Submitted by dxbaileyy t3_10ud38e in massachusetts
I feel like spring will be here before I know it. Last year I really wanted to spend more time outside but never got around to much. I live in Boston and work during the week so I’m looking for suggestions within a two hour drive that won’t be overly crowded on the weekends.
Unfortunately, the more southern NH mountains get very crowded on the weekends. Check out the AMC's posts like this: https://www.outdoors.org/resources/amc-outdoors/adventures/6-of-the-best-hikes-in-southern-new-hampshire/
And please bring a real map.
Second this: Franconia.
Western Massachusetts offers many options
Keystone Arches are beautiful in Chester, Ma
This group also has lists of local hikes in the area
Mt Watatic, Pack Monadnock, Mt Wachusett are within 1 hour and are great hikes and rarely get overly crowded.
White mountains is my fix
Monadnock on a weekday since the lots fill up so early on the weekend (unless you’re brave enough to venture down fort roads with no gps to find the secret parking lot on the weekend)
Drive out to the Berkshires, there's a web of good hiking trails out this way all through the county.
Thank you! I recently bought a house in the area and this info is great!
Cool. What town? We spend a lot of time in Chester
Bear Brook State Park in Allentown,NH. It's just about an hour north of Boston also many other things to do besides hiking. Mountain biking, fishing, swimming, camping (even though it's very hard to book a campsite, booking opens on January 1st and most sites are gone by January 2nd)
Blue hills reservation, ponkapog trails
Adding the New England Trail if you're looking at Western Mass
Sweet! Welcome to the west.
The natural wildlife is amazing out here. Moose, deer, bear, etal. Great hiking with many waterfalls.
Thank you! Yes, it’s is gorgeous, and the fall was spectacular!
There is a really awesome easy hike in west Brookfield and it also has a great place to eat nearby.
Mt Wachusett a good hike but reasonable
Holyoke MT range in Grandby/South Hadley/Amherst a vigerorous hike but still reasonable and you can hike 1 or 2 Mt's or the whole range,the whole range is an 8 hour affair.
The Quabbin has many gates in central and western MA and there all great and reasonable hikes.
Monadnock is the answer
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The Blue Hills are about 45 mins south, depending on where you’re coming from. I love going up to the White mountains in NH (Franconia, etc) but it’s usually still pretty snowy there (at least the higher peaks) until May and then pretty packed on the weekends throughout the summer. It’s 2.5-3 hours from Boston so I usually leave at like 4:30AM to make sure I get a parking spot at the trailhead.
Mount Major, NH
Don’t go opening any oil drums you find in Bear Brook
Holy shit. I had almost forgotten about that.
The view from Wachusett is incredible. I wouldn't do it in winter, though. Plus if OP wants to get away from people, it's important to note that the other side of Wachusett is a ski resort. Some of the southern NH mountains are great in their own right, if not as famous as the Whites. Mount Major is a nice, semi-challenging hike. Please do be careful with the conditions, OP. A lot of people have been lost this season.
Camped there this summer, made our reservations and then my GF found the article ha
I usually go for at least a week every summer since 2004. We call it bromance week because it's all dudes. I always book on December 31st right after midnight
I mean you’ve also got Mt Greylock to choose as well. Possibly the best viewpoint in the state. In my opinion, granted I grew up in the shadow of it haha.
Mount Monadnock. Awesome little towns around there for food and snacks after the hike as well.
Mount Greylock is pushing your 2-hour limit…but take a detour through Amherst and Northampton for a great food/music scene.
Boarderland State Park in Easton is good if your looking for a pretty place to walk. Take you a few hours to do the whole thing, I wouldn't really call it "hiking" trails are well warn paths but the views are cool.
Edit-just saw you wrote "intermediate" hiking. Disregard. Franconia...better views actually hike but more than 2 hrs away
It's nice but not advisable if you're not used to hiking in winter conditions. Snow and ice is prevalent on the higher altitude peaks into May so it may not be safe for someone who is looking for spring weather hiking unless they're used to the elements!
I highly recommend anywhere in the white mountain national forest but you can check out the bay circuit trail
I think for this distance from Boston I’ve found Mt Watatic to be the most rewarding: lovely views, gets your heart pumping but isn’t too tough, great trade off of effort to rewards in my book. If it’s warm enough I always enjoy picnicking at the top.
I saw this spot on TV this week, it was "10 miles West of Boston" but not sure exactly where.
Breakheart Reservation in Saugus.
Smart they fill up fast, especially in the last few years
I almost always get site 95. It is by far the best it's in a little tiny ravine/bottom of a small hill right on the pond. None of the other sites can even see you.
Mount Kearsarge has 2 state parks on different sides, Rollins and Winslow. Winslow provides an intermediate hike to the summit and Rollins allows you drive up almost to the top and a short hike to the summit. The surrounding towns are real quaint too.
“That won’t be overly crowded on weekends”
zumera t1_j7b5rut wrote
Franconia Notch State Park in NH.