View Full Version : What Are Your Favorite Sections of the New England Trail?
I'm fond of lots of the Trail, but I especially like Mt. Tom in Mass and Penwood north to Tariffville, CT. The views on Tom are spectacular, and the forests on the Penwood portion are beautiful, with very nice views from the Pinnacle and in a few other places. I haven't done Holyoke Range yet and look forward to it, as well. Higby and Talcott around Heublein Tower are very nice as well, as are Rattlesnake and West/East Peaks. How about you?
mweinstone
05-24-2011, 06:57
my fav is the section from the car to packrats hostel at trashgiving when jack is in full bloom.
then moosalaki.
Thanks, Matt. Different trail - not the AT in New England, but the New England Trail through the CT River Valley, a/k/a the Mattabesset, the Metacomet and the M-M Trails.
mweinstone
05-24-2011, 13:06
i knew that. was fakeing anyway. walked to mosalakiees shadow only. like a block down from the hostel on the flat road. never heard of any of those trails you mentioned. even to me, that last statement sticks out weird. how am i even a hiker? i know nothing!
i am weak like shrimp
not strong like prawn.
matthewski unfurrels tiny black banner over white blaze on fishin fred choker around neck. securing it untill thruhike acheived. hangs head in shame and rubs ashes on sacloth potcover displaying bsr hiking club emblem.
oh god
why has knowlage forsaken me!?
i knew that. was fakeing anyway. walked to mosalakiees shadow only. like a block down from the hostel on the flat road. never heard of any of those trails you mentioned. even to me, that last statement sticks out weird. how am i even a hiker? i know nothing!
i am weak like shrimp
not strong like prawn.
matthewski unfurrels tiny black banner over white blaze on fishin fred choker around neck. securing it untill thruhike acheived. hangs head in shame and rubs ashes on sacloth potcover displaying bsr hiking club emblem.
oh god
why has knowlage forsaken me!?
lol thats good :D
oops, wrong trail - sorry.
So many great sections. Let's see:
- Mt. Grace fire tower
- Monadnock (of course)
- the view of Monadnock from Gap Mountain
- Mt. Tom (cliffs overlooking Easthampton, Goat Peak fire tower)
- Farley ledges overlooking the Miller's River (best campsite on the whole trail)
- view from the summit house (sadly closed now) on Mt. Holyoke
- Royalston Falls
Joker4ink
05-25-2011, 19:10
You can't go wrong with Lamatation or Higby. Comparing the two trails, I enjoyed the Mattabessett much more than the Metacomet.
You can't go wrong with Lamatation or Higby. Comparing the two trails, I enjoyed the Mattabessett much more than the Metacomet.
Interesting. I've done a lot more of the M/c than the M/b, largely due to proximity. I like Higby and Chauncey a lot but found Lamentation only OK. Didn't do all of it, did up to the summit or near it and turned around on a time-constrained there-and-back hike last fall. What parts of the M/b do you like, other than those mentioned? I tend to like big views, so I find myself going north and west in search of higher elevations. But my ears are open to suggestions (nothing wrong with a nice M/b hike on the way down to the beach :) ).
Joker4ink
05-25-2011, 23:41
That's pretty cool that you like Higby & Chauncey even though Lam isn't your favorite. I really like the view Three Notches looking over the Ulbrich Reservoir, the views from Bluff Head and adjecent ridge overlooking Myerhuber Pond, Beseck ridge walk and the view from Mica Ledges overlooking Route 17 in Durham. I think there are a lot of really nice spots on the trail.
Beseck does look to be pretty nice. Thanks for sharing your fave. I figure I'll do the entire New England Trail in time. Should be finishing the M/c over the summer. Have about 16 miles to do yet.
Joker4ink
05-26-2011, 01:01
Nice! Good luck!
Since I'm a Cheshire County native obviously I'm fond of Mt. Monadnock. The only section I've hiked of the trail was from Rhododendron up Little Monadnock over Gap and to the north parking lot for Gap. I called this a revenge hike for my dad. When I was little he'd make us go up little monadnock on the weekends once in awhile and we hated it, now I love hiking so when I was back there for my sister's wedding I convinced him to drop one car at the Gap parking lot and we'd hike from Rhododendron back to the car, I said it was 4 miles, but it was really 8 or 9. :-) Of course he didn't bring any water with him but I brought my pack and was carrying 2 platys full (for me).
Anywhoo... The view of Monadnock from Gap is awesome. There are a lot of game and bushwacked trails all over Gap so you can explore. Gap is covered in blue berries and elderberries, which were both ripe at the time, yum... the top is covered in short bush type junipers and is pretty much a large pile of rocks. It was a good day.
Slo-go'en
08-22-2011, 11:49
Cheap Christian labotamies ... whats with all these spam posts popping up with the new WB software?
This past Saturday I did Norwottuck from the visitor's center, M-M to Rattlesnake Knob, back to VC via Robert Frost. Views atop N were ok - it was a pretty humid day. Rattlesnake Knob views were better, and the Horse Caves were awesome. I think this hike would be better, though, with the leaves down. Mt. Tom traverse is much more scenic.
one thing bugs me about this "New England Trail." It only goes through CT and Mass. If this really was a New England trail, it would run from Long Island Sound to the Canadian Border!!!
I think it goes as far as Monadnock. I would love to see it continued on to Canada, from Monadnock to Sunapee and northward over the Whites - maybe via Osceola, the Tripyramids, Chocorua, Davis Path up to W, coincide with AT to Madison or Adams, then northward over Cabot and neighbors.
It's a brand new National Scenic Trail, so there's room for it to grow. It's about 200 miles long now.
Chaco Taco
09-05-2011, 11:36
I like the idea of it going through the Sandwich Range. Those 3, Osceola, Tripyramid, Chocura would be some nice additions.
You can't go wrong with Lamatation or Higby. Comparing the two trails, I enjoyed the Mattabessett much more than the Metacomet.
I agree. I started the Mattabesett at the River Rd trailhead along the CT River and headed west and the first 15 miles was all woods no views. Bear Rock was the first real viewpoint and IMHO the best view because you could see the next 30 miles or so of trail; and Tri-mountain, Beseck and Higby also look completely different on the east side. Great viewpoint in the fall.
Mountain Mike
01-16-2013, 01:03
Growing up in South Hadley, Judd Park at base of Bare MT was a frequent camping spot for my scout troop. Hiked the trail from MT Tom to Northfield MT over the years & several Monadnock climbs. Love Mt Tom & Holyoke Range. Major problem with the trail is finding camping spots.
Dirty Bird 99
02-21-2013, 20:04
I really like Ragged Mountain area in Berlin- some rugged sections, beautiful views and can do a big loop. Also the new section of the trail in southern Guilford (head south from Bluff Head) is really nice and rolling.
BlindMouse96
03-04-2013, 10:02
All along the trap rock ridgeline.
Tri-Pod Bob
10-25-2013, 13:58
Growing up in South Hadley, Judd Park at base of Bare MT was a frequent camping spot for my scout troop. Hiked the trail from MT Tom to Northfield MT over the years & several Monadnock climbs. Love Mt Tom & Holyoke Range. Major problem with the trail is finding camping spots.
Since switching from a ground sleeper to a hammock sleeper, a camping spot no longer is an issue for me. Just back on Wed. from a Mt. Monadnock to Lake Wyola (Shutesbury, Ma) hike. Every day as I hiked (usually around 4 pm), I just looked for a picture perfect, mid- elevation spot & would strap between the trees! Love that kind of freedom!! LNT rules, of course!