Massachusetts Midstate Trail

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The Massachusetts Midstate Trail is a scenic footpath which runs 92 miles through Worcester County, Massachusetts, approximately 45 miles west of Boston. The trail is highly accessible, easy to hike and close to large population centers; however; the trail is remarkably wild and scenic. Mount Wachusett and Mount Watatic can be found along the trail as well as many interesting geologic, historic and natural features.

1 Trail extent and location
2 Trail and climate description
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Trail extent and location

The MA Midstate Trail extends from the Rhode Island to New Hampshire. The northern end of the trail is near the New Hampshire border in Ashburnham, Massachusetts. The northern section of the MA Midstate overlaps with the Wapack Trail, which runs north into New Hampshire for an additional 21 miles. The southern end of the MA Midstate Trail is on the Rhode Island border in Douglas, Massachusetts. The trail connects to the Rhode Island North-South Trail, which runs south 75 miles to the Atlantic Ocean.

[edit] Trail and climate description

Yellow triangles mark the trail. A map and compass are important for safety, but you won’t need them to follow the trail. The trail winds through swamps, suburbs, woods, and mountains. In late spring and summer, biting and stinging insects can be troublesome. The trail crosses many clear brooks and streams, and at least one spring. Some of the water sources flow through populated areas or farms. All water should be purified. The highest point on the trail is the summit of Mount Wachusett. Some of the finest views on the trail are from Mount Watatic and the Crow Hills. The damp woods of southern New England are scattered with stone walls, a reminder that the forest was once farmland. The middle and northern parts of the trail are home to huge boulders balanced in unlikely positions, called glacial erratics. These boulders were transported by glacial ice.