CT/MA line - closest road?

[Joker4ink]

I'm using the The Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association 2010 Thru-Hikers Guide and the Connecticut Walk Book - West but neither specify the closest road after I cross into Massachusetts. Do you know where the closest road is so I can be shuttled?

[sly dog]

When I did CT we left a car in the lot by 41 and undermountain trail. Hiking the AT once ya get to Sages Ravine take paradise lane trail to undermountain trail and to the lot on 41. I think this is your best bet. I dont think you will hit a road in Mass for a little ways in.

[Snowleopard]

There are also trails that lead to East St. in Mt. Washington, Mass and Mt. Washington Road in Salisbury CT that may be shorter and easier. I haven't been on Mt.Wash Rd for many years and it may no longer be open; I think it's closed in winter at the CT/Mass line. East St. is a real road and I think it's open year round to the border. Rt 41 is a lot easier to get to by car.
A great map of the Taconics that's worth buying can be seen online at (zoom in):http://www.bnrc.net/zoom_map/southtaconic.htm

[WingedMonkey]

The Race Brook Falls trail about 4 miles north of Sages Ravine leads east about 1 1/2 miles to Route 41 parking area near where Salisbury Road and Route 41 meet.

[OldFeet]

How far are you going? If you're headed north I believe the first road the AT actually crosses is at the bottom of Jug End in Mass. It's a gravel road and l think it's called Jug End road. As others noted, the Race Brook trail will take you back down to Route 41 and there is a parking lot at the bottom of the Race Brook trail.

[Driver8]

Northwest Road from the north base of Bear Mtn meets Mt. Washington Road about 0.2 south of the CT/MA line. MW Road is called East Street in Mass and is plowed and open on Mass side, but closed on CT side until May-ish. Not sure exactly when. It's about a mile from state line (where there is parking) to AT. From there, north, the next way to road from trail is, as noted, Race Brook Falls Trail, which is 2.1 down to Rt 41, per AMC Massachusetts Guide map. (Beautiful hike, with parking at Rt 41 trailhead.)

On north side of Mt. Everett is a road which leads about a mile east to East Street. Another mile or so north is the Elbow Trail which goes about 1.1 mi. to Bershire School parking (open to public) and 1.5 to Rt 41 (no parking there). And then, finally, north of Jug End about a mile is Jug End Road parking.

The problem with East Street is it's a long drive out of the way, but it does provide the closest, easiest access to AT this time of year. For most CT people, when open, Mt. Washington Rd from Salisbury is closer, though it's narrow and treacherous road in the best conditions. (Beautiful drive, though, most of it.)

[blitz1]

I did the CT section with my brother last yr and we went on at the Race Brook trail mentioned above, heading south. we decided after reviewing all the options it provided the easiest access to the trail. nice climb up to the ridge with several small cascades along the way.

[Driver8]

On north side of Mt. Everett is a road which leads about a mile east to East Street.

Correction - Mt. Everetty Road goes WEST to East Street. Also, it's the Berkshire School, not Bershire. ...

[canoehead]

Rt 41 has a few parking areas. Race Brook Falls, Undermountain trail, Platue campsite area near Salisbury. The Dirt Rd ( Washington Mt rd / Riga Rd) from the MA side is still closed with the large concrete blocks in the road. But you can still make it all the way down to the AMC Northwest Cabin parking area and use the N. Caretaker/cart path an 25 minute walk in to catch up with the AT. I suppose you could park at Mt Everett parking area or at the Jug End parking area. Those are the ones closest to the MA line.

[Cool Hands]

http://www.pdcarto.com/common/STR.jpg

Funny that no one mentioned this, but according to this map of the Taconic Range, there is a very gradual, comparatively short stretch of trail which will get you to Mount Washington, MA. All you have to do is head through Sages Ravine Campsite just after crossing the border, and it looks like there are two trailheads, one with a public parking area and the closer one private property, unfortunately, which you can reach fairly easily and without much elevation change.

Check out the link -- it's a great map.

