Hale Brook Trail
To Mount Hale · New Hampshire
Hale Brook Trail is a trail on and around Franconia Ridge, climbing about 2,300 ft from Hale Brook Trailhead (Zealand Road) to Mount Hale.
Map length
2.0 mi
Climb from the low end
2,279 ft
Book time up / down (from map miles)
2 h 8 min / 1 h
High point
4,053 ft
Above treeline
None
Steepest ¼ mile
1,540 ft/mi
Stream crossings
1 (1 ford)
Low point
1,773 ft
Measured on the map. The AMC guide and Forest Service figures usually run 5 to 15% longer. The mapped trail stops just short of the summit of Mount Hale; these figures end there.
HikerNerd routes on this trail
Hale Brook Trail
Mile by mile (map miles)
From Hale Brook Trailhead (Zealand Road) (the lower end) to Mount Hale.
- 0.0Hale Brook Trailhead (Zealand Road)
- 0.8Fords Hale Brook
- 2.0Mount Hale
- 2.0Junction with Fire Warden's Trail and Lend-a-Hand Trail
Trailheads and parking
Hale Brook Trailhead (Zealand Road)
Off Zealand Road · Parking fee · Winter: gated
Weekends (all seasons): Full in 3 of 7 reports, as early as 9 am; others found space as late as 3 pm.
Fall weekdays: Had space in both reports.
Latest report, Wed, Sep 30: Plenty of room.
Summit conditions
Today's conditions reportRecent trip reports
3 reports on this trail in the last 30 days: snow or ice in 0, microspikes recommended in 0, mud in 2. From hikers on New England Trail Conditions.
- Thu, Oct 1MudWetDry
Water crossings: No issues
Full report on NETC - Wed, Sep 30MudWet
Water crossings: Lots of small brook crossings; all easy.
Full report on NETC - Wed, Sep 23WetDry
Water crossings: All can be steppd over
Full report on NETC - Wed, Aug 12WetDry
Water crossings: Decent flow through all, but all were easy to step over
Full report on NETC
Connecting trails
What to bring
From the summit forecast, Sat to MonPaid links. Backcountry.com pays me if you buy. Prices are Backcountry's, checked twice a day.
28°F
Summit low
Microspikes
Summit lows near 28°F, so expect ice on rock and the upper trail.
56 mph
Summit gusts
Waterproof shell
Daytime gusts near 56 mph and up to a 73% chance of rain. A shell blocks both.
11h 13m
Daylight
Headlamp
Sunset around 6:08 PM, so a late start or a slow descent ends in the dark.
The rest of the list: Winter gear guide · How I pick gear
Trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Elevation: USGS 3DEP. Distances are measured from the map and can differ from signs and guidebooks. Conditions change: check before you go.