Warner Trail in Mass.?

[poison ivy]

Has anyone hiked the Warner Trail in Massachusetts? I'm looking for places to go for info... everything I've found on the 'net so far just says it's a 30 mile trail from Canton to Diamond Hill in Rhode Island, but that's about it. I'm looking for more specific information like maps or guidebooks, that sort of thing.

The trail passes through a couple of communities that the newspaper I work for covers. An editor suggested if I want to hike it and take some pictures, they'd run a story on it.

-- Ivy

 

[poison ivy]

Re: Warner Trail

I know you must have this trail guide.

If not, what can I tell you?

Thanks, Tramper Al for the information-- I just ordered the guide. I actually didn't know there was an AMC guide for Mass & RI!

- Ivy

 

[Frosty]

Has anyone hiked the Warner Trail in Massachusetts? I'm looking for places to go for info... everything I've found on the 'net so far just says it's a 30 mile trail from Canton to Diamond Hill in Rhode Island, but that's about it. I'm looking for more specific information like maps or guidebooks, that sort of thing.-- Ivy

I hiked most of it last April. The trail starts in Sharon, not Canton. On Dedham street in front of what looks like a municipal plant or electrical facility of some sort. (I started at 4 am and it was dark). The 1995 AMC guide is wrong in almost every instance. Save yopurself grief and don't use it. I tried it my first attempt and by noon was considering suicide.

The trail is well marked in some places and impossible to follow in others. I have a draft version of a 2002 trail description that is mostly right. PM me your email address and I'll send it to you.

I used this description and my TOPO maps to make my own map before hiking. I just read the descriptions and looked at the TOPOs. Where a trail existed on the TOPO about where the Warner Trail should be, I drew it in. I was helped by road walks because the street turns/junctions gave me an absolute point.

Using my "guessed" trail, I entered waypoints into my GPS where I guessed my guessed trail crossed roads. Then, when I got lost (some places were a maze of unmarked trails) I just bushwhacked using the GPS. Surprisingly, I was very close guessing road crossings.

The trail can be done in a long day. I would have finished if my partner had not developed foot problems 7 miles from the end.

One thing I did not do and wish I had, was to take GPS readings on the actual trail. Then I'd have something. I'd like to walk the trail again, taking GPS readings and good notes to update the guide book. Let me know if you want to hike it. I'm fine breaking it into two days so that I can spend some time taking notes.

I'd give you some specifics of places to watch for, but to be honest, it merges in my mind with the Bay Circuit Trail.

Frosty

 

[Tramper Al]

Up to date

Frosty,
Thanks for the reality check on the Warner Trail. When I started to hike the Midstate Trail using the 7th edition MA & RI Guide, I had a few unpleasant surprises. I don't have the 8th edition, but I hope it will be more helpful.
Ivy,
If you are buying one, make sure you are getting the 8th (MA Trail Guide), as the 7th is quite ancient.

 

[Barry Sr]

I concur with frosty, (see trail conditions 4/24/04)

Very frustrating to find everything from new housing developments to golf courses right in the middle of the trail.
Lots and lots of road walking and cutting through peoples yards.

There are no maps and like he said, the 2002 trail guide (downloadable from AMC) is useless in some spots.
There is also quite a bit of motorbike sharing of trails.

I did complete the entire trail but was disapointed and will not go back.

Try the M&M Trail instead I am going there next I think.

 

[Frosty]

I concur with frosty, (see trail conditions 4/24/04)

Very frustrating to find everything from new housing developments to golf courses right in the middle of the trail.
Lots and lots of road walking and cutting through peoples yards.

There are no maps and like he said, the 2002 trail guide (downloadable from AMC) is useless in some spots.
There is also quite a bit of motorbike sharing of trails.

I did complete the entire trail but was disapointed and will not go back.

Try the M&M Trail instead I am going there next I think.

I also want to try the M&M, but am not quite so down on the Warner Trail.

It has problems, and roadwalks, but most of the roadwalk roads aren't too busy and look where the trail goes. It slashes across a busy part of the state. I was amazed that so much of it went through woods.

Anyway, the White Mountains it isn't. But the Warner Trail is a mostly pastoral walk through the heart of a densely populated state.

It's an especially nice change of pace in the spring if you're tired of snowshoeing and just want to put boots to earth.

Frosty

 

[poison ivy]

Thanks for all of the information, guys! Knowing the towns it crosses through, I'm not exactly expecting spectacular scenery. But hey, if my editors are willing to pay me to hike for a couple of days, you won't hear a complaint out of me!

- Ivy

 

[Barry Sr]

I'm not working for a while if you want a half assed guide or just a partner.

 

[poison ivy]

I'm not working for a while if you want a half assed guide or just a partner.

I would love to have company! However, I'm probably not going to hike the trail until the fall... (either mid-September or mid-October.) Ive already got my summer pretty well booked. I'll definitely let you know once I get my plans firmed up.

- Ivy

 

[RoySwkr]

completer

I have hiked the entire Warner Trail (in sections), but all were done as spring hikes with the Boston AMC which handled car-spotting hassles, and as the leaders were the maintainers we didn't get lost either The leader gave me a copy of the brand-new draft guidebook for my review, and there were already changes. As mentioned, this trail is in suburbia and permissions come and go, and some owners allow hikers but not trail markings which can make it hard to find One section remained part of the trail but access to both ends changed so that what was once Northbound was now Southbound.

The trail once ran from Boston to Providence but the ends were too much hassle and were discontinued, when I was there 20 years ago it definitely started at the Canton Jct RR station but who knows where it starts now.

PI, don't waste a fall hiking day on this one, do it in early spring when NH is all slop. And not all landowners are unfriendly, one was passing out water and giving tours of his earth house.

 

[Barry Sr]

A little girl came out of the earth house and was glad to see me and offered water n such. It is a nice tour in the spring.