Southern New Hampshire’s Wapack Trail is not only one of my personal favorites, it’s one of the oldest interstate hiking trails in the U.S., having opened in 1923. In New Hampshire, the trail runs through the towns of New Ipswich, Temple, Sharon, Peterborough, and Greenfield along a north-south ridge. Along the way, it passes over several prominent mountain summits and offers exceptional views from open ledges. Without a doubt, it’s definitely a best hike near Peterborough, NH and should be on every hiker’s list of trails to explore.

Wapack Trail begins its nearly 21-mile journey just south of the border in Ashburnham, Massachusetts. The first summit reached is the open top of Mt. Watatic.
Ken MacGray/Flickr
North of Watatic, the trail soon climbs to Pratt Mountain, which offers a fine vista over Binney Pond and back to Mt. Watatic.
Tammy Garcia/All Trails
While not directly on the Wapack Trail, a short side trip via an easy spur path can also be made to the partly open summit of Kidder Mountain.
Heather Gallant/All Trails
As the trail passes over Temple Mountain, look for impressive stone chairs and enormous cairns just off-trail. These ledges make for a good resting spot.
Kay Cee/All Trails

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Temple Mountain was once a booming ski operation. After the ski area closed in 2001, the area was protected as the Temple Mountain State Reservation.
Ken MacGray/Flickr
Much of the route that the Wapack Trail follows was once upland farm and pasture land. Its ledgy outlooks are remnants from when the terrain was far more barren.
Randall Mikkelsen/All Trails
Pack Monadnock's summit, which the trail passes over, is home to the Pack Monadnock Raptor Observatory.
Xinan Huang/All Trails
Here, hawks and raptors can be seen on their migration runs during the early fall.
The northernmost summit along the Wapack Trail is North Pack Monadnock. Its true summit offers only partial views, but its southern cliffs provide a panoramic outlook.
Jeff Moineau/All Trails

Hiking the entire length of the Wapack Trail isn’t necessary to get out and explore this, the best hike near Peterborough, NH. There are plenty of access points for easy day hikes. For more information on the trail and to obtain a trail map, visit AllTrails.

If you are a hiker, well, New Hampshire has plenty to offer. Lace on the boots, gear up, and get out there for some waterfalls, ponds, or mountain summits.

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Wapack Trail Northern Terminus, 141 Mountain Rd, Peterborough, NH 03458, USA