Vermont and Southern New Hampshire Appalachian Trail Section Hike

Before Katahdin, before the White Mountains, you get the incredible section of Vermont and Southern New Hampshire on the AT, not feared quite as much but tough and epic all the same. In 2023 we section hiked 1,225 miles of the Appalachian Trail, the longest footpath in the world, and spent 13 weeks day hiking, working, and van camping on the Appalachian Trail as we moved up the trail slowly from Georgia to Maine. In this series we cover each section we hiked and in this article we cover a section in Vermont and southern New Hampshire.

Art Mural of the AT in downtown Hanover New Hampshire.

IF HEADING NOBO (NORTHBOUND) ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL VT-9 is located at mile marker 1619 on the 2023 at and the Lyme NH gap is at mile marker 1773.6. THIS 155 MILE STRETCH IS WHAT WE COVERED IN 11 DAYS AND YOU WILL GAIN 37,300 FEET OF ASCENT AND HAVE 37,800 FEET IN DESCENT.

Vermont/Southern New Hampshire Appalachian Trail Section Hike Need to Know’s:

1. This chunk of the trail in Vermont had trail closures when we hiked it in 2023 that we needed to navigate. The Green Mountain Club is a great resource for up to date trail conditions.

2. We encountered trail angels doing trail magic in Manchester Center Vermont and in Bennington Vermont, be prepared to eat because in Vermont they love taking care of the hikers! See above pictures of trail angels at the gaps! We felt the good vibes and gave thru hikers lifts and left gatorades at our camping spot on the AT.

3. The Greenwood Lodge is located just a short distance from the VT-9 Gap and was my favorite campsite of the entire section hike.

4. The Long Trail and the Appalachian Trail follow the same trail for about 100 miles in the southern end of Vermont. You will encounter thru hikers doing the “Long Trail Thru Hike.”

5. While nowhere near as tough as Maine or the White Mountains this is a good prep. From Bromley Mountain in Vermont to Moose Mountain in New Hampshire there are plenty of steep climbs that will start to get you prepared for what’s to come in Northern NH/Maine.

6. Vermont Trail Towns include Bennington, Manchester Center, Killington, and Woodstock. Hanover is home to Dartmouth college and you walk directly onto campus on the AT in New Hampshire.

7. Vermont has a “mud season” that you definitely want to avoid hiking this stretch during, the mud does extend across the state line to New Hampshire.

8. We camped for three nights at the Greenwood Lodge, two nights at Gifford Woods State Park (a white blaze was in our campsite!), two nights at the Quechee KOA, and three nights at Storrs Pond Recreation Area in Hanover to complete this section of trail. We also skipped the portions closed to flooding.

What else happened that was memorable during this section hike?

1. The family that has own and run the Greenwood Lodge since the 1960s will forever be etched in my memory. I can’t wait to go see Chris and his parents again!

2. Storrs Pond is a recreation area for Hanover residents with a pool, lake, tennis courts, etc but at night what hosts 500 people becomes a campground of just 10 spots. A neat experience!

3. Walking across the New Hampshire/Vermont border heading towards Dartmouth is a unique enough experience, I was greeted coming out of the woods with homemade cookies by a trail angel welcoming me to New Hampshire. Hard to beat that.

4. Manchester Center and Woodstock Vermont are definitely in competition with Great Barrington MA for being the most bouje trail town on the AT. Even Hanover seems more affordable. Both places had great places to eat, just not if you are on a budget!

5. We met a group of female thru hikers in Gifford Woods who received a $100.00 in trail magic and they decide to split a four person room at the Inn on Long Trail, an iconic inn along the trail. Way to share the love with your hiking buds!

6. Vermont’s General Stores compared in tastiness to New Jersey and New York’s Deli’s.

7. Vermont boasted the first time we got to compost our food scraps since leaving Columbus Ohio and heading down to Georgia! Thanks Gifford Woods SP and other trail towns.
   
   WHAT GEAR DID I USE AND LIKE THE MOST ON MY 2023 AT SECTION HIKE?

1. Hoka One Kaha’s were my trusted shoes for this day (and for the whole summer on the trail.)

2. I used my REI 40 Liter Backpack. This worked great since I was coming on and off the trail every day but most thru-hikers or multi-day section hikers were looking at bigger packs than mine.

3. Darn Tough Vermont and Merino Wool Socks from REI and SmartWool were my go to’s.

4. Osprey Water Bladder and Lifestraw Collapsible Filter for hydration.

5. I wore New Balance running shorts mainly and much preferred that to more typical hiking shorts.

6. Gaiters were a must as was coating our clothes in Permethrin to avoid ticks. (We did not get any ticks remarkably while hiking the AT in 2023.)

7. The AT Guide by AWOL and AT Conservancy are AMAZING resources for a hike on the AT!

AT Sign in Southern New Hampshire.

After a chaotic time navigating through the mid-Atlantic region we really settled back into a groove during this section of the trail.

The hiking was still a smidge muddy (it always might be in Vermont though) but the campgrounds were excellent, the internet service for work was fab, the food was delish, and the weather was extra nice. We found lovely dog parks, restaurants, and towns to go with our long walks on the AT every day.

In the end Vermont and New Hampshire were two of my three favorite states (along with Maine) so you could say we saved the best for last. They are also the toughest but the most fun at the same time. I’ve always enjoyed exploring this region of the country, I think it’s a bit underrated, and the AT was no exception.

It was also a tender time as the Vermont communities were still recovering from the floods and you could see it firsthand. Trail closures, road work on collapsed bridges, and more. We made donations to both the Green Mountain Club and the Vermont Relief Fund to support the endless need of resources that were required to rebuild areas like Central and Northern Vermont.

The trail itself was in good shape and you will work on this section. It was the toughest stretch since Georgia in my eyes, though it was nothing compared to what awaited us in the White Mountains and Maine.

Trail magic cookies upon entering New Hampshire as a welcome greeting from a trail angel!

This section of trail in Vermont and New Hampshire took us eleven days and we also skipped some miles where bridges were collapsed from the floods. You could continue on the Long Trail for a wonderful 150 mile thru-hike or keep going NOBO like we did towards the White Mountains of New Hampshire, which were off in the distance and we knew were awaiting us next.

Thanks for reading and happy trails to you! Whether you are planning a thru, section, or day hike…or are a trail town local, trail angel, or just someone wanting to learn more about the longest footpath in the world…I hope the Appalachian Trail gives you what you need! Don’t forget to Leave No Trace and pack your 10 Essentials!

Comment below with questions or your experience on hiking the AT in the state of Vermont/New Hampshire.

Because Adventure Feeds the Soul,
Mike R

PS: May we honor the soul of Steady Eddie who was last seen hiking the AT in Vermont in this section during the same time we were hiking here and presumably was killed tragically on his thru hike from the flooding. Love to his family and friends.

Steady Eddie photos from his obituary in the Trek. Copyright: The Trek.