Ask AMC: Best Easy Hikes in the Northeast

Welcome to Ask AMC, our new advice column! From conservation and climate research to trail tips and backcountry etiquette, we take your questions about the outdoors to AMC’s adventurers, scientists, advocates, experts, and trail leaders to get you answers. For our first column we had two very similar questions come in, so we’re tackling them together:

Suggestions for easy hikes in the Whites? Distance 6-8 miles with minimal gain.

– Grandma from Rhode Island

I am in the Narragansett Chapter but can only do easy hikes, about 3 miles. I am 82 and it seems to be geared for 20-30’s and strenuous.

– Sandy from Warwick, R.I.

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We LOVE these questions. Lots of hiking guides talk about the hardest routes and the most epic climbs, but what about those of us who get the most joy from slowing down and noticing what’s happening around us? Or, like the two of you, those of us who want to keep hiking as long as we can? (By the way, Sandy from Warwick, hiking at 82 is legendary.)

There is so much beauty in the lower elevations, and there’s nothing small at all about hiking six gentle miles in the White Mountains. For inspiration on where to send you, we called up AMC Senior Books Editor Tim Mudie, who is an encyclopedia of trail information. Tim edits AMC’s hiking guides, organized by region, which cover these routes and more in great detail. But first, to address the other half of your question, Sandy: We’d recommend contacting the Narangansett Chapter Chair to see if there are other folks looking for a similarly-paced trip (we bet there are!), and how you can get out on the trail together.

“Easy” means something different for everyone — and it’s up to each of us to decide what adventure looks like, and how we tap into outdoor joy. Here are some of AMC’s top low-key hikes in the White Mountains and across the Northeast. To give you a better idea of what might make each hike challenging and enjoyable for you, we’ve broken them down into distance, elevation gain, and time. Have fun out there, and don’t forget to take time to enjoy the view!

New Hampshire 

Diana’s Baths – Conway, NH

Distance: 1.2-mile round trip | Elevation Gain: Minimal | Time: ~30 mins–1 hour
Diana’s Baths is a popular family destination suitable for the youngest hikers. A short, level, accessible walk along Moat Mountain Trail brings you to a former mill site where you can wade in one of the many pools among numerous cascades or explore the ruins of the old mill.  

Ammonoosuc Lake – Carroll, NH

Distance: 1.2 or 1.8-mile loop | Elevation Gain: 250 ft | Time: ~1–2 hours
Ammonoosuc Lake feels remote from civilization, yet it is only a 15–minute walk from the Highland Center and U.S. 302. It is a great place to look for moose, beavers, and wood ducks or to take a quick dip in the cool water. A side path leads to the Red Bench and a view of Mount Washington.

Lincoln Woods Trail – Lincoln, NH

Distance: Up to 6.4 miles out-and-back | Elevation Gain: Minimal | Time: ~2.5–3 hours 
A wide, flat trail that follows the Pemigewasset River through a peaceful forested valley. Once an old logging railroad bed, this scenic walk is perfect for a longer, low-effort adventure — with riverside views, gentle terrain, and plenty of spots to pause and soak it all in. 

Looking for a little more elevation? Try these two hut hikes, which offer the full AMC hut experience — stunning views, home-cooked meals, comfortable bunks, and a friendly Croo — without the hardest climbs.

Lonesome Lake Hut – Franconia Notch, NH

Distance: 1.5-miles one-way | Elevation Gain: 1,000 ft.; Steep but manageable | Time: ~1.5–2 hrs round trip
A short but steady climb from Lafayette Campground rewards you with sweeping views of Lonesome Lake and the surrounding peaks. This hut is a perfect intro to backcountry hiking — close to the road but just remote enough to feel like a real escape. Open year-round, even in snow. Book Lonesome Lake Hut.

Zealand Falls Hut – Bethlehem, NH

Distance: 2.7-miles one-way | Elevation Gain: 600 ft.; Moderate | Time: ~2.5–3 hrs round trip
A family favorite for good reason: this trail starts at Zealand Road and winds through forest and past marshland before arriving at a hut perched above a waterfall and peaceful pond. Especially stunning in fall, it’s a great pick for leaf-peeping and lunch with a view. Book Zealand Falls Hut.

Rhode Island 

Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge – Middletown, RI

Distance: 2.4-mile loop | Elevation Gain: 62 ft | Time: ~1–1.5 hours
A wide, gentle loop trail with sweeping Atlantic views and a front-row seat to seasonal bird migrations — including harlequin ducks, eiders, loons, and, in some winters, the elusive snowy white owl. 

Napatree Point – Watch Hill, RI

Distance: 3.2-mile loop | Elevation Gain: 25 ft | Time: ~1.5 hours
This windswept beach walk delivers big rewards for minimal effort: think birdwatching, sea breezes, and shell-strewn shores on a natural barrier island that feels a world away. 

Connecticut 

Mallard Marsh & Little Pond at White Memorial – Litchfield, CT

Distance: 4.7-mile loop | Elevation Gain: 40 ft | Time: ~2.5–3 hours
Explore lush boardwalks through a 4,000-acre conservation area teeming with birds, beavers, and blooming wetlands. This is the go-to loop for nature nerds and birdwatchers alike. 

Maine 

Little Lyford Ponds – Northeast Piscataquis, ME

Distance: 1.9-mile loop | Elevation Gain: 230 ft | Time: ~1.5 hours
Tucked away in the Maine Woods, this easy trail circles two tranquil ponds with high chances of spotting moose or loons. Side trails offer photo-worthy pond views and quiet moments in nature. Stay at one of AMC’s Maine Lodges while you’re up there!

Morse Mountain Trail – Phippsburg, ME

Distance: 3.8-mile out-and-back | Elevation: ~400 ft gain | Time: ~2–2.5 hrs
A coastal Maine classic that winds through salt marshes, spruce forest, and over a gentle summit before delivering you to Seawall Beach — a stunning, uncrowded stretch of sand. Keep an eye out for ospreys, porcupines, and wildflowers.

Massachusetts

Tannery Falls & Parker Brook Falls – Savoy, MA (Berkshires)

Distance: 0.6-mile (falls) or 4.5-mile loop | Elevation Gain: 200–615 ft | Time: 30 mins–2.5 hours
The twin cascades of Tannery Falls and Parker Brook Falls share the same enchanting ravine in Savoy Mountain State Forest. Several trails and roads loop to Balance Rock and hemlock–lined Ross Brook, upstream from the falls.

William Cullen Bryant Homestead – Cummington, MA (Central Mass)

Distance: 3 miles round trip | Elevation Gain: 470 ft | Time: ~1.5 hours
Starting at the former homestead of the acclaimed poet William Cullen Bryant, trails lead through groves of giant trees at Rivulet Forest, a meadow with pastoral views, and a sugar maple forest used by maple syrup producers for centuries.

Stony Brook Reservation – Boston, MA (Boston Area)

Distance: 2.6-mile loop | Elevation Gain: Minimal | Time: ~1.5 hours
An urban oasis just minutes from downtown. Wander past glacial drumlins, rock outcrops, and forested wetlands in Boston’s biggest patch of preserved green space. 

New Jersey

Wawayanda State Park – Hewitt, NJ

Distance: 6-mile loop | Elevation Gain: 425 ft | Time: ~3.5 hours
This scenic loop weaves past a pristine lake, over boulders, and through cool, shaded woods. It’s a top pick for day-trippers — but remember: this is black bear country, so be prepared.