Southern New Hampshire’s Wapack Trail is one of my favorite hiking routes and it offers some of the best hiking in New Hampshire. The entire 21-mile trail stretches from Mt. Watatic in Massachusetts to North Pack Monadnock in New Hampshire. Many day hiking opportunities are available all along this route, and nearly all of them feature gorgeous scenery. One of my favorite sections is from the southern terminus to Stony Top, and it’s a hike I revisited in December of 2023.

I started this hike early in the morning from the Wapack Trail's southern terminus off Rt. 119 in Ashburnham, Massachusetts.
Ken MacGray/Google Photos
The first stop when hiking northbound from this trailhead is the ledgy, open summit of Mt. Watatic. This perch provides excellent views to the south, east, and west.
Ken MacGray/Google Photos
Following the trail north, I soon arrived at the Massachusetts/New Hampshire state line, which is also the northern terminus of another long-distance route, the Midstate Trail.
Ken MacGray/Google Photos

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Before the Wapack Trail gets up onto any ridges, it passes the lovely and quiet Binney Pond. The land around the pond was protected by Northeast Wilderness Trust in 2016.
Ken MacGray/Google Photos
This was the fairly steep climb up to Pratt Mountain. I love these low ridges that are dominated by weathered trees.
Ken MacGray/Google Photos
One of my favorite spots along this section of the Wapack Trail is this viewpoint on Pratt Mountain, which provides a look down to Binney Pond and back to Mt. Watatic where I started the hike.
Ken MacGray/Google Photos
The turnaround point on this day was a rocky knob known as Stony Top. If you wander around the ledges, you can piece together views of the surrounding landscape in just about all directions.
Ken MacGray/Google Photos

Should you decide to venture out on a day hike along the Wapack Trail or opt to thru-hike the entire trail, you’ll definitely be treated to terrific views along one of the best hikes in New Hampshire. Either way, make sure you have the proper gear for a safe and enjoyable trip. For more information and to purchase a guidebook and map, visit the Friends of the Wapack.

A hiking trail boom is currently happening in southern New Hampshire, and here is one of the region’s newest trail systems to explore:

Explore Cogswell Mountain On One Of New Hampshire’s Newest Trail Systems

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Featured Addresses
Mt. Watatic Trailhead, ASHB-0029-00008, Ashburnham, MA 01430, USA