Miriam 
Date completed:
5/3/2023
Miles: I hiked 100 miles on CT Sections 1-4, 6-10, parts of 13-14, 18-19.
Base: Waterford, CT
Describe the NET:
Trails tend to be well-blazed and have a lot of variety.
Trail Story:
I love to always try new trails so this challenge was great for me to explore new places, but also get ‘credit’ if I overlapped 🙂 I did push myself to go farther to complete some sections as out & backs.
Date completed:
8/6/2023
Base:
South Glasatonbury
Miles:
Starting at Section 6, in January, I hiked the entirety of the NET in MA – all but 4 sections, twice. I pre hiked each section and then lead a group of CT ADK hikers. We just completed Section 19 in August. We loved the trail and got to experience it in a variety of weather and seasons.
Trail Story:
I am a New England girl at heart. I love our area of the world and hiking the New England Trail in MA just reconfirmed my feelings. Experiencing the CT River, the Westfield River, and the MA Turnpike by hiking to/under them instead of driving by/over them offered a closer look at these resources. The ridge lines in southern MA offered beautiful views and excellent hiking. As I moved north, I hiked through areas of the state I never explored before. The trails felt remote and there were ample opportunities to appreciate the New England woodlands. Sharing this hike with fellow CT-ADK members made the trail that much better. Thanks to all the volunteers who keep these trails cleared and beautiful.
Date completed:
8/1/2023
Miles:
1 hiked 50+ miles along the Mt Tom Range, Holyoke Range, Mt Grace, Warwick State Forest, Royalston Falls in MA and the Hanging Hills in CT.
Base: Burlington, MA
Describe the NET:
There are lots of varied terrains from flat wooded walks to steep rocky climbs.
Trail Story:
I do lots of hiking in northern New England and was very excited to learn about the NET. The trails were well maintained with virtual no trash anywhere and the signage was great.
Advice for NET hikers:
Don’t waste time just thinking about exploring the NET…get out there and do it!
Date completed:
8/2/2023
Base:
East Hartford, CT
Trail Story:
These trails, especially the sections I repeated from the previous year, have become some of my favorite
Miles:
Hiked all of the Menunkatuck Trail, Metacomet Loop, all side trails associated with the Mattabesett and Metacomet trails, as well as repeated hiking of each of the aforementioned trails in the Hanging Hills/Lamentation Mountain/Chauncery Peak areas.
Date completed: 12/31/2022
Miles:
All 100 points reached through hiking NE trail, mostly sections MA 2-7, with some excursions into CT.
Base: South Hadley, MA
Advice for NET hikers:
Start off as small or as big as you like. There’s something for everybody, and I love it when people are surprised to learn that their favorite hiking spots are actually part of the trail.
Describe the NET:
The New England Trail is the definition of a hidden gem. It deserves our care, attention, and investment, and I am continuously hopeful and optimistic about its future.
Trail Story:
I moved back to Western MA a year ago–I grew up in Agawam, and spent the last ten years living in South Carolina–and the New England Trail has been a vital part of my life over the last year. I’d be lying if I said that my family’s choice to settle down in South Hadley was not motivated in large part by its proximity to the Mt. Tom and Mt. Holyoke ranges. I take every chance I get to revisit familiar paths, and discover new ones from time to time. The white and blue blazes have become old friends at this point. It’s good to be home!
Date completed: 12/30/2022
Miles:
Here’s my 2022 trail log:
1/15 – Section 5 – 7.3 miles
1/22 – Section 6 – 4.6 miles
2/12 – Section 7 – 2.6 miles
3/19 – Section 6-7 – 7.7 miles
4/3 – Section 8 – 5.0 miles
4/10 – Section 9 – 5.2 miles
4/16 – Section 9 – 9.5 miles
4/23 Section 4 – 10.6 miles
4/30 – Section 3 – 11 miles
5/22 – Section 3 – 6.5 miles
5/29 – Section 2 – 6.8 miles
6/20 – Section 1 – 8.6 miles
8/21 – Section 4 – 6.3 miles
9/11 – Section 4 – 6.4 miles
9/18 – Section 6 – 2.8 miles
10/29 – Section 9 – 6.8 miles
11/8 – Section 4 – 3.8 miles
12/10 – Section 9 – 6.0 miles
12/18 – Section 6 – 4.8 miles
12/26 – Section 5 – 5.7 miles
Total miles: 128 miles
Base: Madison, CT
What do you love about the NET?
