Mt. Watatic, Frank Robbins Trail, & State Line Trail (Mount Watatic Reservation, Asburnham State Forest, Binney Hill Preserve)

Mt. Watatic, Frank Robbins Trail, & State Line Trail (Mount Watatic Reservation, Asburnham State Forest, Binney Hill Preserve)

Distance: 7.03 miles
Elevation: 1,093 feet

Time: 3 hours, 17 minutes (2 hours, 56 minutes moving)
Hike Type: Double Lollipop Loop
Hiking Challenges: 52 Hike Challenge; Operation Alaska Benchmark Challenge; Friends of the Wapack

The Hike

Day two of this wonderful three-day weekend! The plan was to take it easy today but still get outside. Sarah texted me asking if I wanted to hike something since she had to drop Alec off at the airport at 5:30am, so we decided to meet up and hike Mt. Watatic (and the two additional Friends of the Wapack trails that I needed for my patch). I stopped at Dunkin Donuts to get breakfast and met at the trailhead right before 7:00am. It was a surpringly chilly 25 degrees out, but beautifully sunny. There were a few families coming down after a sunrise hike, so we had the whole mountain to ourselves!

[7:10am - Start of hike on Midstate/Wapack Trail]

The hike started with my hip burning - apparently it chafed pretty hard on Mt. Garfield yesterday... oh well. The hike in is initally flat, passing a beautiful pond/meadow.

[7:19am - Jct. with State Line Trail]

After a relatively flat start, the Midstate/Wapack Trail begins to steeply climb up to the summit. Layers quickly came off as we made many jokes about how strenuous the trail was - comparing it to the Wildcat Ridge Trail at times (we were being very dramatic). Near the top, we got a nicely framed view of Mt. Wachusett.

[7:49am - Mt. Watatic Summit]

Soon enough we were at the top! Stunning views, arguably better than those on Mt. Wachusett. Temperatures had warmed up to 35 degrees and there was a 5-10mph breeze. We found a spot on the ledges to enjoy our breakfast as we pointed out landmarks (notably Pack Monadnock and Boston). A few people came and went as we enjoyed our food before we packed up and continued on!

[8:12am - Midstate/Wapack Trail Northbound]

The trail from the summit to Nutting Hill was through beautiful woods, and Nutting Hill to the parking lot spur path looked recently leaf-blown. From the parking lot spur path to the NH State Line the trail was covered in leaves and acorns, which made for some exciting footing! Thankfully, it was flat and dry. 

[8:47am - New Hampshire State Line on Wapack Trail]

"Live Free or Die!" we chanted to ourselves as we entered New Hampshire on the Wapack Trail. Footing continued to be leafy, rocky, and acorn-y, but now it was also descending, which felt more slow-going than it actually was. We slowly continued into the Binney Hill Wilderness Preserve, right up to the junction with the Frank Robbins Trail.

[9:01am - Frank Robbins Trail]

The Frank Robbins Trail was... fine. It was decently overgrown and brushy. We were very grateful to be doing this in the fall when the plants were dying/dead and ticks are generally asleep - it would be a doozy in spring/summer! The later half of the trail was actually really nice. It had a wilder feeling to it with lots of moss. Eventually, the trail turned onto Binney Hill Road, and eventually turned into the Wapack Trail, now heading southbound.

[9:29am - Wapack Trail Southbound]

Back on the Wapack Trail, we gently ascended on Binney Hill Road and turned right into a reforesting meadow. The brown grasses were as tall as us! We tragically hiked past a decomposing Blue Jay and continued our way back to the beginning of the Frank Robbins Trail - completing the second lollipop candy of the double-lollipop loop. We heard A LOT of gunshots from this point to the end of our hike, and only realized how close the Fitchburg Sportsmen's Club was to these trails.

Thankfully, the climb back up through leaves and acorns was much easier than the descent, and we quickly arrived back in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts!

[9:59am - Midstate Trail Connector]

Right after the state border a blue-blazed trail, the Midstate Trail Connector, turns right to follow the border for a very short stretch. On the right, there is a unique monument, octagaonal in shape, with "BORDEN 1834" inscribed. A forum on Views from the Top says its a monument to honor Simeon Borden, a prominent surveyor of the time/area (Wikipedia Link; VFTT Link). Soon after is the terminus of the Midstate Trail at a large monument from 1894 showcasing the state boundary, with a smaller monument next to it. 

[10:01am - State Line Trail]

Now we were following the blue-blazed State Line Trail, which gently meandered through the forest, partially paralleling the Midstate/Wapack Trail. This eventaully turned onto a woods road (that doubled as the parking lot spur), where we passed many people climbing up Mt. Watatic the back way. Sarah and I were both hungry by this point, but we realized it was only 10:00am! We decided brunch was in our future.

[10:23am - Midstate/Wapack Trail]

The final stretch of our hike was on the Midstate/Wapack Trail, repeating this stretch to get back to the car, past the pond/meadow, and into the busy parking lot. This was a lovely hike! Also, now I can cross off two more trails from my "Friends of the Wapack" trails challenge that I made for myself...

[10:31am - End of Hike]

We ended our morning at the Smith Hill Tavern in Ashby, which was actually amazing. We had medium hopes, just happy to get food. Prices were higher than a diner, which is what we wanted, but the quality was to die for! We both got eggs benedict, which were perfectly poached (and buttered!). The potatoes that came with the bennies were incredible, and I also got a side of toast and bacon, which also blew me away. What a perfect way to wrap up a nice morning!

Step-By-Step

- Park at the Mt. Watatic Trailhead. 

- Start hike along yellow-blazed Midstate/Wapack Trail.

- At jct., turn left to continue on Midstate/Wapack Trail.

- At summit, continue on Midstate/Wapack Trail.

- At NH State Line, continue on Wapack Trail.

- At next jct., turn left onto white-blazed Frank Robbins Trail.

- At terminus, continue straight on yellow-blazed Wapack Trail (southbound).

- At jct. with Frank Robbins Trail, continue left on Wapack Trail.

- At NH/MA border, turn right onto blue-blazed Midstate Trail Connector.

- At terminus, turn left onto blue-blazed State Line Trail.

- At terminus, continue straight onto Midstate/Wapack Trail.

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