NET Thru-Hike itinerary
Every mile marker on the NET Thru-Hike route, in order, with the distance and elevation change between each one, and which permit each stretch needs. To set alerts for your dates, go to the New England Trail Thru-Hike permit page.
Which permit covers this route
The NET Thru-Hike. One reservation is a trailhead or zone plus an entry date; you roam after that, issued by walk-up.
The permit is issued for a named entry point. Chittenden Park (southern terminus) is the one on this list.
- Stops mapped
- 18
- Across the markers
- 235.0 mi
- Published route length
- 235 mi
- Ascent, at least
- 2,961 ft
How long it takes: 2-4 weeks for a continuous thru-hike; most people hike it in day-hike or weekend sections. That is the figure the permit publishes. This page does not divide the route into days, because no source records which stop you sleep at.
The stops below are the route's published mile markers, in order, with the elevations recorded against each one.
Distance and elevation change on each leg are the difference between the two published figures either side of it, so the legs are arithmetic on the markers and nothing more.
The NET Thru-Hike route, stop by stop
Mile 0.0
0 ft
Chittenden Park (southern terminus)
Entry point: the permit is issued for this trailhead
The official Southern Gateway of the New England Trail, at the Long Island Sound shoreline in Guilford, with a boardwalk and overlook platform.
38.0 miles · 143 ft up to Seven Falls, Middletown
Mile 38.0
143 ft
Seven Falls, Middletown
A cascading waterfall feature along the Connecticut portion of the NET, near Middletown.
19.2 miles · 257 ft up to Broomstick Ledges, Guilford
Mile 57.2
400 ft
Broomstick Ledges, Guilford
A traprock cliff feature on the Menunkatuck/Mattabesett stretch of the NET, named directly on the trail's own map and guide.
2.5 miles · 36 ft down to Bluff Head, Guilford
Mile 59.8
364 ft
Bluff Head, Guilford
A traprock overlook cliff along the Mattabesett Trail portion of the NET, a popular short hike destination.
12.8 miles · 209 ft up to Beseck Mountain, Middlefield
Mile 72.5
573 ft
Beseck Mountain, Middlefield
A traprock ridge summit on the Mattabesett Trail, named by CFPA as a landmark along the route.
4.2 miles · 319 ft up to Mount Higby, Middletown
Mile 76.7
892 ft
Mount Higby, Middletown
A traprock summit whose ridge offers views "that extend from Mount Tom in MA to Long Island Sound," with a natural bridge formation near the ridgeline.
6.6 miles · 204 ft down to Chauncey Peak, Meriden
Mile 83.3
688 ft
Chauncey Peak, Meriden
A 688-ft traprock peak in Giuffrida Park named on the Mattabesett Trail's CFPA description, near Lamentation Mountain.
2.6 miles · 7 ft up to Lamentation Mountain, Meriden
Mile 85.9
695 ft
Lamentation Mountain, Meriden
A traprock ridge landmark of the Mattabesett Trail.
10.6 miles · 250 ft up to Castle Craig, Hubbard Park (East Peak), Meriden
Mile 96.5
945 ft
Castle Craig, Hubbard Park (East Peak), Meriden
A historic stone lookout tower atop East Peak in Hubbard Park; "offers some of the finest views along the NET in Connecticut," with overlooks of Merimere Reservoir.
22.2 miles · 612 ft down to Hill-Stead Museum, Farmington
Mile 118.7
333 ft
Hill-Stead Museum, Farmington
A historic landmark the Metacomet Trail passes, named directly by CFPA's own trail description.
10.4 miles · 618 ft up to Heublein Tower, Talcott Mountain State Park, Simsbury
Mile 129.1
951 ft
Heublein Tower, Talcott Mountain State Park, Simsbury
A 165-ft tower on Talcott Mountain; "views from Talcott Mountain expand out over the beautiful Farmington River valley," a popular fall foliage stop on Section 17 of the NET.
8.0 miles · 761 ft down to Tariffville Gorge
Mile 137.1
190 ft
Tariffville Gorge
A landmark named on the Metacomet Trail's official CFPA description, along the Farmington River near Tariffville village.
12.0 miles · 80 ft up to Connecticut/Massachusetts state line, Southwick MA / Suffield CT (Rising Corners)
Mile 149.2
270 ft
Connecticut/Massachusetts state line, Southwick MA / Suffield CT (Rising Corners)
Where the Metacomet Trail crosses from Connecticut into Massachusetts at Rising Corners; the official border crossing sits on private property reachable only on foot.
3.8 miles · 376 ft up to Provin Mountain, Agawam/Southwick
Mile 152.9
646 ft
Provin Mountain, Agawam/Southwick
First Massachusetts ridge the trail climbs after crossing the state line, with multiple communication towers at its summit.
16.3 miles · 541 ft up to Mount Tom, Mount Tom State Reservation, Easthampton/Holyoke
Mile 169.2
1,187 ft
Mount Tom, Mount Tom State Reservation, Easthampton/Holyoke
A traprock ridge summit within Mount Tom State Reservation, a Massachusetts DCR property the NET crosses.
7.3 miles · 252 ft down to Mount Holyoke / Skinner State Park, Hadley
Mile 176.6
935 ft
Mount Holyoke / Skinner State Park, Hadley
Western anchor of the Holyoke Range, home to the historic Summit House; the NET's Section 7 covers the Mount Holyoke and Seven Sisters portion with 2,125 ft of gain over 5.5 miles.
5.2 miles · 161 ft up to Mount Norwottock, Holyoke Range State Park, Amherst
Mile 181.8
1,096 ft
Mount Norwottock, Holyoke Range State Park, Amherst
High point of the eastern Holyoke Range, on the NET route past the Horse Caves. Officially named "Mount Norwottock" (commonly written "Norwottuck").
53.2 miles · 140 ft down to Massachusetts/New Hampshire border, Royalston (northern terminus)
Mile 235.0
956 ft
Massachusetts/New Hampshire border, Royalston (northern terminus)
The NET's northern terminus; the historic Metacomet-Monadnock Trail continues beyond this point into New Hampshire as a separate, non-NET trail toward Mount Monadnock.
Getting a NET Thru-Hike for the dates you want
Planning the route is the easy half. NET Thru-Hike dates go fast, and the ones that come back are cancellations. They return to the booking system without warning and are gone again quickly. PermitSnag checks NET Thru-Hike around the clock and alerts you the moment a date opens.