About
The 50 mile Wantastiquet-Monadnock Hiking Trail (WMT) can now be hiked over its whole length from Mt. Wantastiquet (across the river from Brattleboro) to Mt. Monadnock. Well-known public lands along the trail include the Wantastiquet, Bear Mt., Pisgah and Monadnock State Parks, the Horatio Colony Preserve, the Cheshire Rail Trail, and the Forest Society’s Gap Mountain and Monadnock Reservations as well as the Madame Sherri Forest. An overnight shelter can be found off the trail just west of Pisgah Park (see maps) and three tent sites are in the process of development.
The trail begins in the west at the base of Mt. Wantastiquet in Hinsdale (or just across the river from Brattleboro where you can park overnight in the Parking garage). The best place to park at the east end of the trail, near Mt. Monadnock, is at the Gap North Lot on Bullard Road off Route 124 in Jaffrey.
The WMT is the culmination of 25 years of planning, negotiations and trail building begun by members of the Chesterfield Conservation Commission and the Friends of Pisgah Park. The completed trail was introduced at a community event in Keene in April, 2018, and with a series of 9 section hikes that same year.
The Wantastiquiet-Monadnock Trail Coalition, the enlarged group now overseeing the trail, also includes the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, the Appalachian Mountain Club, the State of New Hampshire, the Swanzey Rail Trail Advisory Committee, Antioch New England, Colony Memorial Trust, the City of Keene, the Monadnock Conservancy, Pathways for Keene and the Southwest Regional Planning Commission.
Board members include Paul Bocko, President, Antioch NE, Lynne Borofsky, Treasurer, Chesterfield CC, Rick Bracket, Secretary, Monadnock Conservancy, John Hudachek, Friends of Pisgah, Hiel Lindquist, Forest Society, Rob Koning, At-Large. The Coalition Coordinator is Tom Duston.
Points of Interest on the Trail
Cheshire Rail Trail Depots
Mine Ledge
Moon Ledges
Mt. Wantastiquet
Mt. Monadnock
Madam Sherri’s Forrest
Indian Pond
Nearby and Related Points of Interest
Hogel Wildlife Sanctuary Trail
Pisgah State Park – NH State Parks
Pisgah State Park – Friends of Pisgah
Leave No Trace
Please research any area where you plan to stay or travel and familiarize yourself with any guidelines you may need to abide by (especially those regarding fires and camping. Here is a general overview of the Seven “Leave No Trace Principles”
- Plan ahead and prepare.
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces.
- Dispose of waste properly.
- Leave what you find.
- Minimize campfire impacts (where allowed!).
- Respect wildlife.
- Be considerate of other visitors.
Dogs
Keep ’em on a leash if you love them. Be aware of your surroundings. Pick up after your pet companions. Know where you are allowed to bring your fury friends and where you are not. Check dog policies for any section of the trail you plan on using.