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Going the DistanceThe longest trails in the northeast AMC Outdoors, April 2005 
Long-distance trails weave through the Northeast in a tapestry of adventure. Fourteen trails exceed 100 miles in length, continuous footpaths that travel the breadth of the region's natural diversity. Lush forest, skyscraping views, burbling streams, placid ponds, isolated campsites—they can all be found along these varied paths. So whether you're an avid backpacker questing for a month-long sojourn, or a day-hiker looking for an afternoon stroll close to home, a memorable journey awaits you. The Appalachian Trail The mother of all long-distance trails, and the longest in the Northeast, the Appalachian Trail (AT) is familiar to most hikers. From the Potomac River to Mount Katahdin in Maine, the AT travels 1,170 miles through the full spectrum of the Northeast outdoors. Across the undulations of Pennsylvania it travels, along the ridgelines of New Jersey and New York, through the radiant Berkshires of Massachusetts, along the spine of Vermont's Green Mountains, over the alpine peaks of New Hampshire's White Mountains, and beneath the evergreens of Maine to end atop a monolithic mountain towering above an endless forest sea. To many, the AT represents the ultimate in long-distance hiking. Hiking the trail: Shelters and campsites are established a day's hike apart along the entire trail, making it ideal for backpacking trips of nearly any length. NEW ENGLAND The Cohos Trail Venturing through the seldom-trod wilds of New Hampshire's Great North Woods, the Cohos Trail (CT) traverses the length of Coos County. From its start on the Saco River south of Crawford Notch, the CT travels in the land beyond the Whites to end in the Connecticut Lakes region by the Canadian border. The farther north you travel, the wilder and less-traveled the landscape becomes. After crossing the western Presidentials, Cherry Range, and Kilkenny Mountains of the White Mountains, the CT visits the bald humps and open views from the Percy Peaks. Continuing past the thick woods and waterways of Nash Stream Forest, the CT dips through the rocky gash of Dixville Notch before reaching its current end just past First Connecticut Lake. It is possible to continue to the Canadian border using snowmobile corridors and highways. The Cohos Trail is the brainchild of Kim Nilsen, founder and president of the Cohos Trail Association. "The Cohos Trail reaches some of the most diverse habitat and environs in all of New England," he says. "But its biggest attraction is the solitude." Hiking the Trail: The CT provides extensive overnight opportunities for backpacking and can be thru-hiked—four shelters and eight designated camping areas are established on the trail. The Bay Circuit Trail The Bay Circuit Trail (BCT) extends in a broad arc around the Boston metropolitan area, connecting myriad conservation areas in the 20-mile-wide corridor between Interstates 95 and 495. More than 150 miles of trail are open to the public, visiting 79 different parcels of protected open space in nearly 50 towns. First proposed in 1929 as an outlying accompaniment to Boston's Emerald Necklace, the BCT provides extensive day-hiking opportunities for the more than four million residents of the greater Boston area. "It's amazing how much undeveloped land is so close to Boston," says Alan French, chairman of of the Bay Circuit Trail Alliance. "The variety of terrain is striking, and it's a great resource for finding peace and tranquility." Hiking the Trail: The BCT remains a work in progress. Several gaps currently exist in the trail, and it is not possible to thru-hike the trail. Backcountry camping is prohibited. North-South—Midstate—Wapack Trail A continuous footpath of three long-distance trails connects the Rhode Island shore with the peaks of New Hampshire. The North-South Trail extends 72 miles through the rocky and diverse woodlands of western Rhode Island. Beginning from Block Island Sound, the route follows a mix of trails and quiet backcountry roads as it visits eight different state parks and management areas. It reaches its northern terminus at the Massachusetts border, where it connects with the Midstate Trail. Journeying through the hills of central Massachusetts, the Midstate Trail offers 92 miles of green forest passageways and open summit vistas. More than 80 percent of the route—75 miles—follows established trails; the remainder is on country roads. Established in 1923, the 21-mile Wapack Trail briefly overlaps the Midstate Trail before heading north along the long ridgeline of the Wapack Range, which serves up commanding views of the low-lying coastal plain to the east. Hiking the Trails: The Wapack Trail provides the closest backpacking trip to Boston; two shelters are located at the trail's midpoint (reservations required). Both the North-South and Midstate trails are day-hiking options only—camping is prohibited. The