Huffhike

Discovering the Trail Beneath My Feet

Last year, I completed my first thru-hike. I hiked the entire 273 miles of Vermont’s Long Trail. For those unfamiliar, a thru-hike is typically defined as hiking the full length of a trail in a single season. The Long Trail tested me physically and mentally, and left me wondering, what would be next?

As winter set in, I found myself doing what I assume every hiker does. Looking for the next trail. Would I finally knock off one of the big hikes from my unofficial bucket list (AT, JMT, PCT, CT)? Or would a shorter hike better fit my schedule and budget this year?

Back to My Roots

I grew up in Winchendon, Massachusetts. One of the last towns before the New Hampshire border. A short drive from Mount Monadnock, reportedly the most-hiked mountain in the United States. My parents often took me, my brother, and our friends hiking in local parks and forests. Two things always happened on those hikes:

1. We came back with our pockets full of trash (“If you pick it up, you pack it out,” as my dad would say).
2. We always ended up on some part of the little-known Midstate Trail.

Fast forward to 2020. I was a full-time student working at the local Cumberland Farms, completely disconnected from nature and feeling the weight of it. During the pandemic, like many others, I turned to the outdoors. One day, I hiked Mount Wachusett, a local mountain I hiked countless times as a kid (located on the Midstate Trail). After the hike I felt great both physically and mentally. 

That one hike rekindled my love and appreciation for nature, reminding me of what I had been missing. From day hikes to overnight trips, I quickly became obsessed with the outdoors. Eventually, I moved into backpacking, and from there, into the world of thru-hiking. That hike led me to the Long Trail, New England Trail, and now my next thru-hike. 

Why the Midstate Trail?

This winter, while planning for summer, I revisited a section of the Midstate Trail just to log a few miles. As I walked the trail I’ve hiked countless times, the memories from my childhood rushed back.

That hike inspired me to dig a little deeper into the trail itself. I learned that the Midstate Trail runs 92 miles north to south, cutting directly through Massachusetts, mostly along Worcester County. It begins at the New Hampshire border and ends at the Rhode Island state line. From there, it connects seamlessly with the North South Trail, a 77-mile route that continues to the Atlantic Ocean.

That sealed the deal.

This year, I’ll be thru-hiking both the Midstate and North South Trail, a combined 169 miles. Starting from the New Hampshire border to the Atlantic ocean. I’ll be hiking from May 24th to June 1st, aiming to complete the journey in about nine days.

Sharing the Journey

This will be the first time I document a thru-hike publicly. I’ve never blogged before, and until recently, I hadn’t even used social media. But over the past month, I’ve been practicing posting stories and learning how to better share my journey online. 

These trails are lesser-known, even among local hikers, and I hope that by sharing my journey, I’ll inspire someone to explore a nearby section of trail, even if it’s just for an afternoon. The beauty, clarity, and peace that nature offers aren’t exclusive to a thru-hike or an expensive get away. Sometimes, they’re right in your backyard.

Looking Ahead

As the late, great Tom Petty sang in Time to Move On:

“What lies ahead, I have no way of knowing
But under my feet, baby, grass is growing
It’s time to move on, time to get going.”

That’s exactly what I am hoping to do on this thru hike. Face the unknown, return to the trails that I hiked as a kid, and hopefully, do a good job displaying the uniqueness of each trail via Instagram and blogging.

Happy Trails!