Time spent in nature can generate feelings of joy and calmness, relieve stress and anxiety, and reduce heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol levels.

Consider engaging with our beautiful campus and surrounding locations.

• Bema. A wooded and grass-covered area located in College Park, this area can serve as an outdoor amphitheater, too.
• Dartmouth/Hanover Walking Routes. several suggested routes with measured distances, including a treasured community favorite: Occom Pond
• Hanover Hikes. Hanover Conservancy’s hiking search tool includes directions, route details, and vivid descriptions.
• LiGraben Meditation Garden. Located at 42 School Street in the Town of Hanover, open noon to sunset
• Life Sciences Greenhouse. Located at the top of the Class of 1978 Life Sciences Center, this greenhouse and living botanical museum is a great place to visit the outdoors, while staying indoors on cold or rainy days.
• Mink Brook. A 112-acre preserve in Hanover, which protects trout, bears, and other creatures
• Nathan’s Park – a park at 33 Maple Street in the Town of Hanover with a gazebo and seating; visiting this park requires ability to go up and down stairs
• Tree Lovers Walk. Check out some of Dartmouth’s most famous trees.
• Upper Valley Trail Finder. Use this online tool to sort trails by difficulty, location, and distance.
• Walking Tour of Campus Sculpture

Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC) – The DOC is led by a student directorate, under the advisement of Outdoor Programs Office (OPO) staff. Numerous student groups exist under the umbrella of the DOC. Some groups organize trips near campus and across the country over break periods like Winterim and Spring Break. The DOC supports about 20 sub-clubs that do a variety of activities such as hiking, paddling, skiing, etc.

To sign up for their Trips and other outdoor opportunities, visit Dartmouth Trailhead. 

Outdoor Equipment Rentals

• Dartmouth Bikes. Rent a bike or get assembly or repair help for your personal bike; located in the Fahey Hall basement
• Oak Hill Outdoor Center. Rentals and passes free to all Dartmouth students
• Outdoor Clothing and Gear Rentals. Free for all current students
• Ledyard Canoe Club. Bring your Dartmouth student ID to get the best prices for kayak, canoe, and paddle board equipment

Indoor Equipment Rentals

• Sunlamps. These lamps may help boost your mood during the fall and winter months when there is less natural sunlight. You can borrow a sunlamp from:
  • Berry Library circulation desk
  • Feldberg Library circulation desk
  • Counseling Center at Dick’s House
  • Student Wellness Center (Berry 179)

Whether you’re spending time in the wilderness, on the Hanover campus, or in an exciting cityscape, it is important to learn about your environment and take appropriate safety precautions.

Some safety equipment resources that you might want to know about:

• Outdoor Clothing and Gear Rentals. Borrow the jackets, pants, hiking poles, microspikes, and other gear you may need to stay safe when pursuing different activities. Free for current undergraduates; costs may apply for graduate and professional school students.
• Reflective Arm Bands. Visit the Student Wellness Center (Berry 179) for a free reflective armband, which you can wear when out in low lighting
• Sunscreen and Insect Repellant. Protect yourself and prevent skin cancer by applying free sunscreen from communal dispensers when at the Ledyard Canoe Club, Oak Hill Outdoor Center, and the Swimming Dock. For protection at other destinations, consider renting sunscreen and/or insect repellant from Dartmouth Outdoor Rentals.

Some training resources offered at Dartmouth for convenience, which you might want to know about (costs may apply):

• American Heart Association CPR and First Aid certification
• Emergency Medicine Technician training
• Wilderness Medicine training– Dartmouth offers numerous trainings such as Wilderness FIrst Aid and Outdoor Emergency Care for outdoors enthusiasts.

You can enjoy the outdoors through lots of different options.

Camping

• Cabin Reservations. The Outdoor Programs Office (OPO) and Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC) have 19 cabins available for rent on a first-come, first-served basis. Rentals are free to current undergraduate students; graduate students can rent facilities at a significantly discounted rate.
• Moosilauke Ravine Lodge. Located one hour drive from Hanover, the lodge is a wonderful place for a budding outdoor enthusiast on their first adventures. Free overnight lodging and meals for undergraduate students; graduate students can stay overnight at a significantly discounted rate.

Climbing

• Climbing Gym. No matter what your skill level, you are welcome to practice at the twenty-three foot tall bouldering cave in the basement of the Maxwell Dormitory. The gym is free to all undergraduate and graduate students.

Fishing

• Introductory Fishing Lessons. The PE and Recreation department’s fishing courses offer the history, gear, safety techniques, ethics, and natural resource laws training that are important to know and understand before fishing in local habitats.
• Local Fishing. Whether you prefer fly fishing, casting, or spinning, the Connecticut River Valley offers a wide range of choices.

Swimming

• Beginner Swimming Lessons. Taking a class through the PE and Recreation department is a great way to start becoming comfortable in the water.
• Outdoor Swimming. The docks at the Connecticut River Waterfront are open for swimming during the summer, typically from 12-7 pm; the docks are open to all current Dartmouth students, and only current Dartmouth students.

Sailing

• Sailing Classes. Adult sailing classes teach all of the skills necessary to safely skipper the club boats, fly a spinnaker, or begin racing.
• The Dartmouth Yacht Club. Annual memberships are available for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students.