The diversity of scenery
How would you describe the New England Trail to someone who has never hiked it?
Awesome when traversed in good weather. Still fun when the weather is not as good.
Date completed: 7/11/2022
Miles: 52.59 miles
East River Preserve – 6.03 miles, CT NET: Section 7 – 7.2 miles, CT NET: Section 8 – 8.1 miles, Mt. Higby – 4.52 miles, , Mt Norwottock – 4.25 miles, Rattlesnake Mtn/Pinnacle Rock – 4.91 miles, CT NET: Section 9 – 6 miles, CT NET: Section 1 – 6.58 miles, Erving Ledges/Hermit Mtn – 5 miles
Base: Somerset, MA
Describe the NET:
The New England Trail is a wonderful trail system that encompasses Connecticut, Massachusetts and part of New Hampshire. It takes you on a journey where you will see such amazing features as caves, glacial erratics, ledges, waterfalls, wildlife and different species of plants and trees. The best part is that you can do all or part of any trail and feel a deep sense of accomplishment.
What do you love about the NET?
What I love most is that you can do any number of hikes in both Connecticut and Massachusetts and they aren’t located in just one state. This allows you to visit new and exciting places that you never knew existed.
Advice for NET Hikers:
Set a destination, lace up your hiking boots, grab a walking stick, snacks and lots of water and head out the door to begin your adventure. It only takes a few steps into the fresh air to see all the wonders and beauty each trail has to offer. You will definitely be hooked!
Trail Story:
This was our first time participating in the Hike 50 Challenge and it was such an amazing journey. Each trail offered us the opportunity to take a step back in time to a simpler way of life and to be aware of the sights and sounds around us. We all need a bit of peace and tranquility in our lives and this challenge is a good way to achieve this. We truly enjoyed all the trails we hiked and our thanks go out to all who made this hiking challenge possible.
Date completed: 12/13/2022
Miles: 48 miles + 2 social media pts
3 miles – CT Sec. 20,
3 miles – CT Sec. 21,
42 miles Sections 1-6 MA
Base: Southwick, MA
What do you love about the NET?
A lot of ridge line hiking with some gorgeous views.
How would you describe the New England Trail to someone who has never hiked it?
Well kept and defined trails.
Advice for NET Hikers:
Read some reviews of the various sections on NET page or AllTrails to get an idea of what you’ll be hiking.
Trail Story:
70 yr young first time hiker! I was inspired to complete this challenge by a dear friend who loves hiking and the woods and is not deterred by her Stage IV, metastatic breast cancer.
Date completed: 12/31/2022
Miles: 109.8 miles
Base: Southington, CT
Describe the NET:
What do you love about the NET?
How close it is to home, easy to access and not overcrowded except the usual small hikes to the big views in nice weather…
How would you describe the New England Trail to someone who has never hiked it?
It’s a nice scenic trail especially considering a lot of the area it goes through and the population surrounding it. It’s also some good hiking for what you might expect to see in this area without too much elevation around.
Trail Story:
It’s become more of making sure I get enough NET miles and on time rather then surprising myself, as 100 isn’t too many for me for the year. The challenge is more getting the 100 in but keeping things fresh and repeating as little trail as possible. What meant a lot to me this year is the new reroute to the Westfield River and the fact that the trail is brought right to the river crossing like it should be and always was.
Date completed: 11/4/2022
Miles:
We hiked 50 miles on the NET in the areas between Meriden, CT and Shutesbury, MA
Base: Enfield, CT
What do you love about the NET?
I love that is offers so many different areas to go explore that are similar and different
Trail Story:
We moved to this area during the pandemic, so have been slower to really get to know it. This challenge was a great way to get out and explore local trails and an excellent motivator to find a new spot to explore each weekend.