Marty Basch - Explorers Guide 50 Best Hikes in New England: Day Hikes from the Forested Lowlands to the White Mountains, Green Mountains, and more

To Jan,

Thanks for the smiles over the miles

50 Hikes in New England at a Glance

Acknowledgments

Hiking is something I discovered after moving to New Hampshire back when I had hair and the benign trek to the wondrous ledges atop West Rattlesnake over Squam Lake hooked me. Since then Ive logged countless steps over numerous miles across New Englands mountains with awe, wonder, and sometimes second thoughts as wind, rain, thunder, and more often foil the most well-intentioned plans.

The hiking community is a tight one, and the years have been kind to me, connecting me with hikers now friends, colleagues, and commiserators. Along the way Ive been linked to many people who have tolerated me and my questionsDoug Mayer, Mike Micucci, Peter Crane, Rob Burbank, Steve Smith, Mike Dickerman, Jim Crawford, and Steve Finch. Thats a list of colorful characters. They all have passion, guidance, and knowledge. I am honored and humbled they have shared it with me. Though none of us knew it, it all led in some way to this book.

Theres nothing like local knowledge and a number of people shared their backyard expertise. Im grateful to Sugarloafs Ethan Austin (Carrabassett Valley), Sunday Rivers Darcy Morse (Grafton Notch), Okemos Bonnie MacPherson (Ludlow area), and Karen Boushie of Smugglers Notch (Stowe area) for their invaluable assistance. Thanks again to Nancy Marshall Communicationsnamely Nancy Marshall, Charlene Williams, and Rose Whitehouse. They smoothed the way into Maines scenic wonders known as Acadia National Park and Baxter State Park.

Gear is dear to hikers, and over the miles I had a chance to try some new equipment. Thanks to Sue Killoran for connecting me with Tecnica, keeping my feet comfortable over the miles in their boots, and also to Ingrid Niehaus for hooking me up with trusty Mountainsmith packs.

At The Countryman Press thanks go to editorial director Kermit Hummel. He somehow hiked to my website and and initiated contact. After a few e-mails, this project was born. Thanks for making the trip. Also words of thanks go to Doug Yeager, Lisa Sacks, and Laura Stiers.

Of course, there is my hiking honey, Jan Basch. We have spent much time in the outdoors and on the trails. Not only does she love me, she trusts me. Go figure. Im one lucky man.

Contents

New England is my adopted home, and it is on its trails I find beauty, challenges, peace, and camaraderie.

Some of the most eye-catching areas are off its bucolic roadways and on pathways over stoic mountains, along rocky ridges, through wonderful woods, and more.

Ive hiked all over the region. Often hikes are the reason I travel. But I also hike when Im traveling, planning ahead to do a hike as Im heading between Point A and Point B.

I invite you to use these pages as a guide to a rich collection of hikes around the region with exhilarating vistas, lush forests, stunning peaks, and exquisite waterways in national forests, state parks, wilderness areas, and other preserved lands.

Each trip is rated by difficulty from easy to strenuous and comes with vivid descriptions that include detailed maps, photos, distances, and directions. Every hike, whether benign or rugged, starts and ends from the same trailhead. They range in length from an easy mile to a vigorous thirteen.

The guide contains trips for all levels of hikers and ages, from new trekkers to hiking enthusiasts looking for suggestions in parts of New England they might not have considered.

The hikes revolve around popular regional destinations for each state, and also, with the exception of Rhode Island (tiny Jerimoth Hill is just a leg-stretcher), include a trip to the highest peak in each state. Fledgling hikers can see their progress in attempting to reach those high points over every state.

Many hikes involve pieces of legendary trails like the Appalachian Trail and Long Trail.

There are ten hikes for each of the northern New England states and Massachusetts, while Connecticut and Rhode Island each have five. New Hampshire hikes are in the White Mountains and Lakes Region. Vermont hikes are generally in the southern and central Green Mountains, and Northeast Kingdom. Maine has pods in the western area (White Mountains, Carrabassett Valley), Baxter State Park, and Acadia National Park. In Massachusetts, the hikes are in central and western areas of the state, including the Berkshires, while Connecticut has hikes throughout the state, including the popular western side. There are western Rhode Island hikes too that could funnel into Connecticut, and Connecticut into Massachusetts.

Hikers tend to be territorial. Once they like a spot, say the White Mountains, it becomes their second home. I know all about it. The Whites are my home. Its easy to become a listaholic when it comes to hiking. I became one during the time I hiked the Appalachian Mountain Clubs White Mountain Four Thousand Footers. But Ive also come to embrace guidebooks. They are a list unto themselves, offering a selection of hikes to do while also allowing people to multitask as day trippers, overnighters, paddlers, bikers, and shoppers in places theyve never visited.

New England draws hikers from all over the Northeast and Canada. On the trails, there are hikers from Boston, Hartford, New York, Portland, Providence, Manchester, Burlington, and other urban areas. Canadians come south to hike the peaks, enjoying a land of cheap gas, tobacco, and alcohol.

Up and down the eastern seaboard, hikers are drawn to New Englands hills. So please enjoy this regional sampler of hiking hits.

Perhaps well meet on the trail.

USING THIS BOOK

The 50 hikes in this book offer a variety of destinations, terrain, and scenery. Consider it a passport to the region, and only a piece (though a tasty piece) of what there is to hike in New England.

Each hike starts with an informational section that contains nuggets and news that not only give you particulars about the hike but also are helpful in terms of deciding if the hike is for you and what kind of time frame and terrain to expect.

The hikes difficulty is rated as easy, moderate, or strenuous. Up front, this is a very subjective method. But the terrain is noted, and characteristics like steepness, exposure, length of hike, and elevation gain are taken into consideration.

Time of hike is also a subjective measure. This is merely a suggestion. Hikers, depending on terrain, can often move about 2 miles per hour. Again, this is based on steepness, terrain, etc. What takes an hour for one person may take 90 minutes for another.

The elevation gain is a measurement between the hikes low and high points. This is a gauge to help you get a sense of the terrain.

The trails used in the hike are provided in the informational section too. This can be a helpful tool for those who might want to jot down the names or enter them into a phone instead of reaching into a pack for a book while on the trail.

Directions to the hikes are found here. Please consider that some roads may be dirt, and the possibility exists that certain remote roadways may be closed in certain seasons.