Mattabesset–Metacomet–Monadnock–Sunapee–Ragged–Kearsarge Greenway The Connecticut River Valley splits southern New England with a broad alluvial plain punctuated by narrow basalt ridges. As the valley narrows near New Hampshire, rolling hills to the northeast coalesce into an increasingly defined ridge that divides the Connecticut and Merrimac River watersheds. To the north, the terrain broadens into a mountainous landscape. And a 340-mile linked network of trails runs through it all. In Connecticut, the basalt crags, or traprock ridges, have acted as bulwarks against development, sheltering unusual ecosystems and offering expansive views from open prows. The Mattabesset and Metacomet trails—part of the state's 700-mile blue-blazed trail system—tour these unusual environments on a leisurely 101-mile journey northward to Massachusetts and the junction with the Metacomet-Monadnock (M-M) Trail. The M-M Trail continues north for 114 miles, traversing Mount Tom and the Holyoke Range before curving northeast into New Hampshire to reach its terminus atop 3,165-foot Mount Monadnock. The National Park Service is currently evaluating the Connecticut and Massachusetts sections of these three trails for potential designation as a National Scenic Trail. From Mount Monadnock, the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway strikes north, traveling 50 miles along a beech- and maple-cloaked ridge to its end atop 2,743-foot Mount Sunapee. The Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway connects on the summit, and then heads northeast on a 75-mile loop that ascends 2,937-foot Mount Kearsarge and the Ragged Mountain massif. Hiking the Trails: Six backcountry campsites are spaced along the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway, making it ideal for a multi-day backpacking trip. Three overnight shelters are also available near the north end of the M-M Trail. The remainder of the trails can only be explored on day hikes. The Long Trail The Green Mountain Club established the Long Trail between 1910-1930, making it the country's oldest long-distance hiking trail. Dubbed Vermont's "Footpath in the Wilderness," this popular and well-known trail travels the length of Vermont along the spine of the Green Mountains. For its first 105 miles, the Long Trail shares the same route as the AT before splitting off to head north over the state's tallest undeveloped mountain, 4,083-foot Camels Hump, and the state's highest peak, 4,393-foot Mount Mansfield, en route to trail's end at the Canadian border. Hiking the Trail: Shelters and campsites are established a day's hike apart throughout the trail. The open summits of the higher mountains along the trail are popular with day-hikers, but a surprising amount of solitude awaits elsewhere, especially north of the AT. Every year, roughly 100 thru-hikers complete the trail. NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY The Long Path It begins from the western end of the George Washington Bridge, with the Manhattan skyline pincushioning the sky from across the Hudson River. Heading north along the escarpment of Palisades Interstate Park, the Long Path (LP) skirts over bluffs rising 300–500 feet above the mighty Hudson as it runs the length of the Palisades crest. In New York's Harriman State Park, the LP encounters the Appalachian Trail, which can be utilized for 45 miles to connect with the Shawanagunk Ridge Trail (SRT). Constructed in the early 1990s, the SRT provides a scenic cliff-top alternative to the original LP route through Orange County, today a 50-mile road walk. After touching the sky from the Gunks' numerous vistas, hikers rejoin the LP and head north through the Catskills for 90 miles, traversing 11 peaks over 3,500 feet. Past 30-mile-long Schoharie Valley and beyond the "Endless Mountains," the LP reaches its end in the town of Altamont. Hiking the Trail: While long sections of the trail are ideal for backpacking, fewer than 100 hikers have hiked the LP end-to-end. Nearly 20 shelters are located en route, and camping is permitted throughout state land in the Catskills. Thru-hikers will need to utilize family campgrounds and motels in some sections. Northville-Lake Placid Trail The Northville-Lake Placid Trail (N-P Trail) transects the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park. Constructed in 1922 by the Adirondack Mountain Club, the N-P Trail follows a low-elevation route through the heart of the Adirondacks, passing through the Silver Lake, West Canada Lake, Blue Ridge, and High Peaks wilderness areas. Only four roads cross the trail. It is almost exclusively a valley route, traveling along rivers and streams, and visiting nearly two dozens lakes and ponds along the way. Views are limited, though three side trails lead to fire lookout towers. Isolation and the abundant fish-filled waterways are the primary attractions. Hiking the Trail: An extensive network of lean-tos—41 at last count—are situated throughout the trail, and camping is permitted