Wachusett Mountain to Ware River
Midstate Trail

• Start on Balance Rock Trail located in the northwest corner (behind and to the right of the lodge) of Wachusett Mountain's ski area parking lot.
• Follow Balance Rock Trail until it ends at Balance Rock Road.
• Cross Balance Rock Road and pick up Old Indian Trail.
• Cross Summit Road and continue on Old Indian Trail up to the summit of Wachusett Mountain.
• Descend from the peak on Harrington Trail, following it all the way to Westminster Road (you will first cross Administration Road and then West Road).
• Cross Westminster Road and follow Dickens Trail.
• When you enter the Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary at a stone wall, Dickens Trail becomes Chapman Trail.
• Cross Thompson Road and continue on Chapman Trail.
• Chapman Trail will intersect with West Border Trail twice and then it will meet Midstate Trail. At the junction with Midstate Trail, turn right and follow Midstate Trail to Goodnow Road (Chapman Trail will continue to the left).
• Turn right onto Goodnow Road and walk for a few hundred yards, then turn left onto Beaver Bend Trail.
• Beaver Bend Trail will become Pasture Trail.
• At the junction of Pasture Trail and Fern Forest Trail, bear left to follow Fern Forest Trail.
• When you leave Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary, Fern Forest Trail will end and you will simply be on the Midstate Trail.
• Upon reaching Route 62, turn right, cross the road, then turn left onto Ball Hill Road.
• Next turn right onto Hubardston Road.
• When you see a cemetery on the right, turn left onto Bigelow Road.
• Bigelow Road will become Bushy Lane.
• Continue on Bushy Lane crossing Paddock Road and then Route 68.
• Upon reaching Route 56, cross the road and follow the wide woods path on the other side.
• Upon reaching Davis Road, turn left.
• Follow Davis Road to its end and then turn left onto Route 68 and cross the bridge over Ware River, then turn left onto a path that goes between Intervale Road and Ware River.
• Continue along the East Branch of Ware River and then reach the point where the Midstate Trail crosses Intervale Road which is the turn-around point.
• Retrace your footsteps all the way back to Wachusett Mountain's ski area parking lot.

• You don't hafta wait around for a ride if you end up back at where you started.
• You know where you're going on the way back.
• You can cache some water supplies along the way (i.e. ditch your pack in the bushes and get it on the way back).
• The scouts can brag to their grandchildren when they get old: "When I was a scout we hiked 20 miles - uphill both ways". However, the trail does flatten out farther south.

• The Wachusett Mountain trails run over a lotta steep rocks which would be slippery in the rain and dangerous in the dark.
• The trail runs kinda on a north-south beeline through the Wachusett Meadow sanctuary.
• After crossing onto the Audubon land, you're on their Chapman Trail.
• There's a humongous "Cheese-Moose Hunt Tree" down across the trail ("can't go over the tree, can't go under the tree, can't go around the tree - gotta go THROUGH the tree" swish-swish-swish, etc.)
• After reaching Goodnow Road, zig west a few hundred yards, then south on Beaver Bend Trail, then Pasture Trail, then Fern Forest Trail.
• The whole adventure took 11 hours overall.
• We brought about 1.5 gallons (about 6 liters) of water apiece, which turned out just about right for an ~80 degree day with daypacks (last year we used twice that with heavier overnight backpacks).
• Once you go beyond the Audubon sanctuary, it's mainly on back/dirt/cart roads.
• Turn left when you come out on Davis Street (mile #32.8), otherwise you hafta walk along Route 68 (busy) to reach the East Branch of the Ware River.
• There is an ice cream/variety store at about mile #33.4 - yeeha!

• Follow Rt. 140 (accessible from Rt. 2 to the north; or I-190 to the south) to Westminster, MA.
• Turn onto Mile Hill Road. Traveling northbound, the turn will be about 9 miles from I-190 on the left; traveling southbound it will be 2.2 miles south of the junction between Rt. 2 and Rt. 140 and will be a right-hand turn.
• Follow Mile Hill Road for a mile and then turn right into the ski area.

• dogs must be leashed
• no bikes allowed
• no horses allowed
• no camping allowed
• no snowmobiles allowed

• From Rt. 2, take exit 25 (Rt. 140 south).
• Follow Rt. 140 south for 2 miles.
• Turn right onto Mile Hill Road.
• Follow Mile Hill Road for 0.5 mile to a split in the road.
• Take the left fork onto Mountain Road.
• Follow Mountain Road 1.2 miles to the top of hill.
• The reservation entrance is on the right.
• The visitor center entrance is immediately on the left after entering the reservation.

• From Rt. 190 take exit 5 (Rt. 140 north).
• Follow Rt. 140 north for 9.5 miles.
• Turn left onto Mile Hill Road.
• Follow Mile Hill Road for 0.5 mile to a split in the road.
• Take the left fork onto Mountain Road.
• Follow Mountain Road 1.2 miles to the top of hill.
• The reservation entrance is on the right.
• The visitor center entrance is immediately on the left after entering the reservation.

• $4 for nonmember adults
• $3 for nonmember children (3-12) and seniors

• Do not feed any animals.
• Stay on trails to avoid ticks and poison ivy.
• Do not smoke anywhere on the sanctuary.
• Do not pick or collect plants or crops without permission.

• Do not bring pets, leashed or unleashed, onto the site.
• Picnic only in designated areas.
• Do not bring motorized vehicles or bicycles onto the site.
• Hunting, fishing, and trapping are not permitted.

• From Rt. 2 take exit 28 (Rt. 31, Fitchburg/Princeton).
• Follow Rt. 31 south for 3.9 miles to a blinking red light.
• Turn left at the light and follow Rt. 31 and Rt. 140 south for 1.8 miles to a blinking yellow light.

• Turn right and follow Rt. 31 south for 2.8 miles to a steep hill and a blinking yellow light (center of Princeton).
• At the light, follow signs for Rt. 62 west by crossing the intersection and bearing right (follow the road as it curves right on the far side of the common after the light).
• Follow Rt. 62 west for 0.6 mile, and you will see the sanctuary sign on the right at Goodnow Road.
• Turn right on Goodnow Road, and the parking lot is 1 mile ahead on the left.

• From Rt. 190, take exit 5 (Rt. 140, Sterling/W. Boylston).
• Follow Rt. 140 north for 2.4 miles to the intersection of Rt. 62 (blinking yellow light).
• Take a left onto Rt. 62 west and follow it for 4.2 miles to a stop sign.
• Turn left on Rt. 31 and go up the hill to a flashing yellow light (center of Princeton).
• At the light, follow signs for Rt. 62 west by crossing the intersection and bearing right (follow the road as it curves right on the far side of the common after the light).
• Follow Rt. 62 west for 0.6 mile, and you will see the sanctuary sign on the right at Goodnow Road.
• Turn right on Goodnow Road, and the parking lot is 1 mile ahead on the left.

• Heron Rookery and Rock Fire Pond (Wachusett Meadows) on 6/01/2008
• Wachusett Mtn., Balance Rock, and Echo Lake on 5/18/2009
• Midstate Trail from Barre to Princeton (Ware River, Savage Hill WMA) on 6/01/2008
• Midstate Trail from Mount Watatic to Mount Wachusett on 4/07/2000

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