Princeton, Massachusetts
Wachusett Mountain State Reservation
Photo: John Phelan, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Drive or hike to the 2,006-foot summit for a 360-degree view, then explore 17 miles of trails through forest and meadow and past ponds below.
Written for ages 3–12.
Researched from this park's own sources. Nobody's walked it yet.
Read this bit out
This mountain stands on its own, with flat land all around it, so from the top you can turn in a full circle and see a very long way. On a clear day, Boston is off to the east, and other mountains are far to the north and west. Seventeen miles of paths wind around underneath you, through woods and meadows and past ponds. And in winter people come here on purpose to slide all the way back down.
One of your three free places, or the Explorer Pass. What that costs
Before you go
- Time there
- Plan on about 2 hours at the park.
- Parking
- Visitor center at 345 Mountain Road, and only 28 spaces — be ready to be sent on to another trailhead. $5 with Massachusetts plates and $20 without, from late May to late October, summit parkway included. The perimeter lots on the roads just outside the park are free.
- Underfoot
- Seventeen miles of trails through forest, meadow and pond. The summit road runs 9am to sunset from Memorial Day weekend to the end of October.
- Bathrooms
- There are bathrooms.
- Food
- Two picnic areas on the summit road with charcoal grills — bring your own charcoal.
20 challenges written for this place
A game deals seven to fifteen of them, so no two visits are alike.
4 things to work out, 3 things to spot and 3 things growing.
Every game includes this one
All The Way Around
Get to the summit, then turn slowly all the way around and name something in every direction.
A few of the others
Two Thousand And Six
This peak is 2,006 feet high. Guess whether that is higher or lower than the clouds today.
Seventeen Miles Of Paths
There are seventeen miles of trails here. Work out how long it would take to walk all of them.
Forest, Meadow, Pond
This mountain has forests, meadows and ponds. Find at least two of the three.
People Ski Down This
In winter people slide down this mountain on purpose. Work out which way you would go.
Find The Water
There is water on this mountain somewhere. Find some, even if it is only a trickle.
Where The Trees Give Up
Find a place with no trees, just rock, grass or open sky. Work out what stops trees growing there.
The rest are a surprise — that's the whole point.
Also around Wachusett
Leominster State Forest
Westminster
Swim at Crow Hill Pond, see the ledges rock climbers use, and find the Midstate Trail, which runs from Rhode Island to New Hampshire, on the western edge.
Wachusett Meadow
Princeton
An old farm turned wildlife sanctuary: sheep in the pastures, barns still in use, beaver ponds, an enormous glacial boulder and a nature play area.
Play this at Wachusett Mountain State Reservation
Free. Works with no signal once you're there.