New England National Scenic Trail - NET

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New England National Scenic Trail - NET

The New England National Scenic Trail (NET) is a 235mi long-distance hiking trail through MA and CT.

The New England Trail (NET) invites you to explore the beautiful places and changing seasons that inspired America’s first landscape painters and reflect the essence of the New England landscape today. Stretching over 235 miles through more than 40 communities from Long Island Sound in Connecticut to the Massachusetts-New Hampshire border, the NET features open fields, deep forests, mountain peaks

, waterfalls, streams and the region’s unique traprock ridges. Whether you’re out for a quiet afternoon walk with friends or a multi-day backpacking adventure, this four-season recreation trail is easy to love and has something for everyone. Consider the NET as your open invitation to experience the forests, fields, mountains and river valleys of New England.

08/03/2026

The Ragged Mountain Preserve in Berlin, CT was heavily impacted by the July 4 storms. There are many, many trees down blocking trails– some areas are impassable– particularly on the Metacomet/ NET between the central part of the Preserve and Andrews St to the north (CT Section 14).

We ask for your patience as CFPA trained and certified volunteer/ staff sawyers work to clear the trails. It will take some time. The health and safety of our volunteers is of the utmost importance. Please do not attempt to do any trail clearing without explicit permission. Once trails have been fully re-opened, we will post an update. Thank you for understanding!

07/14/2026

Create art of nature with Appalachian Mountain Club Staff and the New England Trail's artist-in-residence, Alex Salsberg!

Join us for a peaceful ~3 mile out-and-back hike through the hemlock forests of Northfield Mountain to a scenic overlook on the Erving Ledges. We will be drawing our surroundings; the plants, animals, views, and whatever else you may see on the trail! Art supplies will be provided by staff.

This hike is free and open to the public.

For more information and to register: https://activities.outdoors.org/s/oc-activity/a5UVX000001Bcqz2AC/act00021989

07/10/2026

We are pleased to announce our 2026 Artist-in-Residence for the NET, Alex Salsberg! Alex is a Providence, Rhode Island based animator who loves telling stories through funny, playful and heartfelt cartoons. He is the co-creator of “Too Beautiful” a visual album with actor/rapper Utkarsh Ambudkar, and has worked on projects for Billy Ray Cyrus, MTV, Nickelodeon, GBH, Boston Children’s Hospital, and the Peabody Essex Museum. He recently completed the festival run for “Of The Heart,” a short, animated documentary on intergenerational friendship.

"So excited to start my summer as the New England Trail Artist-in-Residence! Over the next few months, I’ll be doing some animated documentary work about the trails and the people who use, maintain, and love them. And of course, I'll be getting out on the trails myself for inspiration/a reason to leave my desk."

We cannot wait to share his work throughout the summer! Keep an eye out for updates on workshops he will be hosting this summer.

📹The animation was done by Alex Salsberg!

Alt text: Animation of a man in hiking gear with elements of nature rotating as his clothes, hat, and beard. Elements of nature include ferns, tree bark, rocks, and ground surfaces.

07/08/2026

Have you wondered how hiking trails are maintained? Do you ever notice rock steps on your hike and wonder who put them there? Do you want to learn about trail sustainability in a changing world?

Join Appalachian Mountain Club staff on the morning of July 18th or the evening of August 5th for a scenic 4-mile loop hike to Mount Norwottuck & the Horse Caves on MA Section 8 to learn about the importance of trail crews work in protecting public land.

To register for the July 18, 9:30am to 12pm, hike: https://activities.outdoors.org/s/oc-activity/a5UVX000001BWwr/act00021948
To register for the August 5, 5:00pm to 8:00pm, hike: https://activities.outdoors.org/s/oc-activity/a5UVX000001Bciv/act00021988

We hope to see you on the trail!

07/03/2026

Views From the NET: MA Section 16 - Erving Ledges, & Hermit’s Castle

This 7-mile section of trail passes through the towns of Erving and Northfield, MA. A notable aspect of this section is that the south portion runs along the ledges of Northfield Mountain. There are many stunning views along these ledges, and a connecting trail that leads to the “Hermit’s Castle”. The “Castle” is more so a small cave, it lies under the ledges and was inhabited by Scottish immigrant John “The Hermit” Smith during the 19th century.

The northern portion of the trail consists of hemlock forests with plenty of interesting sights to find in the early summer, including Mountain Laurel, Carolina Rose, Partridgeberry, and Hemlock Varnish Shelf Mushrooms 🍄‍🟫.

