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Best Mountain Hikes near Springfield

The directory currently contains 21 quality-checked routes matching this guide near Springfield. Their average mapped distance is 42.2 km and average recorded ascent is 610 m (2,001 ft); the longest route in the set is 327 km.

This subset represents 12% of the 172 quality-checked routes near Springfield. Its average distance is 42.2 km, compared with 7.1 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 610 m (2,001 ft), versus 115 m (377 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

These routes carry the mountain tag. Their measured distance and ascent are shown separately so the label is not used as a proxy for difficulty. Within this set, 3 routes (14%) are rated easy, 7 (33%) are rated hard or expert, and 7 (33%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

45.9 km

Nipmuck Trail

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

633 m

Nipmuck Trail

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

0 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Expert

Metacomet Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
95.1 km
/ 59.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,550 m
Typical duration
24 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Metacomet - Monadnock Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
183 km
/ 114 mi
Elevation gain
2,956 m
Typical duration
47 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Yale-Myers Forest Research Site off Nipmuck Trail.
Expert

Nipmuck Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
45.9 km
/ 28.5 mi
Elevation gain
633 m
Typical duration
11 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Tunxis Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
72.4 km
/ 45.0 mi
Elevation gain
1,464 m
Typical duration
19 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Shenipsit Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
73.7 km
/ 45.8 mi
Elevation gain
991 m
Typical duration
18 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Moderate

Lookout Mountain Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
84 m
Typical duration
29 min
  • Mountain
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Robert Frost Trail

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
68.4 km
/ 42.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,504 m
Typical duration
18 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Moderate

Bald Mountain Red Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
4.2 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
192 m
Typical duration
1 hr 10 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Bald Mountain White Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
85 m
Typical duration
26 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Birch Mountain Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
19 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Bald Mountain Green Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
22 m
Typical duration
14 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Summit Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
23 m
Typical duration
8 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Easy

Pine Ridge Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.4 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
8 m
Typical duration
6 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

High Ridge Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
28 m
Typical duration
15 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Ridge Loop Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
30 m
Typical duration
17 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

East Ridge Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
2.9 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
55 m
Typical duration
41 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Lombardi Ridge Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
2.0 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
35 m
Typical duration
29 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Taine Mountain Road Blue Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
83 m
Typical duration
22 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Ridge Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
32 m
Typical duration
14 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Metacomet TrailConnecticut95.1 km1,550 m24 hrExpertApril to October
New England National Scenic TrailConnecticut327 km3,016 m82 hrExpertApril to October
Metacomet - Monadnock TrailConnecticut183 km2,956 m47 hrExpertApril to October
Nipmuck TrailConnecticut45.9 km633 m11 hrExpertApril to October
Tunxis TrailConnecticut72.4 km1,464 m19 hrExpertApril to October
Shenipsit TrailConnecticut73.7 km991 m18 hrExpertApril to October
Lookout Mountain TrailConnecticut1.7 km84 m29 minModerateApril to October
Robert Frost TrailMassachusetts68.4 km1,504 m18 hrExpertApril to October
Bald Mountain Red TrailConnecticut4.2 km192 m1 hr 10 minModerateApril to October
Bald Mountain White TrailConnecticut1.5 km85 m26 minModerateApril to October

New England National Scenic Trail, Metacomet Trail, Metacomet - Monadnock Trail currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

Read article →

Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

Read article →

Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

Read article →

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