-- Massachusetts Midstate Trail –

Self-Guided HIKE SCHEDULE – End to End

Hike each section listed below and finish all 93 miles.

Find a friend—you need more than one vehicle to do it one-way (point-to-

point). This schedule helps you find where to initially meet, then shuttle to

your starting point farther up the trail, so you hike back to the original meeting

point. Then give the shuttle driver a ride back to his/her car.

Note street addresses for MapQuest; coordinates for GPS devices

Long pants recommended. Bring weather-appropriate gear, bug spray, sunscreen, water, snacks –

42.69605 – 71.904089]. Hike north up cart road to Midstate Trail terminus granite marker on N.H state line,

follow path east a few hundred feet to join Wapack Trail which at this point becomes Midstate Trail in

Massachusetts, with same yellow triangle blaze. Turn right to head south, following Midstate to summit of

Watatic where markers make a sharp turn to the right to merge with Blueberry Ridge Trail and back down to

original cart road where you turn left to the parking lot. Moderately strenuous hike featuring gradual climb up,

over and down Watatic. Total loop about 4+ miles.

Mount Hunger Views: Meet at trail crossing at Route 12 in Ashburnham [near 171 Fitchburg Road, GPS

42.625721 – 71.881289]. Driving from Route 12 in Fitchburg, heading north toward Ashburnham

for 4.9 miles, watch for corner of Jewell Hill Road on right w/ traffic island. Park car(s) on Jewell

Hill Road and shuttle to trail parking lot on north side of Route 119 [near 154 Rindge State Road,

overpass and immediately go left onto Town Farm Rd. (see above). of almost 6 miles, leave car(s)

here and drive to where trail crosses Route 12 in Ashburnham [near 1 Jewell Hill Road, GPS

42.625721 – 71.881289]. Park on Jewell Hill Road, cross Route 12 and head up (abandoned)

Whitney Hill Road and hike south, passing beautiful, remote Muddy Pond featuring an Adirondack

(3-sided) shelter and lots of mountain laurel. Trail continues through woods, farm field, down Bragg

Hill Road and across to Whitmanville Road back to Graffiti Bridge for total 5.7 miles.

Maple Heights Farm: Meet in Westminster at Stone Hill Road/Narrows Road [near 147 Narrows Road,

GPS 42.539092 – 71.871390]. From Boston area take Rte. 2 west, exit 27. Take left at exit, crossing

Rte. 2 onto Narrows Rd. Drive straight to fork at Stone Hill Rd. where trail crosses and park along

Crow Hill Ledges Meet at Wachusett Mtn. Ski Area [near 41 Mile Hill Road in Westminster, GPS

42.503164 – 71.885012]. From Boston area, take Route 2 west to exit 25 onto Route 140 heading

south, take right at ski area sign. From Worcester area, take Rte.190 to exit 5. Go north on Rte. 140

for 9.5 miles to Wachusett Mt. entrance on left. Park in main parking lot, along edge by trailhead

sign. Leave car(s) and shuttle to corner of Stone Hill and Narrows roads in Westminster [near 147

Narrows Road, GPS 42.539092 – 71.871390]. Hike south over scenic Crow Hill ledges and by

Redemption Rock to ski area, about 5.6 miles over rolling terrain with short steeps and views.

Over the Mountain: Meet at “Town Hayfield” parking spot in Princeton, on Gates Road just north of

Goodnow Road corner [near 53 Gates Road, GPS 42.459211 – 71.927087]. From Worcester area

follow Route 31 north out of Holden, after Princeton town line take left onto Ball Hill Road and

Ware River Watershed Meet at Barre Falls Dam [near 200 Coldbrook Road in Barre, GPS 42.427891 –

72.023797]. From Rte. 68 in Rutland, take Rte. 62 west for 2.2 miles. Take left on entrance road,

and park in first lot on left, just before dam. For a long (8.5 mile) hike, leave car(s) and shuttle back

to the “Town Hayfield” [near 53 Gates Road, GPS 42.459211 – 71.927087] in Princeton, walk

through hayfield and though Savage Hill then through Ware River watershed and back to dam.

Those who want a shorter [4 mile] alternative may leave their car at corner of Route 68 and Intervale

Road [GPS 42.430173 – 71.975536] and hike south through Ware River watershed.

