The 13 best hikes in New England

Hundreds of miles of trails lace through New England’s forests, up the spines of its mountains and along its shorelines. You can set your sights on an epic traverse – like the Appalachian Trail or Vermont’s Long Trail – or pack in a few day hikes amid other adventures. Nature is ever at hand in this region of the US: New England is home to scores of state parks, forest preserves and Acadia National Park.

Many trails are well marked, but hikers should take steps to stay safe when venturing into the great outdoors. No matter where you’re heading or in which season, it’s sensible to travel with a good map (not just your cell phone), along with drinking water and enough food to fuel your hike, rain gear (the weather in New England is highly variable), layers for drops in temperatures, and decent walking shoes. 

Black bear sightings are possible, although attacks are rare. Make sure you know what to do if you cross paths with a bear. More dangerous are ticks, which can carry diseases. Inspect yourself and your travel companions carefully after your hike.

Once you’re prepared and ready to go, dive into these best New England hikes. 

1. Mount Greylock (Jones Nose Trail)

Best hike for sweeping views

8.5 miles roundtrip, 8 hours, strenuous

The queen of the Berkshires, Mt Greylock (3491ft) towers over the western end of Massachusetts, offering an impressive panorama across five states, with views of the Taconic, Housatonic and Catskill ranges. Hardwood and boreal forests blanket this beauty, with some 70 miles of hiking and biking opportunities (including a 11.5-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail). 

The Jones Nose Trail trailhead is on Rockwell Road. Stop at the visitor center to pick up trail maps and other necessary info. Along the way, Jones Nose Trail hooks up with the Appalachian Trail, crossing Saddle Ball Mountain (3247ft) before reaching the summit of Mt Greylock.

2. Great Island Trail

Best hike to combine beach and forest 

8.3 miles roundtrip, 3-4 hours, moderate

The Great Island Trail in Massachusetts passes a beach littered with colorful shells and seaglass, looping back through pine forest. Consider how much beachcombing and wildlife watching you plan to do when budgeting time. To ensure you don’t get stranded, head out shortly after high tide begins receding (wet, packed sand also makes walking easier). At the tip of the secluded island, you’re rewarded with a spectacular lookout at Jeremy Point, from which Brewster and Provincetown are visible on clear days. Unfortunately, beached whales (as well as a resident seal colony) are sometimes spotted here.

Planning tip: Pack lots of water and bug repellent, and be prepared to use nature’s toilet.

3. Cadillac North Ridge Trail

Best hike for a sunrise 

4.9 miles (including Summit Loop) roundtrip, 5 hours, moderate

Cadillac Mountain is Acadia National Park’s crown jewel. The summit is touted as the first place in the USA to see the sunrise each day, so expect company if a summit at sunrise is your goal. The trailhead is located about 3 miles southwest of central Bar Harbor (and about 3.5 miles south of Hulls Cove Visitor Center). From the trailhead it’s a moderate 2.2-mile (one-way) climb to the summit, with fine views of Eagle Lake off to the west on the way up. For panoramic views of Frenchman Bay, walk the paved 0.5-mile Cadillac Mountain Summit Loop.

Planning tip: If this sounds too strenuous, it is possible to reach the summit of Cadillac Mountain by car. Book ahead if you decide to drive; you’ll need to make vehicle reservations at recreation.gov. 

4. West River Trail

Best hike for a waterfall 

7 miles roundtrip, 2-3 hours, easy

Jamaica State Park in Vermont is home to the West River Trail, which follows a historic railroad bed to a side trail to Hamilton Falls, a dramatic 125ft waterfall with a natural pool at its base and river-sculpted rocky outcrops up top. Heed the signs, and don’t get too close to the edge.

Planning tip: If you have the time, make it an overnight and snag one of the seven prime lean-tos along the West River, or choose from four dozen other sites on the forested hillside above.

