Great Bear Cabin

Great Bear Cabin III was built in 1990 by Jay Benson '90, Jim DiCarlo '91, Pam Lombard '90, and Julie Wade '91, to replace the second cabin on the site which burned in 1989 after over sixty years of service. The Great Bear cabins were designed as the last stop in the cabin chain between Hanover and Mt. Moosilauke.

Cabin Overview

Great Bear is a one-room cabin with a loft and a bunk alcove, located at the foot of Mt. Moosilauke.

Great Bear is located 42 miles from Hanover, northeast of Glencliff, New Hampshire, (technically in the township of Benton, New Hampshire), and the cabin is 1/3 mile from parking along a moderately uphill trail. Plan ahead to carry everything in, and out.

Cabin Details

Amenities and Recreational Opportunities

It sleeps eight (four bunks with mattresses and another four mattresses in the loft), has a porch with a swing, and a woodstove for heating and cooking. The cabin has solar powered LED lighting installed by the DOC.

Great Bear Cabin provides an excellent base for anyone wanting to hike on Mt. Moosilauke. The Glencliff Trail to the summit begins behind the cabin and affords a good opportunity for hiking and snowshoeing. The Hurricane Trail skirts the base of Mt. Moosilauke and is a nice route to the Ravine Lodge.

Moosilauke Trail Map

Cabin History

Cabin Rates

Undergrads get free cabins!

When you make a reservation online, use the promo code UNDERGRADZ and your rate will update to $0. Make sure to use your Dartmouth email address when booking or your reservation may be cancelled. You will be prompted to enter your credit card to have on file, but it will not be charged.

DOC Cabins (Non-Grant)*

Armington Cabin: $100 per night
Baum Cabin: $40 per night
Billings Lodge: $100 per night
Class of '66 Lodge: $250 per night
Great Bear Cabin: $80 per night
Hinman Cabin: $100 per night
John Rand Cabin: $80 per night
Ritchie Smith Cabin: $80 per night

*Groups comprised entirely of DOC life members are free. If bringing guests including family, a 25% discount on the above rates is applied.

If your reservation is for an educational group, ask the Cabins Manager if you are eligible to receive a discounted flat rate. The educational group flat rate is $75 per night.

Cabin Reservations

Availability

Cabin availability is on a first come, first serve basis. How far in advance you can book a cabin depends on both the cabin and your group type. DOC Cabins (including those in the Grant) can be reserved six weeks in advance by current students, and four weeks in advance by everyone else.

All of the cabins are available year-round, except that we close the Grant down around the month of April for mud season. Also, we don’t plow all the roads in the Grant every year (it depends on where logging operations are going on), so some cabins may be far from parking in the winter.

How to Reserve

All cabin reservations are made online through ResNexus, albeit on separate pages for DOC and OPO Cabins. ResNexus only allows online booking within the standard availability window (four weeks for DOC cabins, six months for OPO cabins). All reservations beyond the standard booking window can only be made by contacting the Cabins Manager. If you are unsure whether your group qualifies for advance booking, reach out to the Cabins Manager and they can assist you.

You will NOT be charged until the Cabins Managers have received an accurate guest list, including the names of all guests that will be in attendance, as well as class years if you are a student group. All online reservations must add payment information (i.e. credit or debit card) to complete the booking. If your group qualifies for a free reservation, the Cabins Manager will adjust your rate manually once they have received your guest list.

Reserve a Cabin

Cabin Policies

Dartmouth students may reserve a cabin more than 6 weeks in advance only by contacting the DOC Cabins Manager.

Keys and Renter Responsibilities

Cabins are secured by combination padlocks or combination key lockboxes. Lock combinations will be provided to cabin renters one week before their stay.
The use of all DOC and Outdoor Programs facilities is intended to be for educational purposes. While the consumption of alcohol is permitted, it must be limited to 1-2 servings per person and will be strictly monitored. 'Drinking games' of any kind are not permitted. Obvious intoxication by any member of the group will result in immediate revocation of use privileges for the entire group or organization. Continued use of these facilities and spaces are contingent upon adherence to this and all other policies as well as compliance with Outdoor Programs staff.
Outdoor Programs may charge for any damage to a cabin or any cleaning that is necessary resulting from a cabin stay. Additionally, outdoor fires are not allowed at any cabins except '66 Lodge, Armington, or Great Bear and require the advance permission of the Cabins Manager. Evidence of an unauthorized outdoor fire will incur a $100 fine.
Pets are allowed at all cabins. Owners are responsible for the behaviour and management of pets, and any damages or mess will result in fines. Please pick up waste and remove from the property.

Payment

Group size may not exceed the capacity of the cabin (nor is tenting permitted around the cabins or anywhere in the Grant).
Payment information (e.g. credit card number) is due upon making the reservation. Payments will be processed when we finalize the reservation's cabin fee.
Misrepresentation of number of party members or membership status for a cabin reservation will result in the fee being doubled. Failure to pay any fee for a cabin reservation will result in the revocation of cabin use privileges and may result in loss of Outing Club membership.

Educational Rates

Dartmouth faculty using DOC or OPO cabins with students as part of an academic class are entitled to flat per-night rates. This is listed as the "Educational Group" rate in the charts.
Educational and Non-Profit organizations (such as schools, youth groups, 501(c)3s, etc.) are eligible for discounted rates for DOC and OPO cabins. To get your organization approved for these rates, please e-mail doc.cabins@dartmouth.edu for DOC Cabins and Cabin.Reservations@dartmouth.edu for OPO Cabins. Approval may take a few weeks, so please plan ahead.

Changes and Cancellations

DOC cabin reservations may be cancelled with full refund up to seven days before the reservation. Fewer than seven days prior, cancellations forfeit half the rental fee. No refunds will be given for cancellations owing to weather conditions.