Rutland State Park Meet on East Hill Road in Rutland [near 90 East Hill Road, GPS 42.340975 –

71.996883]. From Rte. 31 in Paxton Center, go west on Rte. 122 for 4.2 miles and turn left onto

Pleasantdale Rd. Go .5 mile and turn right onto East Hill Rd. for almost a mile to Midstate crossing.

opposite Ragsdale Chevrolet take right on Paxton Road for 1.4 miles. Go left on Gold Nugget Rd

and shuttle to East Hill Road off Pleasantdale Road in Rutland [near 80 East Hill Road, GPS

42.340975 – 71.996883].. Hike south 5.2 miles around Treasure Valley, by Samson’s Pebble and

Browning Pond.

Moose Hill & Reservoir Meet where trail crosses Route 9 in Spencer at Spencer Country Inn [near 412

Main Street, GPS 42.255979 – 71.956709]. Leave car(s) here and shuttle to McCormack Road by 4-

H Club horse barns near Buck Hill [near 114 McCormack Road, GPS 42.296125 – 71.982061]. Hike

south by Buck Hill shelter, by Moose Hill shelter and then over Moose Hill and across Moose Hill

Reservoir dam back to Route 9 for a total of about 6 miles.

Sibley Farm/Audubon preserve Meet in Spencer where trail crosses near convergence of Ash Street and

Capon and Marble roads [near 197 Ash Street, GPS 42.218513 – 71.980095]. From Rte. 20, take

5.3 miles.

Four Chimneys to Cow Tunnel Meet where trail crosses Route 20 in Charlton [near 8 Old Worcester

under Route 20 right to Old Worcester Road cul-de-sac.

French River crossing Drive to dead end of Rocky Hill Road off Route 12 in Oxford, across from Dana

Road, just north of town center [near 52 Rocky Hill Road, GPS 42.132239 – 71.874865]. Leave

car(s) here and shuttle to trail crossing on (south side of) Route 20 in Charlton [near 8 Old Worcester

Road, GPS 42.146294 – 71.937780] parking in cul-de-sac. From here hike south down Boucher

Road and into woods, then road-walking, then by cascades and on through flood plain of Hodges

Village Dam, crossing footbridge over French River and on to Rocky Hill Road, 5 miles.

Sacarrappa Pond Drive to parking lot by church on Central Turnpike in West Sutton, across from Town

Farm Road [near 660 Central Turnpike, GPS 42.114499 – 71.799750]. Take Rte. 395 to Exit 4A in

42.056044 – 71.786750]. From Rte. 395 take Exit 2 in Webster. Go east on Rte. 16 for 4.3 miles to

state trail parking lot on right. From Rte.146 and East Douglas, take Rte. 16 west. Lot is on left, .9

miles past entrance to Wallum Lake/Douglas State Forest (Cedar St). Leave car(s) there and shuttle

to parking lot by church on Central Turnpike in West Sutton [near 660 Central Turnpike, GPS

42.114499 – 71.799750. Hike south on Douglas Road past Whittier Farm then turn into state forest,

State Line through State Forests Start on Rhode Island side of Wallum Lake. [near 445 Buck Hill Road,

Pascoag, RI, GPS: 41.58582 – 71.46658] Take exit 2 off Route 395 onto Rte. 16. Head east on Rte.

16 for 5.2 miles to main entrance to Wallum Lake on right (from the east, take Rte. 146 and head

west on Rte. 16 past East Douglas, look for Wallum Lake entrance on left). This is Cedar Street

which later becomes Wallum Lake road and eventually RI Route 100. Follow Cedar St/Wallum

Lake Rd for 4.0 miles to 2nd stop sign and take right. Go another 2.1 miles to first driveable right

after Zamora Hospital. Go .1 mile and take right onto Buck Hill Road. Go 1.2 miles and Buck Hill

Tower is on left—park directly opposite of tower on right. Leave some cars and shuttle to Route 16

in Douglas, where Midstate crosses road Douglas [Near 200 Webster Street, GPS 42.056044 –

71.786750]. Walk south through Douglas State Forest past R.I. border—about 9 miles total.