[Driver8]

Funny that no one mentioned this, but according to this map of the Taconic Range, there is a very gradual, comparatively short stretch of trail which will get you to Mount Washington, MA. All you have to do is head through Sages Ravine Campsite just after crossing the border, and it looks like there are two trailheads, one with a public parking area and the closer one private property, unfortunately, which you can reach fairly easily and without much elevation change.

True. If one wants to make one's way into Mass a ways along the AT from Conn, though, this would defeat that purpose, and it cuts off a hike of Sages Ravine, which most people consider a highlight. There is also an old trail from Everett's summit, the Telephone Trail, which goes directly down to 41, joining it just north of Berkshire School Road, but the word is it's unmaintained, dangerous and infrequently used. Likewise, there's a couple of old trails/roads from near Bear Rock Falls along Plantain Pond on private property toward East Street, and there are supposedly dangerous, unmaintained and disused ways down to Rt. 41 from Sages Ravine and just north, as can be seen in these old USGS maps from the 40s: http://docs.unh.edu/MA/bash49se.jpg
http://docs.unh.edu/MA/bash49sw.jpg

The Telephone Trail can be seen here:

http://docs.unh.edu/MA/bash49ne.jpg

The shortest hike from a driveable road to the AT between its crossings of Jug End Road and Rt. 41 in Salisbury is the Mt. Everett Road or old Northwest Road near the stateline.

PS, Cool Hands: you might enjoy the Univ. of New Hampshire database of historical New England USGS maps at which the above are located. It is indexed by state and town and can be found here -

http://docs.unh.edu/nhtopos/

Might be useful for your prospective NH 4K trek.

[Joker4ink]

Great responses guys. This will definitely help me out next weekend.

[Monkeywrench]

There are also trails that lead to East St. in Mt. Washington, Mass and Mt. Washington Road in Salisbury CT that may be shorter and easier. I haven't been on Mt.Wash Rd for many years and it may no longer be open; I think it's closed in winter at the CT/Mass line. East St. is a real road and I think it's open year round to the border.

That would be my suggestion. You can walk west on the old dirt road bed that you meet at the bottom of the descent off the north side of Bear Mtn. Follow the road west past the AMC's Northwest Cabin and to the Mount Washington Rd/East St.

[Joker4ink]

I was going to be on the trail tomorrow until I injured my ankle and had to get it checked out. Let's hope I can get on the trail soon and use your suggestions.

[Shutterbug]

I'm using the The Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association 2010 Thru-Hikers Guide and the Connecticut Walk Book - West but neither specify the closest road after I cross into Massachusetts. Do you know where the closest road is so I can be shuttled?

I went back an checked my map. My memory wasn't accurate, so I deleted the post.

[XCskiNYC]

There are also trails that lead to East St. in Mt. Washington, Mass and Mt. Washington Road in Salisbury CT that may be shorter and easier. I haven't been on Mt.Wash Rd for many years and it may no longer be open; I think it's closed in winter at the CT/Mass line. East St. is a real road and I think it's open year round to the border. Rt 41 is a lot easier to get to by car.
A great map of the Taconics that's worth buying can be seen online at (zoom in):http://www.bnrc.net/zoom_map/southtaconic.htm

That is a great map, perfect for day hikes and weekends between Salisbury, CT and US7 in Sheffield. The ridge between Race Mtn. and Jug End had a big group of hawks hanging out on the updrafts on the sunny April day I hiked through there in 2010.

As the map shows, there's a dirt road that starts just behind Sages Ravine camp site (just to the north of the camp). If you go west then north on this road it comes out on East Street in Mount Washington, MA. It's not well marked on the 2000 ATC map (AMC Berkshire Chapter/AMC-CT), possibly because of the side cut that passes Beckers Pond and then goes west on a private road.

To reach the trail at Sages Ravine Camping site, you'd stop at the five-car parking area (on East Street about a half mile south of where East X's with West St. and Garrett Farms Rd. by the Mount Washington State Park HQ) and then head east then south on the trail/dirt road.