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I'm planning a thru-hike of the New England Trail in October 2022. According to the NET website, "to circumnavigate the Connecticut River on foot, a series of roadwalks along US-5N and MA-47 N is possible but not suggested. This route will add 10.2 miles."
Does anyone have any local knowledge of a hitch across by boat or vehicle?
Clearly I'm planning this via maps and online, and I have not been in this area before. Any advice would be helpful. Thank you in advance!
Been a few years since I completed the Ouachita Trail, but the best thing about the shelters then was that they were new and hardly any one had used them, so no mice.
I section hiked this trail several years ago. The Westfield River is wadable when the water level is low.
The CT river is not. If you get there on a weekend you may be able to hitch a boat ride but otherwise you are likely stuck with getting an Uber.
I did meet one thru hiker who got a ride and then came back and swam across without a pack.
That is kinda what I was thinking. Thank you for the information!
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Originally Posted by hikermiker
The Westfield River was knee deep on 7/2 so not any higher now. It will be cold in October but being knee deep when I crossed and looking at the shore, doesn't seem like it gets too much higher. I can't see it ever being over chest deep there but the water would probably be going pretty good at that point.... quick story first time I tried crossing me and my buddy passed the correct spot and just tried fording. We were up to our necks holding our packs above water and decided to turn around. The water was slow though. The next time we came I brought some pool tubes to blow up to put our packs on and swim across with - but then we found the right place to cross.
The trail now leads right to the crossing, again, but on a little different reroute. For years they were not maintaining it to the river and looked to be trying to let that go. There is still a sign at Feeding Hills Rd. that tells you it's the end of section 4 but it is not, the trail brings you right to the Westfield crossing.
I took an Uber across the CT River when I section hiked it, I heard of some people hitching a boat ride but then I think it's a bushwhack out of some wetlands from there, your not gonna be all set right off the boat. The Uber ride was 15-20 minutes and I think it's on some sketchy roads to walk on. No road walk is blazed around it either.