5. Tuckerman Ravine Trail (Mount Washington)

Best hike for summiting New England’s highest peak 

8.4 miles roundtrip, 8.5 hours, extremely strenuous

The exhilarating hike to Mt Washington’s summit is one for the bucket list (although perhaps it’s best not to attempt this without some previous mountain hiking experience). At 4.2 miles one way, the Tuckerman Ravine Trail is the shortest option to Mt Washington’s summit. Don’t let the low mileage fool you, this is a steep and rocky climb that can switch from fun to pretty dangerous very quickly due to rapid changes in the weather, particularly when you get above the tree line. 

The trail begins at Pinkham Notch Visitor Center, then climbs through the White Mountain National Forest beside the pretty Cutler River, crossing it twice. At 2.5 miles, you’ll reach the Hermit Lake shelters, a good place to take a breather and fuel up before your ascent. A gorgeous view of the ravine’s headwall, soaring skyward behind tiny Hermit Lake, awaits on the trail just ahead. The ravine is a glacier-carved formation known as a cirque. Its enormity hits home as you climb the steep steps and the view expands. Take a moment every now and then to catch your breath and admire nature at its most majestic.

In midsummer, wildflowers bloom near the streams tumbling down Mt Washington’s slope. Atop the headwall, a cairn-dotted alpine plain unfurls before you. Turn right at Tuckerman Junction for the final half-mile scramble up the enormous boulder field blanketing the summit. From the Mt Washington State Park observation deck atop the mountain, views can stretch 130 miles on a clear day. 

Planning tip: If you attempt to hike to the summit, pack warm, windproof clothes, even in summer. Always consult with Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) hut personnel about current conditions and turn back if the weather changes for the worse. 

6. Sconset Bluff Walk

Best for hiking with pets

2-3 miles roundtrip, 2 hours, easy

Tiny Siasconset (affectionately called ‘Sconset), near Nantucket Town, consists of just a handful of quaint shops. From here, the Bluff Walk’s narrow dirt path meanders along the edge of mighty bluffs – with ferocious Atlantic waves crashing 90ft below – dissecting backyards and gardens of multi-million-dollar estates. 

The trail’s about a mile long each way, culminating on Baxter Rd. Although the trail once reached Sankaty Head Lighthouse, erosion necessitated an earlier ending. It is worth the extra half-mile hike north along Baxter (turn right from the path) to admire this 1850-era, photogenic lighthouse. Finding where the trail starts can be a challenge, but it’s worth the effort: head to 21 Front St, turn right, then make a quick left. Signs lead from there. It’s open from 7:30am to dusk.

Planning tip: The lighthouse is open for free tours; hours and dates vary, but it’s typically open from dawn to dusk.

7. Hoosac Range Trail

Best hike at sunset

1.6 mile loop, 1 hour, easy

The Western Summit of the Mohican-Mohawk trail is the trailhead for the Hoosac Range Trail. An easy loop leads to Sunset Rock, an overlook with views of North Adams and the northwestern hills. Sunset Rock is indeed a perfect destination for a sunset hike, as the name suggests. If you’re feeling ambitious, the same trail continues to Spruce Hill (6.2 miles out and back), where hikers are rewarded with open ledges and long views to the south. 

Planning tip: Near the trailhead, the Wigwam Western Summit is a great place to start (or end) your hike, especially in the morning. On offer are hot coffee, satisfying breakfast sandwiches, and other hearty fare, along with the wonderful panoramic views.

8. Hanging Rock (Norman Bird Sanctuary)

Best for bird-watching

2 miles roundtrip, 1 hour, easy

Norman Bird Sanctuary is 300 acres of diverse habitat where conservation efforts include the restoration of grasslands and the annual installation of 300 nest boxes for tree swallows and Eastern bluebirds. Non-native plants have been removed and replaced by native fruit-bearing shrubs to support the New England cottontail, a threatened species of rabbit that’s been reintroduced to Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine in recent years. Visitors to Norman Bird Sanctuary can enjoy the quiet, wooded property on a 1-mile hike to Hanging Rock for ocean views, or bring binoculars for bird-watching from the cliffs of Nelson Pond Trail.

Planning tip: The sanctuary hosts regular activities to facilitate education and connection to the area, from outdoor yoga classes to free nature walks. Check their calendar for upcoming programs before you visit.

