Beloved trail system gets national scenic designation

View North from Crag Mountain to Mt. Monadnock (NENST photo)

By Beth Daley, Globe Staff

It’s a 220-mile beloved hiking trail that winds through some of New England’s most dramatic vistas: Cliff faces, pastures, swamps and the summits of Mt. Tom and Mt. Holyoke.

But the three-state Metacomet-Monadnock-Mattabesett trail system is made up of a patchwork of land ownership - and some of its privately held lands are facing increasing development pressure. There has also been a notable lack of money to help communicate with all the land owners and users of the meandering trail.

That is expected to change with the recent designation of much of the Massachusetts and Connecticut portion as a national scenic trail by the recently enacted omnibus lands bill. The designation, one of three nationwide recently announced, is the first addition in more than 25 years to the scenic trail system, which includes the Appalachian Trail.

It doesn’t come with money – at least not yet - but officials at the Appalachian Mountain Club expect it will elevate the trails status to be available for funds later. The designation also creates a stewardship council to put a management blueprint into action. Eventually, AMC officials hope federal funds will become available to buy lands from willing landowners, maintain the trail, and publicize its brand of beauty.

Hikers can explore dinosaur footprints, view dazzling foliage and visit historic villages near the trail. It was created over 40 years ago and volunteers from AMC and the Connecticut Forest & Park Association lovingly maintain it. The new designation doesn’t follow the trail’s full traditional route – about ten miles of it will be rerouted to incorporate more public lands in Massachusetts.

It also includes an extension to Long Island Sound through Guilford Connecticut. New Hampshire’s estimated 17-mile portion of the trail is not part of the designation, although the state can opt to join later.

No one knows exactly how many people use the trail but more than two million people live within ten miles. Most people hike on it but portions of it are also used for snowmobiling and mountain bike riding.

U.S. Rep John Olver of Amherst was instrumental in getting the designation – and an avid hiker of it.

For more information, go to http://www.newenglandnst.org/