It can be accessed through parking on Mountain Road and Gulf Road in Erving, MA. Hiking from Mountain Road provides a low-grade day hike through the hemlock forests to the beautiful view from Erving ledge, and access to the Hermit Castle trail if you’re looking for an extra challenge.

📸Thank you to Benji van der Hulst, AMC NET Outreach Assistant, for these wonderful snapshots of MA Section 16!

06/16/2026

Views From the New England Trail: MA Section 8

MA Section 8 of the NET runs concurrently with a portion of the Robert Frost Trail (Orange Blaze).

It can be accessed at the Notch Visitor Center and Harris Mountain Road in Amherst, MA. The trail passes along the ridges of Mt. Norwottuck and Long Mountain of the Holyoke Range, with many opportunities for views of the Pioneer Valley along the way.

A notable sight of this section is the Horse Caves. These ledges along Mt. Norwottuck provided temporary shelter for indigenous people when hunting in the area.

Section 8 provides a good four-mile day hike with a loop that takes you to the top of Mt. Norwottuck, past the Horse Caves, and back to the Notch Visitor Center via the Robert Frost Trail. Hiking this time of year will allow you to see the many mountain laurel flowers blooming across the trail.

📸Thank you to Benji van der Hulst, AMC NET Outreach Assistant, for these wonderful snapshots of Section 8!

06/13/2026

Calling all Bark Rangers! "Raise the woof" and join NPS for Bark in the Park celebration at Springfield Armory National Historic Site on June 20 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Picnic with your pup, complete a Bark Ranger activity booklet, get a treat at the pup cup station, make a bandana and more!

The AMC NET Outreach Assistant will share maps and insights into dog and human friendly sections of the Trail! Make sure to stop in at the museum and get your passport book stamped with the NET stamp.

For more information: https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/event-details.htm?id=784C8EB2-DF18-B2D1-C407BD413613C9B1

06/05/2026

Have you wondered how hiking trails are maintained? Do you ever notice rock steps on your hike and wonder who put them there? Do you want to learn about trail sustainability in a changing world?

Join Appalachian Mountain Club staff on June 13 for a scenic morning 4-mile loop hike to Mount Norwottuck & the Horse Caves on MA Section 8 to learn about the importance of trail crews work in protecting public land.

To register for the hike: https://activities.outdoors.org/s/oc-activity/a5UVX0000017NDp2AM/act00020724

We hope to see you on the trail!

05/30/2026

Next Saturday is National Trails Day! NTD was started by the American Hiking Society in 1993 to promote the benefits of hiking, highlight the importance of trails, encourage people to get outdoors, and advocate for trail service.

Our trail partners, Appalachian Mountain Club and Connecticut Forest & Park Association, are hosting events along the NET to celebrate the 33rd NTD! 🥳

We hope to see you out on the trail next weekend. ☺️

To find events in MA: https://activities.outdoors.org/s/oc-activity/a5UVX000000zW1N2AU/act00018734

To find events in CT: https://ctwoodlands.org/events/ct-trails-day/

📸Thank you to J. Koteen Photography and CFPA for capturing previous National Trails Day hikes and events!

05/22/2026

Views From the New England Trail: MA Section 19 & Royalston Falls

This is MA Section 19 of the NET. It is the northernmost section of the trail and runs concurrently with the Tully Trail, protected by the Trustees of Reservations for over 70 years.

It can be accessed through parking on MA Route 32. This section of the NET descends into the Falls Brook area, which flows into the nearby Royalston Falls. It is a great spring hike, especially on a rainy day where you’ll see the brook and waterfall at their peak.

If you stay on the NET you’ll hike up to the New Hampshire state line, making your way onto the Metacomet-Monadnock trail, with 18 miles to the summit of Mt. Monadnock. If you keep down the Tully Trail, you will end up at Royalston Falls. The hike to Royalston Falls makes for a good in-and-out hike, with a round trip of about 1.5 miles. Dogs on leash are welcome as well.

For thru hikers, there is a lean-to shelter a mile into the section with four bunks and nearby water access. As with other overnight sites, reservations for the shelter are available via the NET website.

📸 Thank you to Benji van der Hulst, AMC NET Outreach Assistant, for these wonderful snapshots of Section 19 & Royalston Falls!

Address

Springfield, MA

Website

http://www.newenglandtrail.org/

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