9. Cliff Walk (Rhode Island)

Best hike to combine nature and architecture

3.5 miles one way, 2-3 hours, easy to moderate

You’re never far from the ocean in Rhode Island, but the Cliff Walk is one of the loveliest ways to be right next to it, enjoying the caw of gulls and the crash of waves on rocks. Start your walk at one of seven entrances, depending on how much of the 3.5-mile path you want to cover. Along the way, you’ll enjoy the ocean to one side and views of the iconic Newport mansions to the other. This National Recreation Trail in a National Historic District is a unique tour of both wildlife and architecture. Springtime walks, although possibly cold, are especially beautiful with wildflowers in bloom. 

Planning tip: The northern portion of the walk is very easy with flat, level trails. The southern portion becomes rocky and you’ll want steady shoes to traverse the sometimes slippery surfaces.

10. Riverfront Recapture Loop

Best for hiking with kids

5 mile loop, 2 hours, easy

Riverfront Recapture, founded in 1981, is a nonprofit managing four parks with river views on Hartford’s riverfront. The standout of these is Mortensen Riverfront Plaza, an event space with a tiered lawn overlooking a stage on the water. Just north of the plaza is the Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk, with 16 sculptures dedicated to the legacy of President Abraham Lincoln, plus many additional sculptures from a variety of artists in a wide range of styles. 

Continuing north, you’ll find Riverside Park, a Victorian-era green space where you can walk along miles of unpaved trails through woods and along the water, picnic using the park’s charcoal grills or start a game of volleyball on the sand courts. The final park on the loop is Great River Park in East Hartford, with sweeping river views.

Planning tip: Budget for an extra hour or two to lounge at Mortensen Riverfront Plaza, explore the sculpture park, wander the trails at Riverside and admire the views in Great River Park. If you bring kids along, you can stop at the playground in Charter Oak Landing.

11. Mount Mansfield (Sunset Ridge Trail)

Best for spectacular non-stop views

3.3 miles roundtrip, 5-6 hours, strenuous

In Underhill State Park, scramble up rocky shelves and traverse alpine tundra for dazzling views from Vermont’s highest mountain top. Start your hike with a gentle 1-mile climb on the CCC Road, then bear left into the forest, cross several bridges and begin climbing in earnest on the Sunset Ridge Trail. Partway up the mountain, a worthwhile detour leads to Cantilever Rock, where you can pause for a snack on massive stone slabs. 

Back on the main trail, you’ll soon emerge above the treeline. The summit looks deceptively close, but you’ve still got a solid hour of steady climbing; no worries, the jaw-dropping vistas offer ample compensation. You’ll know you’re getting close when you reach junctions with the Laura Cowles and Long trails and begin crossing boardwalks through the tundra. From here, it’s a short scramble to reach the 360-degree panoramas up top.

12. Stowe Pinnacle

Best for views of the Green Mountains

2.8 miles roundtrip, 3 hours, moderate

For breathtaking, far-reaching views of the Green Mountains, head into the hills just southeast of Stowe and embark on this hike to the rocky outcrop called Stowe Pinnacle (2651ft). Starting in open meadowland, the trail eventually enters the forest and begins climbing steeply before leveling off at the final viewpoint. Follow Route 100 south of Stowe, then turn east via Gold Brook Rd and Upper Hollow Rd to reach the small parking area at the trailhead.

13. Precipice Trail (Champlain Mountain)

Best for a unique hike

3.2 miles, 3-4 hours, very strenuous

A tough, much-loved hike in the park, the Precipice Trail feels a bit like a mini via ferrata, with its iron rungs hammered into the cliff face. Not recommended for anyone afraid of heights (nor for inexperienced hikers), this scenic ascent up Champlain Mountain takes you along narrow ledges, up granite stairs and straight up cliff faces. The trail is often closed from April to August to protect peregrine falcon nesting sites. 

Planning tip: If you’re visiting when the trail is closed and still want the cliff-dangling excitement, take the Beehive Loop, which has similar ladder-climbing features.