Trail Magic
A thru-hiker finds joy in helping other hikers achieve their goals.
Words and Pictures by Greg Gregory
As all hikers know, planning a hike and actually hiking are two separate things. While nothing beats getting your boots on the trail, there’s a different kind of joy to be found in choosing your gear and obsessively mapping out your adventure. Backpackers excel at solving most problems with a safety pin and perseverance, but some obstacles require a little outside help.
Top: the southern terminus of the NET in Guilford, Conn.
Connecticut is home to half of the New England National Scenic Trail, or NET, which runs 235 miles from Guilford, Conn., to Royalston, Mass. Along with the usual concerns like identifying water sources and methodically planning each meal, the NET has some unique logistical challenges, including gaps as large as 60 miles between camp sites and major river crossings.
While some hikers prefer to go it alone, many solicit off-trail support from people known in the backpacking community as trail angels —volunteers, often hikers themselves, who provide local information and physical assistance to other hikers. Their help can make the difference between a successful hike and being stuck on the side of the road. I am grateful to have received support from generous trail angels on my own adventure on the NET and now enjoy providing assistance to others.
The NET was my first thru-hike, so planning felt a little intimidating. My biggest hurdle was the lack of available camping sites. There are nine campsites along the trail, but they are unevenly spaced and spread too far apart for most hikers. The majority of the NET is on private property and camping is only allowed in designated areas, which means that hikers must often leave the trail to sleep. (Illegal camping can jeopardize the relationship with landowners who host the trail). As a local, I decided to side-step this issue by hiking the Connecticut section as a series of out-and-back day hikes. In Massachusetts, however, I played “leapfrog” with my truck, hiking northbound and then catching a ride back to my truck on nights that I couldn’t reach a designated site. Luckily, I knew a few locals who were happy to assist me with rides. Some even lent me earbuds and replenished my snacks.
Above: Gregory (left) and his trail angel, Gina Pagona, near the northern terminus in Royalston Falls, Mass.
One of the most common requests for assistance on the NET is navigating the “spur,” a section that splits from the main trail in Guilford and crosses 27 miles of forested terrain, including Rockland Preserve and Millers Pond State Park, before coming to an end at the Connecticut River in Middletown. Hikers who complete the spur are left standing on the side of a quiet industrial road hoping to catch a ride or must hike the entire distance back. Thankfully rideshare apps are easy to use in this part of the state, although I can attest from personal experience that drivers tend to not appreciate sweaty, stinky hikers in their cars. Getting a ride from a trail angel may be safer for your Uber rating.
The Massachusetts section features two major river crossings. Depending on the water level, the Westfield River is occasionally passable by foot. I opted to contact a trail manager who frequently helps hikers in the area. She shuttled me across the river and showed me where she planned several improvements to her trail section. She sent me on my way better hydrated and more knowledgeable about the trail. Further north, the NET reaches the Connecticut River at a boat launch in Northampton. Most hikers choose a rideshare app, although those seeking a novel adventure may “hitchhike” across by fishing boat.
Regardless of the trail, every thru-hiker needs to plan how they’ll get home at the end of their hike. While southbound hikers will have an easier time finding local help along the more densely populated Connecticut shoreline, there is no cell reception or public transportation at the northern terminus of the NET, so hikers must arrange a ride. As I neared Royalston, where a friend had agreed to meet me, I had only one thing on my mind: a pair of fresh socks. I had been hiking in wet boots for days and my feet were covered in painful blisters. It was an enormous relief to see my friend’s car in the parking lot, and an even bigger relief to put on those clean socks. Her assistance not only gave me the morale boost I needed to finish the last mile, but she also made the entire hike possible by driving me home.
“When streams and ponds dry up, I meet thirsty hikers at road crossings to deliver water.”
Now that I’ve completed the NET, I’ve chosen to return the favors paid to me by serving as a trail angel for others. Most people contact me through a small Facebook group dedicated to hiking the NET. While I was lucky to hike during the spring when water is plentiful, with the recent years of severe drought, the most common request I get is for help locating potable water. I make note of natural water sources while hiking, and when streams and ponds dry up, I meet thirsty hikers at road crossings to deliver water. I also occasionally get requests for rides along the spur or for local information about cheap motels, navigating trail closures or relocations, or activities to do on rest days.
The Westfield River crossing in Massachusetts.
I love meeting thru-hikers as a trail angel. Although most people are eager to get back on the trail, I enjoy spending a few minutes hearing about their journey and answering their questions about what lies ahead. One hiker to whom I provided water several times during a severe drought sent me regular updates her entire way north, giving me the sense that I was with her on the trail. Other hikers have sent me photos when they reach Royalston Falls. While every hiker’s accomplishments are theirs alone, I’m proud to have contributed in some small way to their success.
Completing a long trail invokes a strange blend of relief, exhaustion, and elation, followed by sadness that the adventure is over. It can be difficult to return to normal life with all its complications after weeks of focusing on your basic needs. Part of the magic of the trail is making connections with others, whether through quick conversations as you cross paths or by relying on a stranger for a life-saving resource like water. Serving as a trail angel is one way to hold onto that experience and contribute to another’s journey. Each small favor—from a bottle of water to a dry pair of socks—adds up over the course of a hike to create that unforgettable experience.
Greg Gregory is a Certified Master Naturalist and BlueBlazed Hiking Challenge 800-Miler. He is a volunteer trail manager on the NET. His favorite trails are the Metacomet and Housatonic Range Trail.