just about anywhere. The trail can be very wet in places. Finger Lakes Conservation Trail The second-longest trail in the Northeast after the AT, the Finger Lakes Trail (FLT) extends east-west across the length of New York. From its junction with the Long Path in the Catskills, the trail heads west...and west...and west, to finally reach its end at Allegany State Park on the Pennsylvania border. Pastoral scenery, lush forests, numerous streams and waterfalls, and the absence of hiking crowds distinguish the FLT. Near its midpoint, the trail visits the chasm of Genesee River Gorge in Letchworth State Park, where three major waterfalls roar beneath 600-foot cliffs; and Watkins Glen State Park, where 19 waterfalls cascade down a narrow canyon. The 563-mile FLT is part of a greater 865-mile trail system, and five branch trails connect with the main route. The longest is the 179-mile Conservation Trail, which overlaps with the FLT for 57 miles before heading north toward its end at Niagara Falls. Hiking the Trails: The FLT is split almost equally between private land and state parks and forests, and utilizes a network of hiking paths and backcountry roads. Backpacker-friendly, the Finger Lakes Trail features 37 shelters, 47 campsites, and 20 fee campgrounds. Backcountry camping is permitted on all state forest lands. As of 2004, only 188 people have hiked the entire trail. PENNSYLVANIA With more than 3,000 miles of trails, Pennsylvania is a long-distance hiking mecca. Five trails exceed 100 miles in length. The Mid State Trail The Mid State Trail meanders over hill and dale in the state's Central Highlands region, journeying almost entirely across public land. En route, it passes through 13 state parks and forests, eight natural areas, and four wild areas. While seldom farther than a few miles from the nearest road, the route preserves a remarkable sense of isolation as it travels high above the surrounding valley landscape on long, narrow ridgelines. Myriad views, secluded forest, and empty campsites are the attractions—The Guide to the Mid State Trail calls it "the trail nobody knows." Hiking the Trail: Extensive backcountry camping options are available on state forest lands throughout the trail corridor. The Baker Trail The Baker Trail rolls across the undulating landscape of western Pennsylvania. From its start by the Allegheny River 25 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, the trail tours gentle farmlands and forest on its way to Allegheny National Forest via Cook Forest State Park—site of the state's largest stand of old-growth. As the guidebook Pennsylvania Hiking Trails says, the Baker Trail is ideal "if you are into the more subtle, laid back side of hiking." Hiking the Trail: It is possible to backpack the entire Baker Trail. Nine shelters are spaced along the route, and backcountry camping is allowed in numerous locations. The Tuscarora Trail Established as an alternate route for the AT, the Tuscarora Trail began to fade away after the AT was designated a National Scenic Trail in 1968. Following a gypsy moth infestation in the 1980s, brush almost completely engulfed the trail. In the 1990s, the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club worked to re-open the trail, completing the task in 1995. From the AT in northern Virginia, the trail heads north to Pennsylvania, where 91 miles of ridgeline walking returns hikers to the AT 10 miles west of Harrisburg. Hiking the Trail: Though only a few shelters are available, the Tuscarora Trail offers excellent backpacking opportunities. Backcountry camping is permitted throughout on state forest lands. The Horse-Shoe Trail A hiking and equestrian pathway that extends from Valley Forge National Historic Park to the Appalachian Trail, the Horse-Shoe Trail has existed since 1935. The trail's major allure is its proximity to the Philadelphia metropolitan area, providing long-distance hiking opportunities less than 25 miles from the city. While most of the route passes through private land and pastoral scenery, the trail visits several parks, including French Creek State Park and Middle Creek Wildlife Management area. Hiking the Trails: The Horse-Shoe Trail is for day-hiking use only; overnight camping is prohibited. The Mason-Dixon Trail The Susquehanna River flows as the centerpiece of this long-distance route. From its beginnings at Chadds Ford 15 miles north of Wilmington, Del., the Mason-Dixon Trail heads southwest to reach the Susquehanna at Havre de Grace, Md. For the next 65 miles, the pathway travels northwest along the west bank of this mighty waterway, arcing atop bluffs 800 feet above the river in York County, Pa. Quiet woods and fields, burbling streams, and peaceful rural scenery highlight the route. Hiking the Trail: The Mason-Dixon Trail is exclusively for use by day-hikers; backcountry camping is prohibited. Matt Heid is a senior editor at AMC Outdoors Photo by Katharine Wroth |
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