Best Summer Backpacking Trips Near Boston
A backpacking trip near the Boston area offers a wide variety of diverse terrain and challenges. By driving a short distance from the city, there are many picturesque trails and sights to experience. As the trails lead through beautiful forests and meadows, there are cascading waterfalls and wildlife to witness and enjoy. Being in good physical condition is helpful for every backpacking trip, but there are easy, moderate and strenuous trails from which to choose.
Parker River Wild Refuge
6 Plum Island Turnpike
Newburyport, MA 01950
(978) 465-5753
www.fws.gov
A backpacking trip around Parker River Wild Refuge will take you on a journey through 4,700 acres of diverse surroundings including a beach with sandy dunes, cranberry bogs, a maritime forest and a freshwater marsh. The marsh represents 3,000 acres of the refuge and portrays an active ecosystem. In addition to the migratory bird population, there are also fish, reptiles and amphibians to watch along the way. Backpacking is the vehicle to carry the visitor to a world of wonderful experiences with surf fishing, photography opportunities and seasonal waterfowl and deer hunting at Parker River Wild Refuge. The refuge is located in Newburyport, about 45 minutes north of Boston.
Mount Greylock Reservation
30 Rockwell Road
Lanesborough, MA 01237
(413) 499-4262
www.mass.gov
Hike to the highest peak in Massachusetts (3,491 feet) when backpacking around Mount Greylock Reservation. Mount Greylock is in Lanesborough, about 2 1/2 hours west of Boston. This reservation holds 50 miles of hiking trails. Some backpackers choose to drive a portion of the way towards the summit and then backpack the remainder of the trail. There is a Veterans War Memorial Tower at the peak, which was dedicated in 1933 to those who served the country and overlooks the expansive and breath-taking scenic Berkshires.
North Adams, MA
(304) 535-6278
www.nps.gov
The Appalachian National Scenic Park spans 2,180 miles through 14 states, from Georgia to Maine, and is run by the National Park Service. There are 90 miles of trails through Massachusetts' Berkshire County. Backpackers can jump on the trail in North Adams, which is about 2 1/2 hours west of Boston. The Appalachian National Scenic Park in Massachusetts starts at Sages Ravine, which offers a spectacular view of cascading waterfalls. The backpacking trails on the climb through the Berkshires portion of the Appalachian National Scenic Park are physically challenging, so be prepared.
Ward Reservation
42, 34 Prospect Road
Andover, MA 01810
(978) 689-9105
www.thetrustees.org
The backpacking trail trough Ward Reservation links to three major hills: Shrub, Boston and Holt. The base of Holt Hill offers a boardwalk trail to Pine Hole Pond, where backpackers witness a collection of concentric rings of floating vegetation, including orchids and insect-eating plants. The "Solstice Stones," a collection of stones in the formation of the cardinal points of a compass, mark the grassy summit of Holt Hill, the highest point in Essex County. Ward Reservation, a short 30 minutes north of the city, has 10 miles of hiking trails that are rated as easy to moderate hiking experiences for backpackers.
Race Brook Falls
Route 41
Sheffield, MA 02158
(413) 528-0330
www.berkshirehiking.com
Race Brook Falls, about two hours west of Boston, is rated moderate to strenuous backpacking terrain. The backpacking experience is 6.1 miles along a majestic, tree-covered trail, through very diverse, natural surroundings, offer a spectacular view. A three-tiered waterfall cascades through a variety of terrains including rocks, wading pools and lush surroundings in the middle of a forest to offer a peaceful backpacking experience. If a climb to the top of Race Brook Falls does not satisfy a backpacker's dream, continuing on to the peak of Mt. Everett, which is a five to seven-hour round trip for most hikers, will certainly do the job.
