Mt. Watatic Trailhead — Attraction in Ashburnham

Mount Watatic delivers excellent natural New England scenery for a short hike. Take one of two woodland trails that lead to the 1,832 foot summit, then continue on just a little further to a slightly lower viewing area that boasts wide panoramic views from Mount Monadnock in the north to Wachusett Mountain and beyond to the south.

The trail begins at a large parking lot just off Route 119 and heads towards a marshy pond. Thankfully there's a boardwalk that will keep your feet dry. Take a right turn up Mid State Trail and you'll be on the shortest route to the summit. Mid State does have some moderate climbs, so if you prefer to take things easier there's also the State Line Trail that takes a shallower approach and also summits the smaller Nutting Hill. Our favorite way to complete this as a loop is to counter clockwise up Mid State then back down via Nutting Hill.

Views at the summit of the mountain are modest, so continue a little further east to the best views. It's here in the fall that you'll find birdwatchers conducting the annual hawk migration as birds of prey head off to South America for the winter. Apparently the owl-on-a-stick featured in the photograph at the top of the page is to entice curious hawks and give the ornithologists a closer look at the birds.

Mount Watatic also marks the southern terminus of the 21.4 mile Wapack Trail. Previously we've explored the north end of this trail at North Pack Monadnock and...

Beautiful trail, nice view at the top. Don't forget to bring a rock.

People leave them at the top in a pile.

If you are over 60, don't push yourself too hard, take frequent water breaks on the way up. It can be a challenging hike at that age.

There are multiple paths up the mountain some are steeper than others. The long path is less punishing. Just keep going straight along the main trail, do not turn right at the first intersection that says "Mt. Watatic trail".

Free parking is accessible on the side road across from...

Trails were not crowded which made for a nice, moderate hike in the fall. Make sure to wear good trail shoes since the path is uneven and rocky in most places. Also keep your eyes peeled for the yellow triangle markings on tree trunks since it would be easy to get lost if you're not paying attention. Parking is also limited (probably no more than 10 cars) so getting there early is highly...