One of the oldest named interstate trails in the country, the Wapack Trail runs a 22-mile string of ridges from rural northern Massachusetts into the hills of southern New Hampshire. I hiked the trail southbound in December 2024 as a snowy two-day winter backpacking trip, with two good friends eager for a winter adventure.

While seemingly simple, there are a few quirks to an end-to-end of the Wapack Trail.

First is camping. As a trail with many private easements, wild camping isn’t permitted along the way. Luckily, Windblown Camping is near the halfway point and offers four shelters and two cabins for overnight stays. We stayed in the “Warming Hut” cabin which boasts queen sized bunks, a woodburning stove, and a kitchen. It was a perfect stay, especially for a winter trip where we were eager to warm up after a day of hiking in the snow.

Second are fees. The trail passes through a number of parks and preserves, one of which is Miller State Park – New Hampshire’s oldest – which charges a use fee. In-season, it can be paid at the entrance kiosk, and off-season it can be done via payment envelopes. Plan ahead and bring cash or check, referring to the fee schedule on the park’s website.

For parking, we left one car at the southern terminus under Mt. Watatic off Rt 119, and drove the other to the northern terminus off Mountain Road in Wapack NWR. I called ahead to the rangers at the refuge to confirm that parking was free and acceptable.

For guidance and maps, check out the Friends of the Wapack Trail, who do an amazing job maintaining this trail; this is perhaps the most well-blazed trail I’ve hiked. I purchased the guide + map combo, as well as a set of end-to-end completer patches for my hiking partners and I.

Finally, this trail experience will differ a lot seasonally. In the spring, mud season will make this mucky and difficult to traverse in spots. Backpacking this in the winter after a half-foot of snowfall meant we needed to pull out a much different skillset than we would have needed in a fall or summer hike. Trail crampons, layers, and insulated water bottles were key, as were routefinding skills on the snow-covered ridges. Don’t let that scare you though – with its low mileage and proximity to civilization, a winter trip on the Wapack is a perfect introduction to cold weather backpacking.

We kicked off day one a bit late to the trailhead, having stopped for a few last minute goodies in New Ipswich. Near the shortest day of the year, we knew sunlight would be in short supply and that we’d have to move quickly while it was still bright out.

Heading south meant that we started with the larger climbs early, and we slowly began to gain elevation along the pine-laden apron of North Pack Monadnock.

The area had received 4-6 inches of snow two nights before, with less in the dense woodlands and much more on the balds and peaks. Backpacking in this sort of environment incurs a time and energy penalty as you shuffle through snow in heavy winterized boots. We moved along as quickly as we could but still only topped out at an average of 2mph.

Despite its challenges, winter backpacking has wonderful perks. It’s a gift of walking through a snowy wonderland, with noises muted and with few people on the trails.

Before long, we were up and over North Pack Monadnock, and headed down into the notch between the north peak and Pack Monadnock proper. The trail gets its name from the mountains at each end: Mt Watatic, our day two destination; and Pack Monadnock, which we climbed early on day one.

Four miles in we summited Pack Monadnock, the highest point on the hike, with the non-pack Monadnock looming in the crisp air to the west. The summit includes a lookout tower, seasonal auto road, and small picnic shelter. We took the opportunity to stop for water and a quick charcuterie lunch before descending on the south slope.

From there the trail heads south, down a steep and slick series of switchbacks towards Route 101. Traction devices and poles are critical here and elsewhere on the trail.

At the bottom of the slope the trail crosses Route 101 near Miller State Park’s parking area. On-season, use-fees should be paid here, and off-season, they can be paid into the “iron ranger” envelope receptacle. We took care crossing the highway and started up the forest road that climbs Temple Mountain.

Overall, the trail was scant of fauna save for a few woodpeckers. On day one we did spot deer sign: large hoofprints from what must’ve been a huge buck.

After Temple Mountain, the trail rides along a wooded ridge towards Burton Peak, eventually reaching “Cabot Skyline”, a picturesque steady descent dedicated to friend of the trail Tom Cabot. We caught a gorgeous sunset as we hiked down the mountain, a few miles from camp for the night.

After a small roadwalk and nighttime ramble through the woods, we reached Windblown Camping and made our way to the “Warming Hut“, a charming cabin with a much appreciated woodburning stove. With four queen bunks and an extra loft, it can accommodate up to 12 guests.

Stove lit, outerwear drying, and beers cracked, we were happy to be wrapped up with our first day. One of the niceties of winter backpacking is that the cold acts as a natural refrigerator, a fact we took advantage of by packing in steaks for dinner. After chatting, relaxing, and fine dining, we dozed off to the gentle sounds of wind sweeping across the roof and the muffled crackling of the woodstove.

We kicked off day two even later than our first, finding difficulty in leaving the comfort of the toasty cabin. We took full advantage of the stove, preparing a heavy breakfast of oatmeal, potatoes, and fresh fruit, before suiting up and heading into the cold.

Day two was a tad warmer but still hanging below freezing, and the start to our hike was a large climb up Barrett Mountain, passing the rest of the shelters at Windblown on the ascent.

The peak of Barrett Mountain is the first in a four-mile ridge extending south, crossing New Ipswich Mountain, Stony Top, and Pratt Mountain. Snow on the ridge was deep and unbroken: we were the first to hike since the storm a few days before. Trailbreaking without nordic skis or snowshoes can be tedious, with steps made heavy and the path unclear. We moved slowly and deliberately, stopping on Stony Top for a bit of lunch.

After passing a few hunters, the only other people we’d see on the trail, we started the steep descent down Pratt Mountain. The steepest part of the trail, we took our time and watched our footing on the wet ice.

The trail then passes Binney Pond, a small beaver pond in the Binney Hill Wilderness Preserve. This preserve is one of many different preservation tracts along the Wapack trail, whose easements connect trail sections together like chainlinks in a necklace.

After the pond, the trail takes a short roadwork and flattens out, crossing into Massachusetts before the final ascent up Mount Watatic.

After all the peaks preceding it, Mount Watatic felt simple and easy, and the cold weather kept the usual crowds away. We started up the mountain via the ledges and then up into the pine forests on its northern flank.

The top of Mt. Watatic was a nice bookend to North Pack Monadnock at the beginning of the hike. With a 360-degree view and a lovely blush sunset to the west, I detoured off the trail to enjoy the summit for a few minutes before starting the descent.

Exposed rocky ledges, then pines, then glacial erratics followed by mossy and icy ponds, the descent off Watatic spread the different microclimates and geology of the area like cards in a deck. We wrapped up in the parking lot just as the sun dropped below the horizon.

The Wapack Trail was a perfect weekender backpacking trip, especially in the winter. I’d recommend it to anyone interested in an appetizer-sized version of the similar Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway, or as an easy primer to cold weather backpacking. Go hike it!