Overview: Gile Mountain looms over the 290 acre Woody Adams Conservation Forest in Norwich’s northwest corner. Although the mountain is mostly forested, an approximately 70-foot high summit tower with observation platform provides exceptional long-distance views in all directions.

Woody Adams Conservation Forest hosts four trails which contribute to making this one of the more popular hiking and bicycling destinations in the Upper Valley: Gile Mountain Trail, Gile Mountain Bicycle Trail, Woody Adams Trail, and the northern-most part of the Blue Ribbon Trail.

This Norwich Historical Society article provides some additional information about how the Gile Mountain tower was used for fire-spotting, and during WWII, for aerial defense observations. This history suggests why some web sites show Gile Mountain Trail with a different label, like “Fire Warden Trail”, “Gile Mtn Tower Trail” or “Firetower Trail”.

Trailhead access and parking: The Gile Mountain trailhead is 5.7 miles from the Norwich Inn. Head north on Main Street for 0.5 mi., then turn left to follow Turnpike Rd. for 5.2 mi. to a trailhead parking area on the left (West). This small lot has spaces for 5-6 vehicles, if carefully parked (head-in, facing East). A kiosk with large-scale map is located on the West side of the parking area.

Please… Consider carpooling from the Huntley Meadow Park-and-Ride, if possible, to help reduce traffic on the road and conserve space in this lot. Do not park on the road or it’s edge! If the parking lot is full, wait for a space. Vehicles parked on the road or its edge may be ticketed.

Trail Descriptions

Gile Mountain Trail

Gile Mountain Trail leaves the trailhead parking lot from next to the kiosk. The blue-blazed path initially rises gently following an old woods road. At about 0.2 mi, a trail sign on the left identifies the junction with the upper end of the Woody Adams Trail. Soon after, Gile Mountain Trail crosses a power line corridor and service road. Re-entering woods on the other side of the corridor, at 0.3 mi the trail splits. Head left for the bicycling route up the mountain. Bear right, uphill for the foot-traffic-only route to the summit. Much of this way uses granite steps to help mitigate erosion as the trail rises steadily up the mountainside. Please note the bicycling route will be seen crossing this trail twice (identified by blazes with bicycle symbols).

After two long switchbacks the trail turns right, passes by an old shelter on the right, and at 0.7 mi. arrives at the summit ledges on which the former fire tower stands. The bicycle route joins from the left, at the bottom of the ledges.)

Careful negotiation of the tower stairs leads to the observation platform at the top, where on a clear day one can enjoy the 360-degree panorama of the Upper Valley and beyond.

Length: 0.7 miles total (from trailhead to summit).

Gile Mountain Bicycle Trail

This is an alternate route from the Gile Mountain trailhead to the summit, a multi-use trail designed primarily for bicyclists (in any season), but also usable by others, especially in Winter given suitable trail conditions.

Starting from the trailhead kiosk, the initial 0.3 mi. of the bicycle route is shared with the Gile Mountain Trail. The bicycle route branches left, just after the combined trail re-enters the woods after crossing the power line corridor. From this junction, the bicycle route switchbacks up the mountainside (crossing the foot-only path two times). It is marked by plastic diamonds, blue with a white bicycle symbol.

After more or less leveling out on the ridge-top just below Gile’s summit, this trail joins the Blue Ribbon Trail (also multi-use), for the final 100 yards to the summit ledges, just below the tower.

Length: 1.3 miles total (from trailhead to summit).

Woody Adams Trail

This trail runs from Turnpike Road, approximately 0.7 mi. below the Gile Mountain trailhead, leading uphill for 0.8 mi. to a junction with the Gile Mountain Trail (0.2 mi. from that trail’s parking lot). For much of this distance the trail follows close to (or within earshot of) a branch of Blood Brook draining the Southeast side of Gile Mountain.

While there is no official parking lot at the southern end, it is possible for several vehicles to fit into a small pull-off along the W side of Turnpike Road at the trailhead. (This is approximately 400 feet past the second power line crossing of Turnpike Road.) Please be considerate if choosing this option – park completely off the roadway, and be thoughtful of other vehicles. As an alternative, consider parking at the Gile Trail lot, and walking down Turnpike Road 0.7 mi. to this pull-off. Doing this offers several attractive loop options.

From the pull-off, the Woody Adams Trail begins by crossing a branch of Blood Brook on stones and ledges (there is no longer a bridge here for the woods road). There is a trail sign on the far side of the book. Once across, follow the woods road upstream as it rises above the brook. In 150 yards or so, enter the power line corridor, continuing uphill for 0.1 mi before re-entering the woods. There is a kiosk here, with large-scale map and other area information.

From the kiosk the woods road continues uphill through mature hardwoods for another 0.25 mi. to where a new section of the trail bypasses a severely eroded part of the old woods road (which has been brushed in here). A few yards up the new trail a small sign confirms this is the correct path. The trail weaves uphill in a mixed forest, including some moderately large evergreens plus more youthful hardwood.

Approximately 0.6 mi. from the start, the trail once again crosses the power-line. On the far side, a small sign points to where the trail re-enters the woods, where it’s an easy 0.1 mi to the junction with the Gile Mountain Trail.

Blue Ribbon Trail (north)

The Blue Ribbon Trail leads from Beaver Meadow Road for a little more than 4.75 mi. to Gile Mountain Summit. The uppermost 0.4 mi. follows the long North-South Gile Mountain ridge-line across the top of the Woody Adams Conservation Forest. It meets the Gile Mountain Bicycle Trail just below the fire tower ledges. This is a multi-use trail, typically bicycled in a North-South direction, although it may be hiked or biked in either direction. See the link for the full trail description.

Longer routes using these trails

Gile Mountain Loop: Some hikers climb to the summit using Gile Mountain Trail, then descend the multi-use Gile Mountain Bicycle Trail (which may be more gentle on the knees).

Woody Adams-Gile Mountain Loop: Ascend Woody Adams Trail to the GIle Mountain Trail, following that to the summit. Descend either the foot trail or multi-use trail to the Gile Mountain trailhead, returning down Turnpike Rd. to the start.

Gile Mountain – Blue Ribbon end-to-end: Some trail users will spot a car at either the Gile Mountain or Blue Ribbon trailhead, then drive to the other trailhead to start.

Yet longer routes can be created (especially favored by bicyclists but also used by hikers). Use the Blue Ribbon Connector to join Woody Adams Conservation Forest trails with routes in the Parcel 5 or Bookmead trail systems. The latter option enables a loop circuit using the upper part of Turnpike Road to close the loop.