Mt. Watatic

[sierra]

In my effort to take an occasional break from the current conditions up North, I once again ventured into Massachusetts. I did Mt. Watatic and I have to say, not a bad summit, but the trails are eroded and beat to Hell. You can tell it's a tourist mountain, the walk arounds avoiding the mud are more substantial than the actual trail, it's in such bad shape, I didn't feel bad using them. It was a quick 90 minute hike and it gave me the idea to do the entire Wapack trail in the next few weeks in sections. I saw the end-to-end patch and now I can't resist. Conditions up north are improving fast, so it's time to get back to our listing. We have some great peaks coming up. RL, The Horn, Percy's, Baldfaces, Stairs, just a bunch of gems.

 

[JoshandBaron]

In my effort to take an occasional break from the current conditions up North, I once again ventured into Massachusetts. I did Mt. Watatic and I have to say, not a bad summit, but the trails are eroded and beat to Hell. You can tell it's a tourist mountain, the walk arounds avoiding the mud are more substantial than the actual trail, it's in such bad shape, I didn't feel bad using them. It was a quick 90 minute hike and it gave me the idea to do the entire Wapack trail in the next few weeks in sections. I saw the end-to-end patch and now I can't resist. Conditions up north are improving fast, so it's time to get back to our listing. We have some great peaks coming up. RL, The Horn, Percy's, Baldfaces, Stairs, just a bunch of gems.

Love the Wapack. The trail between Watatic and North Pack is not anything close to the Watatic approach as far as people and trail conditions go. Don't skip the side quests to Kidder or the Cliff Trail on North Pack.

 

[NHChris]

The Wapack is worth the trip. But tuff to solo with that car spot!

If you do it in the next few weeks before leaf out, bring sunscreen. I got fried in May on that walk!

 

[DayTrip]

The Wapack is worth the trip. But tuff to solo with that car spot!

Indeed. I am a predominantly solo hiker like you Sierra so I had to do it in sections. There are some crappy road walk type doldrums in some of the valleys but most of the ridges on the Wapack Trail are very nice. I also discovered this area in the Spring waiting for the rotten snow to disappear in the Whites.

 

[sierra]

Indeed. I am a predominantly solo hiker like you Sierra so I had to do it in sections. There are some crappy road walk type doldrums in some of the valleys but most of the ridges on the Wapack Trail are very nice. I also discovered this area in the Spring waiting for the rotten snow to disappear in the Whites.

I have someone to joining me, so we plan on car spotting to do a proper section hike. My only question and it may be over thinking on my part is this. The first section clocks in at about 9.1 miles, just based on the highway locations. I'm assuming this is a fairly doable 9.1 miles?

 

[DayTrip]

it may be over thinking on my part

Overthinking?!?!? Welcome to the club!

You will have no issues with any of the 22 miles of the Wapack Trail with the volume of hiking you do. I can't vouch for your friend but you'll be fine. There is some climbing here and there and some spots are rougher than others but overall it is much easier than anything you do in the Whites. It can get pretty soggy in spots. I'm sure you could do the entire thing in one day if you wanted to. Our old VFTT pal Tim and many others had done that. I think his trip report on here is what made me aware of/interested in the trail. I've done the whole thing in out and backs except for a small section off Rte 124 near the cross country ski area because of parking challenges. At the time, I was doing these as tune up hikes at the beginning of the year when I was not at all in good shape and I had no issues.

If you don't already have it the Friends Of The Wapack society puts out an excellent map of the trail. It was recommended on here so I bought it.

 

[sierra]

Overthinking?!?!? Welcome to the club!

You will have no issues with any of the 22 miles of the Wapack Trail with the volume of hiking you do. I can't vouch for your friend but you'll be fine. There is some climbing here and there and some spots are rougher than others but overall it is much easier than anything you do in the Whites. It can get pretty soggy in spots. I'm sure you could do the entire thing in one day if you wanted to. Our old VFTT pal Tim and many others had done that. I think his trip report on here is what made me aware of/interested in the trail. I've done the whole thing in out and backs except for a small section off Rte 124 near the cross country ski area because of parking challenges. At the time, I was doing these as tune up hikes at the beginning of the year when I was not at all in good shape and I had no issues.

If you don't already have it the Friends Of The Wapack society puts out an excellent map of the trail. It was recommended on here so I bought it.

Thanks Daytrip, I did order the map, I always have a map of where I am. I have talked to Tim and he has shared some of his data on the trail. I plan on doing the trail during one of my vacations just to mix up my Northern hikes a bit. Appreciate the helpful beta.

 

[Willoughby]

I hiked Mt Watatic yesterday. It had been some years - the trail to the summit seemed much the same, and busy for a Friday mid-day. There's new boardwalk at the usually-wet low point near the parking lot. But continuing on the loop to Nutting Hill I saw more people than I have ever seen, easily a dozen. Then, apparently, they all took the left back to the parking lot (technically the Mid-state Connector Trail, I think) and the rest of the trail up to the NH border was its usual quiet, lightly-used self.

If you get out this way don't miss the Borden Memorial, and then the state line marker at the end of the mid-state trail. They're off the Wapack, along the stone wall that marks the border (I think this is also the Mid-state Connector Trail.) Then I came back to the parking lot along the Mid-state trail.

One other change: EVERY trail junction has a separate sign that points to "PARKING LOT". Not that there weren't already signs saying where MA 119 is, but maybe the visitors now don't know what trail they're on or where they parked.