Map

Trails

Hale Brook Trail – 4.6 miles round trip – 2,300 feet of elevation gain

Begin hiking on the Hale Brook Trail for 2.3 miles until you reach the summit of Mount Hale. It is a fairly straight trail with no intersections or junctions. To get back to the parking lot where you started, simply retrace your steps and descend the Hale Brook Trail until you reach the trailhead sign. Though this hike lacks great summit views, it is actually quite nice. The trail goes along a river for quite some time which is gorgeous. And views can be seen looking back down the trail that are also fantastic.

Alternative routes

Lend-a-Hand Trail – 5.4 miles round trip – 1,300 feet of elevation gain

The only other maintained trail to the summit is the Lend-a-Hand Trail which begins at the AMC Zealand Falls Hut. This is also a common path taken when hikers are summiting both Mount Zealand and Hale.

Distance: 2.7 miles

Elevation gain: 1300 vertical feet

Hiking in winter

Zealand road is closed during the winter. Some hikers will choose to snowshoe up Zealand Road for a couple miles to access the trailhead. The road is easy to hike along, and Mount Hale by itself is one of the easiest 4,000 footers.

Camping and overnight hiking options

The closest campgrounds in the area are Zealand Campground, Sugarloaf I and Sugarloaf II, all located off of Zealand Road. Another place to stay when hiking Mount Hale is at the Zealand Falls Hut.

Backcountry camping is permitted, with restrictions such as: Unless otherwise posted, you may camp: Below treeline, at least 200 feet from the trail, at least 200 feet from all water sources, and at least a quarter of a mile from any road or hut.

Parking

The parking area for the Hale Brook trail is located on Zealand Road in Bethlehem, New Hampshire on the right side of the road.

*NOTE* Zealand Road is closed during winter.

Directions

To get to the Hale Brook Trail parking area

The parking lot for this hike is located on Zealand Road in Bethlehem, New Hampshire. It is roughly 2.5 miles up Zealand Road on the right hand side. You will pass by Sugarloaf Mountain campground before reaching the parking area. The trail begins to the right.

Current Weather Conditions

Mount Hale is a wooded and fairly low summit, so the conditions will be less severe and typically more similar to those in the valleys than to those on the high summit of Mount Washington. Always be prepared before heading out.

Bethlehem, NH

Tonight
A chance of rain showers and patchy fog before 9pm, then patchy fog and scattered rain showers between 9pm and midnight, then rain likely and patchy fog. Cloudy, with a low around 38. Southwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday
Rain and patchy fog. Cloudy, with a high near 39. West wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Thursday Night
Patchy fog and rain and snow likely before 8pm, then patchy fog and rain and snow likely between 8pm and 9pm, then patchy fog and rain and snow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 27. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Friday
A chance of snow. Cloudy, with a high near 31. Northwest wind 15 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 7 inches possible.

Friday Night
A chance of snow before 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21. Northwest wind 25 to 30 mph, with gusts as high as 50 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Saturday
Partly sunny, with a high near 28.

Saturday Night
A slight chance of snow after 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 19.

Additional photos

Mount Hale Summit

Summit of Mount Hale

Mount Hale Waterfall

Mount Hale River Flows

Mount Hale Trail Sign

Mount Hale Trail Sign

Andrea Davis

Andrea Davis

Andrea is a writer, hiker, and adventurer from New England. She enjoys snowboarding, sunrise hikes, winter, night hiking, traveling, and photography.

  • Beauty
  • Parking
  • Trail Conditions
Comments Rating 0 (0 reviews)

Leave a Reply

User Review
  • Beauty
    Sending
  • Parking
    Sending
  • Trail Conditions
    Sending

Be the first to add a review!!!