North Hancock and South Hancock via Hancock Loop Trail
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North Hancock and South Hancock Hike Overview
North Hancock (4,420’) and South Hancock (4,319’) used to be the most remote mountains in the White Mountains before the Kancamagus Highway was built. These two mountains are hiked together as a loop, starting from the famous hairpin turn along the Kancamagus in Hancock Overlook Parking Area. Hancock Notch Trail begins across the street, but the signage is great, so it is easy to find.
Trail Details
Trail: Hancock Notch Trail > Hancock Loop Trail
Length: 9.1 miles
Elevation Gain: 2,600 feet
My Trail Time: 4:30 hours hiking, 5:00 hours total
Hike Overview
The hike to North Hancock and South Hancock gains a total of 2,500 feet of elevation. The first part of the hike is very easy with gradual elevation gain, but the final mile is steep! The trails to each summit along the loop are very steep and do not have good footing because it is filled with loose rocks (fun!).
Since this hike starts at the hairpin turn on the Kancamagus Highway, the parking lot fills up quickly, especially in fall. I recommend arriving as early as you can to secure a spot because the parking lot is not that big.
North Hancock and South Hancock Hike via Hancock Loop Trail Guide
June 23, 2019
**Always remember to leave no trace. It is crucial to pack out what you pack in and throw away your trash properly.
Alex and I began our hike to North Hancock and South Hancock on a beautiful Sunday at 9:15 AM. This was our first hike of the season, so we were very excited! We usually hike at least once before the end of June, however, the White Mountains had a lot of snow and rain which deterred us from hiking.
The first two miles of Hancock Notch Trail flew by! It was very easy and mostly flat, so we were hiking very quickly. It was a classic bait-and-switch, but we knew that was the case, so we used this portion of the trail as a warm-up for our legs. During this portion of Hancock Notch Trail, there were a few stream crossings, none of which were too complicated. It rained every single day the previous week, but the river crossings did not give us trouble. Other than the few stream crossings, this portion of Hancock Notch Trail was pretty uneventful.
We soon came to a junction and stayed to the left to continue on our way to the summits. This was where we began to gain elevation. This portion of Hancock Notch Trail was very muddy, but it was easily avoidable. I did, however, get my hiking boot stuck in the mud at one point…YUM.
After 0.7 miles, we came to another junction and stayed right this time to continue towards the Hancock Loop Trail. The signs were pretty clear on pointing us in the correct direction which was great. I feel as if sometimes in the White Mountains, the signs can be very unclear, so we always bring a map or download a map of the hike we are doing. I would highly recommend doing one of the two, so you always have guidance if the signs fail you.
Hancock Notch Trail switched every so often from gaining elevation to flat sections, so the next mile was pretty easy on the legs. We soon came to the final junction of the hike which is where the Hancock Loop Trail splits. Heading right would take us to South Hancock and heading left would take us to North Hancock. Both are pretty miserable ascents, I’m not going to lie. Hancock Loop Trail is where we gained what felt like ALL of the elevation.
We decided to ascend South Hancock first because we read that it was a better ascent. The ascent to South Hancock was SO TOUGH. I swear we were climbing at a 70° angle until we reached the summit. WOOF. Hancock Loop Trail required big steps and lots of butt muscle assistance. We had pretty good footing, though, which helped!
After what felt like forever, we made it to the summit of South Hancock at 11:15 AM! South Hancock had a small overlook clearing that offered beautiful views! We spent a few minutes on South Hancock’s summit before starting the trek to North Hancock. The hike over to North Hancock was 1.4 miles and very easy. It was a beautiful hike, too! Before we knew it, we were at the summit of North Hancock!
Similar to South Hancock, North Hancock had a small overlook clearing with a beautiful view. Most people hiked to North Hancock first, so the overlook was very crowded. We were lucky enough to find a small spot to eat our lunch and take in the views. We didn’t stay on North Hancock’s summit too long though because it kept getting more crowded, so around 12:15 PM we began our descent!
The descent was MISERABLE!!!! The entire descent on Hancock Loop Trail from North Hancock had loose rocks and very steep sections. I almost wish we went up North Hancock first, but either way, the descent would have been miserable. We took so long to get down Hancock Loop Trail because we had to cling onto trees to prevent us from falling. It was pretty sketchy… And a group of kids w ere FLYING down this portion of the trail! I had anxiety watching them.
We survived the sketchy descent and began our final hike down Hancock Notch Trail. The descent for us on longer hikes always feels as if it takes forever. The steep ascent and descent took a toll on our legs, so we wanted to get back to the car quickly to stretch. We made pretty good time and made it to the final 2 miles of Hancock Notch Trail quickly. This was the portion of the hike that seemed to go on forever. It didn’t help that the trail was straight, flat, and eventful.
When we arrived back at the car at 2:15 PM, we immediately stretched and rested. With this being our first hike of the season, our legs were very shaky. It always feels so good to stretch out sore hiking legs!
Overall, the hike to North Hancock and South Hancock was pretty easy except for the Hancock Loop Trail which was pretty miserable. The views were beautiful even with the small clearing, so they made it all worth it!
If you have hiked North Hancock and South Hancock, which summit did you hike to first?
Hey, I’m Nichole!
I am the creator behind Nichole the Nomad, the home of my explorations around the world, mountain hikes, and beautiful pictures taken along the way. I have a deep passion for capturing the world in a beautiful light and sharing my experiences.
I created this blog to share my travels, show how beautiful the world is, provide tips and tricks for traveling, and encourage you to explore. Whether you want to travel across the world or explore what’s in your backyard, I hope this blog inspires you to get outside and find your adventure!