Take exit 32 off 93 – Route 112 (Kancamagus Highway) to the Hancock Overlook parking lot. The Hancock Notch trailhead is across the street from the parking lot.
This route is fairly gradual for the approach until you get to the split for the Hancock loop trail at which point the route to both Mount Hancock and South Hancock are steep. I have listed the route description climbing Mount Hancock first and the South Hancock so that on the descent you are climbing down the steep pitch for a shorter amount of time. There is a lookout and nice place to sit at the top of Mount Hancock and the Gray Jays will land right in your hand if you hold out some seeds or trail mix. There are a few stream crossings on the hike so if it has recently rained or in early spring when the snow is melting and the water levels are higher you may nee
d to bring a pair of sandals to cross the streams.
| Start Point | Trail | Elevation Start (ft) | Elevation End (ft) | Elevation Start (m) | Elevation End (m) | Distance Segment (miles) | Cumulative Distance (miles) | End Point |
| Hancock Overlook Parking Lot | Hancock Notch Trail | 2100 | 2526 | 640 | 770 | 1.8 | 1.8 | Intersection Hancock Notch Trail and Cedar Brook Trail |
| Intersection Hancock Notch Trail and Cedar Brook Trail | Cedar Brook Trail | 2526 | 2723 | 770 | 830 | 0.7 | 2.5 | Intersection Cedar Brook Trail and Hancock Loop Trail |
| Intersection Cedar Brook Trail and Hancock Loop Trail | Hancock Loop Trail | 2723 | 3740 | 830 | 1140 | 1.1 | 3.6 | Split Hancock Loop – Mount Hancock or South Hancock |
| Split Hancock Loop – Mount Hancock or South Hancock | Hancock Loop Trail to Mount Hancock | 3740 | 4419 | 1140 | 1347 | 0.7 | 4.3 | Mount Hancock |
| Mount Hancock | Hancock Loop Trail to South Hancock | 4419 | 4318 | 1347 | 1316 | 1.4 | 5.7 | South Hancock |
| South Hancock | Hancock Loop Trail Descend | 4318 | 3740 | 1316 | 1140 | 0.5 | 6.2 | Split between Mount Hancock and South Hancock |
| Split between Mount Hancock and South Hancock | Hancock Loop Trail Descend | 3740 | 2723 | 1140 | 830 | 1.1 | 7.3 | Intersection Cedar Brook Trail and Hancock Loop Trail |
| Intersection Cedar Brook Trail and Hancock Loop Trail | Cedar Brook Trail | 2723 | 2526 | 830 | 770 | 0.7 | 8 | Intersection Hancock Notch Trail and Cedar Brook Trail |
| Intersection Hancock Notch Trail and Cedar Brook Trail | Hancock Notch Trail | 2526 | 2100 | 770 | 640 | 1.8 | 9.8 | Hancock Overlook Parking Lot |