Sitting in the lap of majestic hills, Dehradun has many hiking locations in and around the valley. As compared to higher altitude professional treks in the upper parts of Uttarakhand, these hikes are considerably easy to moderate, thus making them a single-day adventure outing for travelers, hikers, fitness enthusiasts as well as locals.
Through this article, let’s have a look at some of these breathtaking hikes!
Jharipani Falls
Located approximately 25 kilometers from Dehradun, this is one of the most beautiful hike locations near Doon. One can park their vehicle near the signboard of Jharipani Falls on the Mussoorie-Jharipani road and walk downhill for 2 kilometers to reach the waterfall. The fall is in the vicinity of Jharipani village and Oakgrove School is a close landmark. The route is steep but easy and one sees a variety of wildflowers, shrubs, and vines especially found densely near the waterfall, making it quite popular among travelers, photographers, and nature lovers.
Bhadraj Forest/Hill
Hike to Bhadraj Forest/Hill commences from Dudhli Village, which lies at a distance of approx. 10 kilometers from Mussoorie. The picturesque forest hike is comparatively easy to moderate and offers scenic mountain views. One of the highest mountain peaks in the Mussoorie region, Bhadraj hill gives hikers a 360-degree view of the Himalayas, Assan barrage, and Doon valley. Bhadraj Temple is dedicated to the brother of Lord Krishna – Lord Bal Bhadra. There’s an annual fair hosted by the temple in August and is largely attended by tourists.
Pari Tibba
Also known as the ‘Hill of the Fairies’ or ‘Witches’ Mountain’, the Pari Tibba hike commences from a point near Woodstock School in Mussoorie. It is a short hike and can be completed in 6 to 8 hours. The Pari Tibba has something unique to offer to the hikers in every season. In April, one gets to witness the beautiful Rhododendrons, commonly known as Buraansh in full bloom. In the winter months starting from October onwards, hikers get to see the magnificent phenomenon – Mussoorie Winterline. The peak of Pari Tibba offers spectacular views of Doon Valley as well as Himalayan peaks.
Chhaskhet Nature Trail
Chhaskhet is a mountain village and is at approx. 12 kilometers distance from Mussoorie. The nature trail to Chhaskhet commences from Clouds End in Mussoorie and is a short trail that offers the hikers a beautiful raw nature feels. The trail can be complete within approx. 6 hours.
Raman Sharma, the founder of trekking group TrailHikers, says, “I explored the Chhaskhet Nature Trail in the early 2000s and since then I’ve conducted many nature walks to Chhaskhet Village. This trail is perfect for anyone who looks forward to undertaking short treks near Mussoorie. Dehradun and the neighboring hills have so much potential for many short day-hikes which are still to be discovered and explored. Being an explorer myself as well as a Doonite, I feel I must constantly explore raw and untouched locations in Dehradun and bring it forward to the world to boost the ecotourism of our state.”
Benog Tibba
Hike to Benog Hill, commonly known as Benog Tibba starts from Cloud’s End and is at a distance of 7 kilometers from Mussoorie. It comprises of a forest walk in the Mountain Quail Sanctuary region in Mussoorie, which then leads to the Benog Tibba peak. The Benog Tibba also has the Jwala Devi temple which is popular among travelers.
George Everest Peak
Hike to George Everest Peak commences from Sir George Everest’s house in the Hathipaon area in Mussoorie. The hike route is 500 meters long and one can climb the peak in approx. 30 minutes. George Everest Peak is known for picnics as well as day and overnight camping. It is popular among photographers, specially astrophotographers looking forward to capturing celestial bodies.
Kipling Trail
Author Rudyard Kipling hiked this trail in the 1880s and mentioned it in his novel ‘Kim’; hence known as Kipling Trail. After more than a century, this trail is popular among travelers, hikers, fitness enthusiasts as well as local people. The special pointer about this trail is that this 9 kilometers healthy walk is an alternative to the 32 kilometers drive to Mussoorie. The Kipling trail begins from Rajpur in Dehradun and has a scenic nature path all along the hike. One can also spot a tunnel while on the way which is a Britishers’ failed attempt to build a railway line to Mussoorie. There are some toll-tax boards at the starting point of the trail which date back to the 1920s, depicting the rich history this trail holds to date.
Shikhar Falls
Located in the Kairwaan village in Rajpur, Shikhar Falls is one of the most popular picnic spots in the city and is a must-visit by the tourists as well as the locals. The route is approx. 1.5 kilometers long goes through shallow natural pools and leads to several small and large waterfalls giving the place a raw naturistic feel. This makes the place famous among shutterbugs as well. Many hikers also trek to Shikhar Falls for rare bird and butterfly spotting. One can find several ‘Maggi points’ on the way to Shikhar Falls and can savor some refreshments while on the way.
A must read if you are interested towards trekking