New England National Scenic Trail

About New England National Scenic Trail

From the Sound to the Summits: the New England Trail covers 235 miles from Long Island Sound across long ridges to scenic mountain summits in Connecticut and Massachusetts. The trail offers panoramic vistas and close-ups of New England’s natural and cultural landscape: traprock ridges, historic village centers, farmlands, unfragmented forests, quiet streams, steep river valleys and waterfalls.

How to Get There

More than 100 public roads cross the New England Trail, and there are trail head parking areas at or near many of these crossings. Detailed Trail Maps are available from Appalachian Mountain Club and Connecticut Forest & Park Association. For Massachusetts maps, visit the AMC Berkshire Chapter; for Connecticut, visit the CFPA Bookstore. Direct access by bus is available at several points in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Train service is available at two points – in Guilford, CT and Northampton, MA.

Plan Your Visit to New England National Scenic Trail

Heading to New England National Scenic Trail? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)