MA/CT this fall

[offgriddreamer]

I am already working on the plans for a ~two-week hike from County Rd in VT to the Metro-North Rail line in NY, probably this September. I don't know the actual dates yet, but it may be the last two weeks of September. I live down near Baltimore, so I plan on using the train/bus to get to Williamstown/North Adams. I was hoping for a friend to hike with me, but she is getting transferred this spring.

Is the trail still pretty busy at that time? I know I read somewhere that many of the shelters in MA have bear boxes but CT doesn't. I was considering getting a bear container instead of hanging my food in a bag again.

My first multi-day hike was the MD section this past October. I am looking forward to my fall hike, a time to reflect and be away from the normal hustle and bustle.

Cheers!

[Slo-go'en]

There will be hikers about, but not large numbers. All the thru hikers are well pass there if they have any hope of finishing, so it will be just other section hikers like you, weekend hikers and the occasional SOBO thru hiker who got a real late start. Depending on how the summer goes, you might start to see some color in the trees.

Don't remember what we did for food at shelters in CT. I only camped out twice on my way through CT last spring, one night in a hostel. If your in the shelter, just hang your food bag from the rafter with the mouse proof hangers provided. Bears are not currently an issue in CT.

[hepatica]

The trail is much quieter by that time, and September is a great time to hike. There are bear boxes at all the shelters in MA and all the northern shelters in CT (down to Rt 7). Bear activity is greater in MA and CT than in Vermont, and boxes have been installed at most of the CT shelters to mitigate encounters. So, a canister is probably overkill, just properly hang food as usual on the southern section.

[Traveler]

Trail traffic noticeably drops after Labor Day with weekends being the exception if the weather is nice. Overall its a great time to be on the trail.

I know some of the shelters and camping areas in CT have bear boxes, but not all do. I suspect they are placed where there have been some bear issues like at the Riga shelter. I usually hang food if there are no bear boxes and have not had a problem.

[Mouser999]

There are bear boxes at Sages Ravine,Riga, and Limestone Spring (limestone is 1/2 mile off main trail down a steep trail). Shaker Campsite also has one. Goose pond cabin may have one. I believe the site near Race Brook Falls one (Nott 100% sure). Depending on the weather water may be iffy.

[Cosmo]

It can be hard to get to County Rd for a start. Consider Rt 9 in VT or Rt 2 in Mass.

Cosmo

[BillyGr]

And if you want to be able to say you completed all of MA & CT and are getting dropped off there, look for info on the Pine Cobble Trail. That connects into the AT about 1 mi south of the VT/MA border, and gives you a different routing, rather than just starting on the AT on Route 2 and doing an out & back to the VT line.

Obviously, if you don't care about hitting every mile in MA, then it doesn't matter, but it seemed you might having picked the nearest point to access on the VT side of the state line.

[offgriddreamer]

Awesome! Thanks everyone! Yeah, I am thinking that getting to the TH on County Rd would be more difficult. I don't mind on afternoon/evening of an out and back from North Adams, but will look closer to the Pine Cobble option. Based on my calculations of train/bus travel, I won't get to the North Adams area until 2pm-ish.

I spent an entire evening on Excel planning out my hike. I came up with 14 days of hiking and will take a zero day in Great Barrington.

And good to know about the not needing a bear canister. I already have a metal mesh bag that should help against rodents.

[Cosmo]

Bear boxes at all AT Mass overnight sites. A 2pm arrival woul give you plenty of time to do an up and back to the border from Rt 2 in North Adams. Sherman Brook campsite 1.4 north of Rt 2 is nice.

Cosmo

Awesome! Thanks everyone! Yeah, I am thinking that getting to the TH on County Rd would be more difficult. I don't mind on afternoon/evening of an out and back from North Adams, but will look closer to the Pine Cobble option. Based on my calculations of train/bus travel, I won't get to the North Adams area until 2pm-ish.

I spent an entire evening on Excel planning out my hike. I came up with 14 days of hiking and will take a zero day in Great Barrington.

And good to know about the not needing a bear canister. I already have a metal mesh bag that should help against rodents.