Great hiking trails, moderately challenging, with exhilarating views at the summits. We did just a…read moreshort hike, going up to Bare Mountain from the Notch, and it was a fun ascent with marvelous views of the countryside, farms, and other hills. The visitor center at the Notch is terrific, with friendly and knowledgeable staff, useful interpretive displays and maps, and clean restrooms. A great place to rest up and refresh after a hike. Just terrific and we plan to return in the fall to see the autumn colors!

Talk about a "Top Notch" place to go hiking!! Complete with a visitor center and everything. The…read moreonly thing I'll say is that I wish the trails would be better marked, but other then that it's a very nice place to stop and walk for a bit in the cool weather; very enjoyable.

I have a lot of experiences on this 78 (ish) mile trek. I've done it for leisure, done it for…read moretraining, helped others accomplish it...etc etc etc. I love hiking the east, but this is not at the top of my list. It was more of a Rhode Island resident bucket list. A good portion of the 'trail' is road (about 50% country roads). There is a great book to assist and give insightful info. However, unless you have a friend or library to lend it to you it's about 100$ lol At any rate, it is a fine walkabout to go from one point in RI to the next. My personal recommendation is to hike it North to South and dive in the ocean. Especially if you do it in the winter. Pure exhilaration! Happy trails and don't forget to sign the books at each end!

Rhode Island's North-South Trail (NST) is a 78-mile network of trails, roads, and dirt paths upon…read morewhich one can hike from the RI/MA border in Burrillville to the waves of the Atlantic Ocean in Charlestown. If you have the time and ability, this is a FANTASTIC way to explore the beauty our state has to offer. Through-hike it or break it into smaller segments over a series of trips... this is a trek that can be enjoyed by hikers with all levels of experience. In the 1990s, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and the US National Park Service teamed up to make this trail a reality. I chose to traverse it from north to south so that I could end at Blue Shutters Beach and dip my feet in the ocean. This path meanders through lush forests and historic farmlands, past miles of stone walls and blue blazes, over boulder fields and numerous rivers, and offers a chance at connecting with a variety of wildlife including deer, turkeys, birds, cows, and so much more. This is a glimpse into not only what Rhode Island is today but what it once was. Old foundations, cemeteries, mill sites, barns and farm equipment pop up throughout. "The North South Trail" by Cliff Vanover is a fantastic resource if you are planning this hike. It is out of print but several of the RI Libraries have copies you can access. I completed the trail over 6 days and recruited friends and family to assist with car spots. It is possible to complete the trail in one go over shorter or longer periods of time. There are plentiful nearby campgrounds as staying on trail is not allowed. It is difficult to sum up my entire experience on-trail; I encourage you to immerse yourself in the outdoors and check out this path less travelled. It is well-maintained, easy to follow, and was absolutely beautiful this October with its abundant foliage. The sand dunes, sea grass, and blue crashing waves at the finality of my trek was a sight to be seen. Try it from south to north and hook up with the Midstate Trail in MA for a route all the way to NH!

Grand Trunk Trail is part of the Titanic Rail Trail and is approximately 9.7 miles from start to…read morefinish. The parking lot alogside Rt.20 is fairly large so you should always find adequate parking. This is a very beautifully well maintained manicured trail great for day hikes.

We love the trail. Wide, flat and beautiful nature everywhere. I wish dog walkers and horseback…read moreriders would pick up after their animals but the trail itself is great.

Loved this trail- a perfect mix of up and down! At the end…read moreof the trail is the park- get a drink of water there, then turn around to walk back- several views worth seeing- watched the birds and enjoyed the nature!

Goat Rock is a fairly short climb but it is a steep one and you need to be extremely careful as a…read moreslip on this slope could be a big problem. As you ascend, there are a number of switch backs which aid in the steep ascent, you should be in fairly good shape before you attempt this particular climb. Once at the top, there is a beautiful view of the pioneer valley and the towns of Hampden, East Longmeadow, Longmeadow ,Springfield and parts of CT. The best time of the year to climb the mountain is in the Fall when the foliage is at its peak, it can breathe taking in its beauty.

Cool area with lots to see. There's some water and trails and further down there are grounds to an…read moreold prison. What remains is filled with graffiti

Checked the website and there were no alerts so I drove a half hour here only to find out they…read moreclosed the beach due to e coli, then drove home having wasted an hour and gas.

A beautifully kept park along the ware river! There's porta-potty's all around the park! Dogs are…read morewelcome just keep them leashed and pick up after them!!! No excuse don't ruin it for others! The road is paved. The playground is absolutely amazing!!! Brand new and safe!!! There's handicap swings as well!!! Having a medically complex child we LOVE this!!! Great place to walk with the kids and the dogs!! Highly recommend to check it out

Wow, what a beautiful park with plenty to do for families, children, walkers, runners, hikers,…read morefishermen/women; there are tennis courts, baseball diamonds, jungle gyms, a boat launch as well as numerous picnic areas with tables and seating. Wonderful wooded trails along the Ware River as well as paved roads that run through entire park. Multiple parking areas and Port-a-Pottys are strategically located throughout the entire area. This place rocks!!!

At the suggestion of a docent at the Notch visitor center, we drove up to the Mt. Holyoke Summit…read moreHouse (as we were too pooped and time-pressed to make the 4.5 mile hike on the Metacom trail and ascent). Although the drive up can be a little tight and curvy with hairpin curves and steep drop offs, once at the summit, it was gorgeous. Spectacular views of the Connecticut River and wonderful nooks and crannies and glades among the boulders and trees for tranquil picnics and just plain gazing. The Summit House itself was still closed for the season, but its veranda was open for viewing the scenery and had some useful maps pointing out geographical highlights (also convenient: its restrooms were open, so nice to be able to refresh oneself). There's also a somber memorial dedicated to a WW2 flight crew that lost their lives on the mountain top. Simply beautiful! I would suggest going midweek to avoid the crowds if possible as the roadway is quite narrow and parking could be limited.

I love to hike, and the idea of urban hiking really appealed to me. I think Worcester is one of…read morethe only cities where a hike through the center of town leads to a really rewarding pay-off in terms of the view. I have this feeling, though, that I am one of the only people who uses this trail for its intended purpose. It's incredibly hard to find the entrance. I parked on Shrewsbury St. then walked along the forest line until I found the hidden entrance. It was a really steep initial ascent. In fact, I fell on the way down and almost sliced my hand open on a broken beer bottle. As a mental health professional, I am aware of the surprisingly large percentage of city residents who camp in the woods around town, and I saw at least three of their encampments. There was a 5 minute stretch where I walked along Bell Pond, surrounded my loud teenagers, laughing kids and smoking adults. I like the solitude of hiking, but again, this is urban hiking! The trail is not really well marked. There were several times when I stood at one marker and could not see the next. I would walk a bit, then back-track until I found the trail. I finally made it to the quarry and got my view. All in all, I did 2 miles in about an hour. I probably won't do that stretch again, but I'm looking forward to parking somewhere on the other end of the trail and hiking the rest of it.