The Wapack Trail runs about 21 miles across the Wapack Range in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, over a string of small summits. It is free and walk-up with no permit; this page gives sourced trip info.
“A 21.5-mile ridge walk across the Wapack Range in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.”
Plan your Wapack Trail trip here, then get your permit from the agency.
Walk-up permit
How to get Wapack Trail
No permit is needed to hike the Wapack Trail. It is maintained by the nonprofit Friends of the Wapack as a free, walk-up day-use trail with no reservation system or booking page for our scanner to poll.
More about Wapack TrailPlanning another trip? See the permits we alert on.
Wapack Trail permit season
- route distance, point to point
- 21.5mi
Wapack Trail elevation profile
Mount Watatic (south terminus) to North Pack Monadnock (north terminus)
Mount Watatic (south terminus)
- Mile
- ≈0
- Elevation
- ≈1,835 ft
Wapack Trail landmarks
How to get a Wapack Trail permit
As of September 2026, Wapack Trail in Wapack Trail, New Hampshire requires a permit issued via walk-up. Wapack Trail rates 3/10 on PermitSnag's demand index. The Wapack Trail route covers 21.5 miles.
- Type
- Backpacking
- Location
- Wapack Range, on the Massachusetts/New Hampshire border, NH
How this permit is issued
Step 1: How this permit is issued
No permit is needed to hike the Wapack Trail. It is maintained by the nonprofit Friends of the Wapack as a free, walk-up day-use trail with no reservation system or booking page for our scanner to poll.
Step 2: Check the agency page before you go
Fees, hours and closures change. Confirm the current process at the managing agency's website before your trip.
Step 3: Have backup plans
Office hours move, ground closes, and popular trailheads get busy. Know an alternative route or date before you drive out.
More on Wapack Trail: Live availability activityWapack Trail permit itinerary
How much a Wapack Trail permit costs
Wapack Trail permit fee: Free to hike.
The Wapack Trail hike
- Distance
- 21.5 miles
- Route Type
- Point to Point
- Duration
- typically 2 days end-to-end, or day-hiked in sections
- High Point
- 2,300 ft
A 21.5-mile ridge walk across the Wapack Range in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
About this permit
The Wapack Trail crosses the Wapack Range between Mount Watatic in Massachusetts and North Pack Monadnock in New Hampshire, over a string of small summits including Pack Monadnock, home to Miller State Park's summit auto road. It is free and walk-up with no permit.
The route
From Mount Watatic, the trail climbs Nutting Hill, Emerson Hill, and Binney Pond, then New Ipswich Mountain, Kidder Mountain, and Barrett Mountain, passing the Windblown Cross-Country Ski Area near the midpoint, then Conant Hill, Roger Myrick Outlook, Burton Peak, and Holt Peak, then Temple Mountain and Pack Monadnock, before reaching North Pack Monadnock.
The feeling
The trail links a string of small summits, from Mount Watatic in Massachusetts to North Pack Monadnock in New Hampshire, passing Pack Monadnock and Miller State Park's summit auto road along the way.
How hard the Wapack Trail hike is
- Physical DemandFitness and endurance required5/5
- Technical SkillClimbing, scrambling, or specialized skills1/5
- NavigationRoute finding and trail clarity1/5
- CommitmentDifficulty of bailing out mid-route3/5
Best for: Experienced hikers with excellent fitness and relevant technical skills.
Recommended experience: Should have completed 10+ mile day hikes with significant elevation gain.
When to hike Wapack Trail
Weather Forecast
Trailhead (5,000 ft)
Backcountry Tips
- Today: Wind gusts to 42mph. Secure tent, avoid exposed ridges.
- Today: 81% chance of precipitation. Pack rain gear.
- Tomorrow: 92% chance of precipitation. Pack rain gear.
Today
51°
49°
81%
Mon
50°
45°
92%
Tue
54°
46°
79%
Wed
65°
50°
Thu
72°
51°
Fri
69°
44°
Sat
53°
36°
Wapack Trail photography guide
Classic Shots
- Pack Monadnock summit
Wapack Trail rules, gear and safety
Safety & planning
Emergency Info
Emergency contacts, ranger station locations, and satellite communicator tips for Wapack Trail.
Food Storage
Bear canister requirements, approved container lists, and rental locations for this permit.
Gear Checklist: Required and recommended gear for Wapack Trail · Shuttle Services: Trailhead transportation options · Guide Services: Experienced wilderness guides
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Wapack Trail FAQ
Do you need a permit to hike the Wapack Trail?
No permit is needed to day-hike or through-hike the Wapack Trail. It is maintained by the nonprofit Friends of the Wapack primarily as a day-use trail.
Can you camp on the Wapack Trail?
Camping options are minimal -- the trail is designed mainly for day use, with the only designated overnight camping at two primitive shelters near the Windblown Cross-Country Ski Area, roughly the trail's midpoint.
How long is the Wapack Trail?
Friends of the Wapack, the trail's maintaining organization, describes it as a 21.5-mile hiking trail running north-south from Mt. Watatic in Ashburnham, Massachusetts, to North Pack Monadnock in Greenfield, New Hampshire.
How tall are the mountains on the Wapack Trail?
The trail's own overview describes it as running over a half-dozen small mountains, none taller than 2,300 feet.
Where does the Wapack Trail start and end?
The southern end is Mt. Watatic in Ashburnham, Massachusetts; the northern end is North Pack Monadnock in Greenfield, New Hampshire.
What states does the Wapack Trail cross?
It crosses the Massachusetts/New Hampshire border, running through Worcester County, Massachusetts, and Hillsborough County, New Hampshire.
Wapack Trail trail conditions and trip reports
Trail Conditions
No active conditions reported
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Questions
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Trip Reports
Write ReportAlternatives to a Wapack Trail permit
Where to stay near Wapack Trail
- Edward MacDowell Lake Day Use Facilities campgroundEdward MacDowell Lake
- Willard Brook State Forest campgroundMassachusetts
- Pearl Hill State Park campgroundMassachusetts
- All New Hampshire campgrounds
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