Mount Grace & New England Trail MA Section 17

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Mileage:  about 15 miles round trip

Trip Type:  out and back

Location of Trailhead:  Route 78 (Winchester Road) in Warwick, MA about a mile north of the entrance and main parking area for Mount Grace State Forest

Approximate Duration:  2 days

Highlights:  Mount Grace, Warwick Fire Tower, Richardson-Zlogar Cabin

Trail Markings:  This entire hike is on the New England National Scenic Trail and is marked with rectangular white blazes.

Suggested Maps:  We used the map and trail description in AMC’s Best Backpacking In New England but found that it was not completely up to date.  It was sufficient for planning purposes, finding the the trailhead, etc. but the NET has clearly been rerouted since its publication.  There is a helpful interactive map on the New England Trail Website and you might also find this Massachusetts DCR map useful on the portion of trail inside Mount Grace State Forest.  AMC’s New England Trail Map & Guide may also be a worthwhile purchase, especially if you plan on hiking other sections of the NET.

Summer has arrived and with it so have vacation days and increased daylight hours.  In preparation for some bigger hikes we have planned for this summer we recently took an overnight trip on section 17 of the NET.  The NET, or New England National Scenic Trail, is a 215 mile trail running from Guilford, Connecticut to Royalston, Massachusetts. Section 17, in Northfield and Warwick, Massachusetts includes a visit to the summit of Mt. Grace and two different shelter options for overnight hikes.

To avoid bringing a second vehicle, we hiked out and back from the route 78 trailhead in Warwick and camped near Richardson-Zlogar Cabin.  This means that we did not complete all of NET section 17, leaving just under three miles unhiked between Gulf Road and the cabin. We did not use GPS on this hike and trail reroutes made it difficult to determine actual mileage but I estimate the trip to be between seven and eight miles each way.

The trailhead parking on route 78 is small and shaded with room for about four or five vehicles.  Despite a small white “P” painted on a telephone pole, the parking area can be difficult to find. We drove past twice before finally locating the trailhead.  Look for the brown hiker crossing signs indicating the spot where the NET crosses the road.

About a third of a mile from the trailhead, we reached the Mount Grace State Forest Shelter.  Before our trip I had read reports that the shelter may be in disrepair but during this June 2018 visit it appeared to be in excellent condition.  The site also includes a grill, fire ring, and picnic table. A water source is located nearby.

Immediately after the shelter begins the ascent to the summit of Mount Grace.  The mile and a half of trail between the road and the summit gains about 1000 feet in elevation.  Much of the trail to the summit is moderately rocky and dried leaves created unsure footing in some sections as well.  We climbed on a dry day but I would imagine that this section of trail has potential to become slick in wet conditions.

The summit of Mount Grace is wooded but the stairs of the Warwick Fire Tower provide 360 degree views of Massachusetts and New Hampshire.  The tower is locked at the top of the staircase and not open to the public. We stopped for lunch at one of the picnic tables at the base of the tower and were joined by about ten other hikers.

Leaving the summit, the NET drops slightly and then climbs again to the top of Little Grace.  A small shaded outlook on Little Grace offers pleasant views. It would make a nice alternative place to take a break if the Mt. Grace summit happened to be more crowded.

After descending Little Mount Grace, the NET crosses Northfield Road.  Immediately before the road crossing is a bridge over a small stream. With the exception of the water at Mount Grace Shelter (very close to the trailhead), this is the only reliable flowing water source we encountered on this hike.  I would highly recommend filling your bottles here.

The following section of the NET is predominantly snowmobile trail.  The trail is straight, wide, flat, and shaded. Often it allows space for two hikers to walk comfortably side by side before crossing power lines twice and beginning to wind its way up Stratton Mountain.  The final stretch of trail between the last power line crossing and the cabin is full of twists and turns and appears to have been recently rerouted. Be sure to pay careful attention to the blazes.

The Richardson-Zlogar cabin is located in a clearing near the top of Stratton Mountain.  There are also tent platforms available but we found a flat area to pitch our non-freestanding tent on the ground.  The camping area offers spectacular views of Mount Grace with Mount Monadnock and other New Hampshire peaks visible in the distance.  You can read more about the cabin and camping area by clicking here.

The following morning, after sipping coffee and enjoying a beautiful sunrise from the tent, we made our way back the same way that we had come.  From this direction, the climb up Mount Grace is shorter but steeper. We arrived at the summit just in time for lunch before making our way back down to the car.

This was our first experience on this section of the NET but we would definitely like to hike in this area again.  We particularly enjoyed our campsite and are already planning future trips that will allow us to explore new trails while also revisiting Richardson-Zlogar Cabin.

Have you hiked MA NET section 17?  Climbed the Warwick Fire Tower on Mount Grace?  We would love to hear about your experiences in the comments below!