The Twenty-One Mile Wapack Trail

Spring is one of our absolute favorite times of year to head to southwestern New Hampshire and train for summer hiking in the White Mountains on lower elevation trails. One of our favorite trails to hike in this area is the 21 mile Wapack Trail which runs from the base of North Pack Monadnock in Greenfield, New Hampshire to the base of Mount Watatic in Ashburnham, Massachusetts. This trail runs over the summit of a half dozen mountains that are less than 2,300’ in elevation. On top of offering a top-notch trail for training in terms of length, this trail gains over 4,800’ in elevation. The Wapack Trail is very well marked and is maintained by the Friends of the Wapack Trail. For the hiking patch collectors, there is a snazzy new patch available for purchase here.   

Navigating the Trail

This trail runs north to south and is marked by yellow triangles. There are information booths at the start and end of the trail and at various locations along the way which have maps and descriptions of the trail. Additional signs confirming the route are conveniently placed along the way, as well. We recommend purchasing the trail map which gives descriptions, mileage, and is very helpful with navigation. There is also a trail guide available for those looking for a more comprehensive packet. Both can be found here. 

In terms of navigating this trail, we found it easy to follow with only a few exceptions. Heading south, after reaching the trailhead of Pack Monadnock in Miller State Park, the trail crosses route 101. At this crossing additional signage would be beneficial because we found it difficult to locate the trail as it enters the woods on the south side of route 101. Furthermore, as of March 2024, there was an active logging operation taking place on and around Old Peterborough Road. Be sure to pay close attention because many blazes were missing due to the logging operation removing trees. Furthermore, there is a reroute around Windblown XC Ski Area which is private property. We recommend paying close attention to the blazes in this area or downloading the Gaia GPS app which is free and has all of the Wapack Trail on it.

The remainder of the trail is very easy to follow and signage only seems to be getting better as the trail organization works on improvements.  

Water & Shelter

Availability of water from the northern terminus to Temple Road was sparse when we hiked this trail in spring. We highly recommend cameling up at the first water source on the ascent of North Pack Monadnock because from there, we didn’t find any water until the short roadwalk on Temple Road, several miles later. From here, water was abundant and not an issue. 

If you are hoping to do this hike as an overnight there are a few options for tenting but this trail runs through both public and private property so we recommend referring to this page for further information. Shelters or tenting is available through Windblown Camping and requires a reservation prior to staying. 

Fees & Parking

There are lots to park your car at either terminus and there is no fee to park at the northern or southern terminus. However, there is a fee to hike through Miller State Park which is where the trail runs over the summit of Pack Monadnock. The fee for day hikers is $4.00 for adults and $2.00 for children. You pay at the kiosk in the parking lot. Parking at the various trailheads along the trail is also an option, for example there are parking lots off of route 124, at the southern end of the Cabot Skyline Trail on Temple Road, and at the Miller State Park parking lot (parking fees apply).  

Trail Description

The Wapack Trail ranges in difficulty from steep terrain to flat. It runs over the summit of eleven named peaks. Describing from north to south, the first ten miles of trail runs over the summit of five named peaks. Upon summitting Temple Mountain, you begin a long ridge walk hiking up and down several unnamed peaks in the Cabot Memorial Forest. From the ridge, you descend down to the only roadwalk on Temple Road and quickly re-enter the woods at the first major water source available since the northern terminus. 

Upon re-entering the woods, this stretch of trail is the hardest to follow because it runs through an active logging operation. After reaching the road crossing on route 124, the Wapack Trail reascends up onto another ridge and ascends and descends six more summits. This portion of trail has stunning views west along the rocky summits of Pratt Mountain and New Ipswich Mountain. After descending off of the ridge, you walk through the Binney Pond State Forest and, again, there are wonderful photo opportunities of Binney Pond. After another short roadwalk, you emerge from the woods into a beautiful field of wildflowers before reaching the Midstate Trail’s northern terminus and the NH/MA border. From here the trail coincides with the Midstate Trail and makes its ascent up the final peak, Mount Watatic before culminating at the Mount Watatic trailhead. 

Final Thoughts

The Wapack Trail tends to be less busy than some of the trails found in the area (specifically those on and around Mount Monadnock) and we love that about it. However, it has been growing in popularity over the last few years and as it continues to do so we hope that hikers will respect the trail, practice Leave No Trace Principles, and keep in mind that this trail runs on private as well as public property. It is a privilege that we are able to access the portions of this trail that run along private property. 

The Wapack Trail is one of our favorite trails in the southern part of New Hampshire. We love the length, difficulty level, and that it connects with the Midstate Trail at the New Hampshire/Massachusetts border. For those looking for a longer hiking experience you can continue south on the Midstate Trail which is 92 miles in length and runs from the NH/MA border to the Rhode Island/Massachusetts border. We hope that those who use the trail will also consider making a donation to the organization that maintains it here.