Wintertime Activities

• Cross-Country Skiing. Rentals and passes are free for all Dartmouth students.
• Dartmouth Skiway. This is the perfect location to learn how to downhill ski, have fun with friends, and embrace winter sports.
• Ice Skating Classes. The PE and Recreation department teaches beginner lessons. Skates are available and the instructor will fit you at your first class.
• Snowsports School. Dartmouth Recreation offers a 7-lesson during the winter term for beginning and intermediate skiers, snowboarders, and telemark skiers. 

House Community Programming

All undergraduates and Guarini graduate students are automatically assigned a House Community prior to the start of their first fall term. Other graduate and professional students can opt in.

As a member of a House Community, you have access to free programming on and off campus. Examples of off-campus programming organized by your House Community could be apple-picking at an orchard, navigating a corn maze on a farm, or a trip to Boston or New York City. 

Bikes, Scooters, and Other Micro Mobility Vehicles (MMVs)

All bicycles and micromobility vehicles, or MMVs, such as e-bikes and e-scooters, must be registered with the Department of Safety and Security. Registration is free.

If you would like to rent a bike or get help fixing your personal bike, you can get help through Dartmouth Bikes.

For the safety of everyone, this equipment:

• Cannot be stored or left unattended in egress pathways (e.g., hallways, stairwells, lounges exit doors, porches, breezeways, and fire escapes) and
• Cannot be left unattended while charging

If you are concerned about a device that is obstructing an egress or has been left unattended, contact the Department of Safety and Security (DOSS) at 603-646-4000.

Cars and Other Motor Vehicles
If you are eligible to bring a car or motorcycle to campus, you will need to register your vehicle with Transportation Services and pay the associated fees. These vehicles can only park in designated areas. More information, including a parking map, information about accessible parking, and nighttime and winter parking rules, is available on the Transportation Services website.

Adjusting to life in rural New Hampshire is different for every person. Sometimes taking a break and getting off campus can provide a refreshing perspective. Knowing your transportation options can make that easier.

Dartmouth operates the following free bus transportation services:

• Campus Connector Shuttle. These fully accessible buses run to Summit on Juniper and Sachem Village, with stops at key campus locations and the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.
• “MobiliD” Connector. Designed for persons who, because of physical impairment or medical condition, find it difficult or impossible to move around campus locations using the regular, fully-accessible Dartmouth Campus Connector and Advance Transit buses

Publicly operated bus services that go through Hanover are:

• Advance Transit. These fully accessible buses operate Monday-Saturday and provide access to surrounding communities such as Lebanon, Norwich, and White River Junction. Their Access AT program is available to individuals with an ADA-defined disability.
• Tri-Valley Transit. A free bus system that provides connection to more distant communities such as Bradford, Randolph, and Bethel.

Regional Ground Transportation Services

When you want to travel on your own or with a group, the following ground transportation services are available in or near to Hanover:

• Amtrak – The nearest train station is in White River Junction, VT
• Dartmouth Coach – Before buying your tickets to Boston or New York City, remember to check out the discount/deals page
• Greyhound Bus – Travel to Burlington, VT or Montreal, Canada
• ZipCar – Multiple vehicles available on the Dartmouth College campus for hourly or full-day rental; if you’re taking a ZipCar to an area without an internet connection such as Mt. Moosilauke, be sure to read about the Zipcar app settings needed for operating the vehicle

These ground transportation options are not run by Dartmouth College; they are publicly or privately owned and operated.

Feeling overwhelmed and anxious about climate change and the issues facing our environment is increasingly common. Recognizing this, Dartmouth has different ways that you can contribute to the health of the planet, and thereby, your own health and wellness.

Dartmouth’s sustainability resources include:

• Dartmouth Sustainability Office (The “Susty Office”!). Through groups and educational programs, Dartmouth Sustainability works to empower you with skills you can use to both create change and communicate about it.
• Dartlist. On this second-hand commerce site you can buy and sell  books, clothing, electronics, home goods, and more.
• Dartmouth Organic Farm. Get your hands dirty and grow food for the community, become a beekeeper, or learn how to make maple syrup. No gardening or farming experience is required.
• Free Market Thrift Store. Shop at Dartmouth Sustainability’s thrift store in the basement of North Mass residence hall and get second-hand clothing for free instead of buying new – all while diverting clothing from Dartmouth’s waste stream!
• Recycling Q&As at Dartmouth

Many surrounding communities have made strides to support sustainability, too. Some resources you might be interested in:

• Cover Store – second-hand furniture and other goods for home repair and renovation
• LISTEN Thrift Stores – clothing, home goods, and more
• Sustainable Hanover – a committee organized by the Town of Hanover
• Farmers Markets – Norwich and Lebanon are just two of the towns where you can enjoy the outdoors and connect with our regional food supply system. Even if you don’t buy anything, you can enjoy free live music and fresh air in the summers.

Share your love of outdoor gardening, sports, or other activities as a volunteer:

• Center for Social Impact
• Pine Park Association – Help care for Pine Park, located next to Dartmouth College in Hanover
• Volunteering in Hanover
• Youth Education and Mentoring Programs