55 New England Hikes near Boston | Boston Magazine

New England has some of the most exquisite hikes in the world, offering adventure, fitness, and Instagram-worthy views. Here, we’ve selected 55 amazing hikes to try this year, from the bucolic fields of Middlesex Fells to the waterfalls of Maine. Our interactive guide features everything from mapped locations, to difficulty levels, to how far you’ll be driving from Boston. Plus, we’ve also created a cheat sheet on how to do it right—from foraging on the route to finding treasure boxes along the way. We also have hiking guides for summer, winter, and each season in-between. So grab your hiking shoes — it’s time to hit the trails. —Edited by Melissa Malamut and Kara Baskin

Hikes

Browse our list to find the best hikes in New England. Click on each to learn more about it.

Easy

Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, Bunker Meadows Trail, Topsfield, MA
Pitcher Mountain Trail, Pitcher Mountain, Stoddard, NH
Bash Bish Falls, Mount Washington State Forest, Mt. Washington, MA
Sleeping Giant State Park, Tower Trail, Hamden, CT
Blue Trail, Charles Ward Reservation, Andover, MA
Cliff Walk, Newport, RI
Tyler Trail, Mount Pisgah, Northborough, MA
Easthead Loop, Myles Standish State Forest, Carver, MA
Colt State Park, Bristol, RI
Nelson Pond Trail, Norman Bird Sanctuary, Middletown, RI
Great Swamp Management Area, West Kingston, RI
Breakheart Loop, Exeter, RI
Mattabesett Trail, Mattatuck State Forest, Middletown, CT

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Moderate

Middlesex Fells Reservation, Skyline Trail, Stoneham, MA
Harold Parker State Forest, Hiking/Bridle Trail, North Andover, MA
World’s End Reservation, World’s End Reservation Trail, Hingham, MA
Harrington Trail, Wachusett Mountain, Princeton, MA
Mount Major Summit Trails, Mount Major, Alton, NH
Halibut Point State Park, Rockport, MA
Blue Hills Reservation, Skyline Trail, Milton, MA
Noanet Peak, Noanet Peak Trail, Dover, MA
Welch-Dickey Loop Trail, Mount Welch, Thornton, NH
Stratton Trail, Stratton Mountain, Stratton, VT
Cheshire Harbor Trail, Mount Greylock, Lanesborough, MA
Undermountain Trail, Bear Mountain, Salisbury, CT
Ramblewild, Lanesborough, MA
Baldface Circle Trail, North and South Baldface, Chatham, NH
Zealand and Twinway Trails, Mount Zealand, Jefferson, NH
Arethusa Falls Trail, Frankenstein Cliff, Hart’s Location, NH
Woods Loop Trail, Beech Hill, Rockport, ME
Mount Battie Trail, Mount Battie, Camden, ME
Stowe Pinnacle Trail, Pinnacle Peak, Stowe, VT
Kingdom Trails, Bear Back Trail, East Burke, VT
Chasm Loop Trail, Purgatory Chasm State Reservation, Sutton, MA
West Ridge Trail, Mount Cardigan, Orange, NH
Mattatuck Trail, Mattatuck State Forest, Thomaston, CT
Battell Trail, Mount Abraham, Lincoln, VT
Long Trail, Belvidere Mountain, Belvidere, VT
Bay Circuit Trail, Mount Misery, Lincoln, MA
Busby Trail, Spruce Hill, Florida, MA

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Advanced

Presidential Traverse, Presidential Range, Gorham, NH
Weathersfield Trail, Mount Ascutney, Weathersfield, VT
South Ridge Trail, Cadillac Mountain, Mount Desert Island, ME
Mount Moosilauke, Beaver Brook or Glencliff Trails, Benton, NH
Tuckerman’s Ravine Trail, Mount Washington, Pinkham Notch, NH
White Dot Trail, Mount Monadnock, Jaffrey, NH
Bondcliff Trail, West Bond, Lincoln, NH
Knife Edge Trail, Mount Katahdin, Millinocket, ME
Precipice Trail, Acadia National Park, Mount Desert Island, ME
Mount Norwottuck and Horse Caves Trail, Mount Holyoke State Park, Amherst, MA
Main Loop, Mine Hill Preserve, Roxbury, CT
Gifford Woods State Park, Killington, VT
Camel’s Hump State Park, Waterbury, VT
Sunset Ridge Trail, Mount Mansfield, Underhill, VT
Firewarden’s Trail and Horns Pond Trail, Bigelow Preserve, Stratton, ME

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Map

Which hikes are family-friendly? Good for dogs? Instagram-worthy? Use our interactive map to find your perfect escape with ease. Locations are approximate, please consult websites for exact directions.

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#BoMagHikes

Before lacing up your hiking boots, check out these pics of fun on the trails. Tag your own Instagram photos with #BoMagHikes to share your adventures.

Credits

Hikes list by Melissa Malamut and Asia Bradlee. Additional stories by Melissa Malamut, Kara Baskin, Jamie Ducharme, Brittany Jasnoff, and Andrea Timpano. Lead photo by Jonathan Kozowyk. Produced by Sean Megan, Jen Penningroth, and Yiqing Shao.