Everything Confirmed About Massachusetts’ Newest National Park

Abstract

• The New England Nationwide Scenic Path is the latest nationwide park in Massachusetts, providing 40 completely different distinctive hikes to get pleasure from all yr.
• This Scenic Path connects Connecticut to Massachusetts by 235 miles of various surroundings together with farmlands, streams, forests, and waterfalls.
• Hikers will get a mixture of quiet nature spots within the Berkshire Mountains and concrete routes by cities like Hartford and Holyoke on the path’s journey.

The Nationwide Park system is made up of 63 areas with the designation of “Nationwide Park.” A number of the oldest national parks are over 150 years outdated. Nonetheless, there are over 400 nationwide websites that fall underneath the Nationwide Park jurisdiction which are generally known as nationwide parks. Many of those have been added lately, making them a few of the newest national parks. One in all them is situated in Massachusetts.

With the addition of three trails to the Nationwide Park umbrella, extra territory across the nation is being protected for future generations to get pleasure from. However, it doesn’t seem that Congress and the Nationwide Park Service are stopping with these newest additions. A number of extra websites are presently into consideration to be added to the Nationwide Park system, situated all through the nation.

However for now, New England is celebrating its latest protected space. Right here is every thing confirmed about Massachusetts’ newest national park, the New England Scenic Trail.

The New England Nationwide Scenic Path Is The Latest Nationwide Park In Massachusetts

The New England Nationwide Scenic Path was designated a Nationwide Scenic Path in 2009

The most recent nationwide park in Massachusetts is the New England Nationwide Scenic Path. The path was found over 50 years in the past by Walter Banfield and has been loved by hikers since.

Although those that have walked any portion of the path might attest to its magnificence, the New England Nationwide Scenic Path was by no means thought-about to be a location that needs to be protected by the Nationwide Park Service.

That modified in December 2023, when the New England Nationwide Scenic Path, in addition to the Ice Age Nationwide Scenic Path, which takes eight to 12 weeks to hike in its entirety, and the North County Nationwide Scenic Path got the excellence of changing into nationwide websites.

In 2009, the New England Nationwide Scenic Path, or the New England Path, was designated as a National Scenic Trail. The path was made up of 4 separate historic trails within the space; the Metacomet, Mattabesett, Menunkatuck, and Metacomet-Monadnock. With the intention to tie all of them collectively, the brand new identify of the New England Nationwide Scenic Path was bestowed on them.

As soon as this designation was given, the New England Nationwide Scenic Path joined the quick checklist of trails which are underneath the care of the Nationwide Park System. There are presently 11 trails that make up the list of the National Scenic Trails. 5 are underneath the care of the US Forest Service and now, with the addition of the New England Scenic Path and the 2 others that had been designated nationwide parks, there are six underneath the Nationwide Park Service care.

The place The New England Nationwide Scenic Path Begins And Ends

The New England Nationwide Scenic Path begins in Connecticut and ends on the Massachusetts/New Hampshire border

Whereas a lot of the New England Nationwide Scenic Path is in Massachusetts, because the identify implies, the trail connects with other New England states as properly.

The New England Nationwide Scenic Path begins in Long Island Sound, Connecticut and runs 235 miles to Royalston, Massachusetts on the Massachusetts/New Hampshire border. It runs by over 40 cities and cities, a few of that are historic, between these two areas.

Alongside the 235 miles, the path is damaged up into 40 completely different sections, virtually equally cut up between the 2 states. Of the 19 in Massachusetts and 21 in Connecticut, all have various ranges of problem with trails being wherever from novice degree to the extra skilled. Most, nonetheless, are thought-about reasonable to tough for individuals who have by no means hiked any part of the path earlier than.

Higher nonetheless, there should not two similar trails throughout the New England Nationwide Scenic Path. Whereas some could also be related with surroundings or distance, no two are the identical. Which means there are basically 40 completely different hikes, full with some of New England’s best scenery on the NET from farmlands, streams, waterfalls, forests, and extra available throughout the New England Nationwide Scenic Path.

The New England National Scenic Trail is free to visit and hike year-round. The truth is, most of the national parks are free to visit. For many who are planning on climbing longer sections and even the whole path itself, there are designated overnight sites on the trail. Reservations must be made prematurely to safe a spot.

What Hikers Will Expertise On The New England Scenic Path

The New England Scenic Path provides views of farmlands, lakes, waterfalls, taprock vistas, and extra

Those that hike the New England Scenic Path will instantly acknowledge that whereas there are parts of the path which are quiet and secluded by the Berkshire Mountains, different parts undergo main cities in each Massachusetts and Connecticut. Nonetheless, with the wonderful sights to see on the New England Scenic Path, passing by locations like Hartford, Connecticut or Holyoke, Massachusetts is properly price it as a part of the journey getting there.

If the natural beauty of the New England Scenic Trail isn’t sufficient to supply hikers with its “panoramic vistas and close-ups of New England’s pure and cultural panorama: traprock ridges, historic village facilities, farmlands, unfragmented forests, quiet streams, steep river valleys, and waterfalls,” none of which require a reservation in the national park, then maybe the sights will just do the trick.

On the Massachusetts portion of the New England Scenic Path, there are two sights for hikers to discover. They embody:

• Mount Tom: From the highest of Mount Tom, the views of Pioneer Valley are nothing in need of spectacular. On the highest peak of the Metacomet Ridge, there are additionally remnants of an outdated summit home to be explored.
• Wendell State Forest: The climbing by Wendell State Forest, round Ruggles pond, and surveying the world from vistas above makes for among the most stunning surroundings hikers can ask for. Nonetheless, the lodging on the forest are top-notch for individuals who are doing longer hikes and even climbing the path in its entirety. With a lean-to, fireplace pit, and water, the world makes for an ideal relaxation cease, no matter how a lot climbing is being accomplished.

For many who are climbing the path from Massachusetts to Connecticut, there are extra sights to be seen on the New England Scenic Path. Sights in Connecticut embody:

• Castle Craig Tower: In-built 1900, from this tower, it’s potential to see Lengthy Island Sound on a transparent day.
• Rattlesnake Mountain Cliffs: Not solely is that this a well-liked vacation spot for mountain climbing, there are caves to discover inside Rattlesnake Mountain itself, together with Will Warren’s Den.
• Bartlett Tower Ruins: Constructed within the 1800s, the Bartlett Tower Ruins had been as soon as a spot for the rich within the space. At present, nice views within the space will be seen from it.

With a lot to see on the New England Scenic Path, it’s clear why it was given the designation of a nationwide park. Simply why it took so lengthy is a thriller.