View source for Wapack Trail

{{Short description|Hiking trail in New Hampshire}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox hiking trail
 |name= Wapack Trail 
 |photo= Pack Monadnock New Hampshire.jpg
|photo_size= 200px
 |caption= View from Pack Monadnock on Wapack Trail
 |location= [[Worcester County, Massachusetts]] and [[Hillsborough County, New Hampshire]], [[United States|U.S.]]
 |designation= 
 |length_mi=21
 |use= hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, other 
 |elev_change=
 |highest_name= [[Pack Monadnock]]
 |highest_ft=2288 
 |lowest_name= Spofford Gap 
 |lowest_ft=1226 
 |difficulty= easy, with moderately difficult sections
 |season= easiest mid-spring to mid-fall
 |months=
 |sights= 
 |hazards= [[Ixodes scapularis|deer ticks]], weather, [[poison ivy]]
 |map= {{Maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|type=line}}
}}

The '''Wapack Trail''' is one of the oldest public, interstate hiking trails in the United States. Opened in 1923,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://monadnockcenter.org/on-the-history-trail-friends-of-the-wapack-trail-celebrate-90-years-21-mile-path-from-ashburnham-to-greenfield-lined-with-old-stories-and-majestic-views/|title=Monadnock Center, May 29, 2013 "Friends of the Wapack Trail celebrate 90 years"|publisher=}}</ref> it follows the [[Wapack Range]] north-south for {{convert|21|mi}}, between [[Mount Watatic]] in [[Ashburnham, Massachusetts]], and [[North Pack Monadnock]] mountain in [[Greenfield, New Hampshire|Greenfield]], [[New Hampshire]]. It is designed primarily for day use by hikers, with minimal camping facilities.

The trail passes through the Massachusetts towns of [[Ashburnham, Massachusetts|Ashburnham]] and [[Ashby, Massachusetts|Ashby]], and the New Hampshire towns of [[New Ipswich, New Hampshire|New Ipswich]], [[Temple, New Hampshire|Temple]], [[Sharon, New Hampshire|Sharon]], [[Peterborough, New Hampshire|Peterborough]], and Greenfield. It also goes over [[Temple Mountain (New Hampshire)|Temple Mountain]], and through [[Miller State Park]], Binney Hill Wilderness Preserve, and the [[Wapack National Wildlife Refuge]], as well as numerous privately owned parcels of land. In New Ipswich it skirts Windblown Cross-Country Ski Area, which operated for four decades until closing in 2020.<ref>{{Cite news| url=https://www.ledgertranscript.com/New-Ipswich-cross-country-ski-area-to-close-after-this-season-32897053| last1=Saari| first1=Ashley| work=Monadnock Ledger-Transcript| title=New Ipswich cross-country ski area to close| date=February 24, 2020| access-date=February 27, 2020}}</ref>

The trail is overseen by Friends of the Wapack, a non-profit group.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wapack.org/|title=Friends of The Wapack – Once it's gone, it's gone forever.|website=www.wapack.org}}</ref> Aside from upgrading and maintaining the trail, the group is trying to have the entire length preserved from development.

The southern part of the Wapack Trail overlaps with the northern part of the [[Midstate Trail (Massachusetts)|Midstate Trail]].
[[Image:FriendsOfWapackPatch1.jpg|left|thumb|Friends of the Wapack patch]]

== History ==
The trail was born in a conversation in the summer of 1922 at the Shattuck Inn in [[Jaffrey, New Hampshire]] between [[Allen Chamberlain]], formerly president of the [[Appalachian Mountain Club]], and Jaffrey farmer Albert Annett while overlooking the [[Wapack Range]], then known as the Boundary Mountains. The two talked about the possibility of a skyline trail along the ridge of the Boundary Mountains from Mt. Watatic to North Pack Monadnock. Later, Albert brought the idea to fellow farmers Frank Robbins and Marion Buck of [[Rindge, New Hampshire]]. The three started cutting the trail near the end of the summer using hand tools. The trail was opened in 1923. Buck named it by joining the ''Wa'' from Mt. Watatic and ''Pack'' from North Pack Monadnock, and soon the Boundary Mountains became known as the Wapack Range.

== Trail running races ==

There are two running races along the trail. A race in May<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wapacktrailrace.com/|title=Wapack and Back|website=www.wapacktrailrace.com}}</ref> was started in 2007 by Bogie Dumitrescu. It is {{convert|21.5|mi}} and goes the whole length of the trail beginning at the northern terminus. A longer {{convert|50|mi|adj=on}} out-and-back [[ultramarathon]] version starts at the southern terminus and runs all the way to the northern terminus and back. An out and back segment to Binney Pond is added to bring the distance to 50 miles. Slower runners are stopped after {{convert|43|mi}}.

On [[Labor Day]] in early September, a {{convert|18|mi|adj=on}} race<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wapack.freeservers.com/|title=Wapack Trail Race|website=wapack.freeservers.com}}</ref> coordinated by Paul Funch covers the southern part of the trail. It starts at the Windblown cross-country ski area<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.windblownxc.com/|title=Welcome - Windblown Cross Country Skiing and Snowshoeing Area, New Ipswich, New Hampshire|website=www.windblownxc.com}}</ref> and proceeds to [[Mount Watatic]] and back.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Coord|42|48|54|N|71|53|30|W|type:mountain|display=title}}

{{Massachusetts hiking trails}}
{{New Hampshire hiking trails}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Hiking trails in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Hiking trails in New Hampshire]]
[[Category:Sports in Middlesex County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Middlesex County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Middlesex County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire]]