Wachusett Mountain State Reservation

A notable landmark in the Commonwealth’s landscape…

Spanning more than 3,000 acres, Wachusett Mountain State Reservation offers year-round
outdoor recreation for visitors of all ages.
Hiking and biking are popular during warmer months, while winter and early spring bring skiing at one of New England’s highly regarded destinations.
At 2,006 feet, the summit provides sweeping 360-degree views on clear days, with sights extending to the Boston skyline, New Hampshire’s Mount Monadnock, and the Berkshires.

The reservation features 17 miles of forested trails and a wide range of recreational
opportunities.
Visitors come to hike, observe the annual hawk migration, enjoy nature study, or relax at designated picnic areas.
The landscape includes forests, alpine meadows, bogs, open fields, and streams, supporting a diverse array of plant and wildlife species.

The John Hitchcock Visitor Center, located near the park entrance, offers information on hiking
trails, route options, and seasonal conditions.
Interpretive exhibits highlight the mountain’s
geologic history, including the effects of the last glacial period, as well as its cultural history—
from the Indigenous peoples who named the mountain to later European settlement.
Nearby is a stand of ancient trees believed to be the only old-growth forest in Massachusetts east of the
Connecticut River.

The summit is accessible by motor vehicles and bicycles via a four-mile paved road from the
main entrance, open from Memorial Day weekend through the end of October.
Clearly marked trailheads provide access to hiking routes ranging from moderate to difficult.

Visitors accessing trails from the Mountain Road parking area pass Echo Lake, a late 19th-century man-made reservoir originally constructed to supply water to a former summit hotel.
An icehouse once stood near the lake, serving hotel guests and residents of Princeton.
Nearby trails also lead to Princeton’s Wind Farm, where turbines mounted on two 215-foot towers generate renewable energy. Wind power is now one of the fastest-growing and most cost-effective renewable energy sources worldwide.