NEW ENGLAND TR
A 215-mile long-distance hiking in Connecticut to the Maine/New The NET Hike Challenge is back for 2022! Over the last four years, almost 800 participants have completed the challenge, logging over 60,000 miles on the New England Trail! You heard that right, over 60,000 miles or points earned by you through hiking, volunteering, and exploring! Thank you for choosing the NET over and over again for your adventures. In 2018 we celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the National Trails System with our first 50-mile challenge. In 2019, we built upon this by adding an extra 100-mile challenge to highlight the 10 year anniversary of the designation of the NET. In 2020, we encouraged participants to use the NET as their close-to-home trail amidst travel restrictions. In 2021, we saw nearly 200 people complete both the Hike 50 and Hike 100 challenges! As life returns to a (semi) normal pace, we are excited to announce the 2022 Hike Challenge! Now more than ever, spending time outdoors has become a crucial part of staying mentally and physically healthy. Hike 50 or 100 miles (unique or repetitive) during the 2022 calendar year on the NET and submit your points to receive a special edition completion patch. Log your mileage over the year and once you complete your challenge, make sure to share your story with us! A typical thru-hiker can com-
plete the trail in 2-4 weeks. The trail is well-marked and easy to follow. Apart from several road walks, the single track trail winds its way along traprock ridges and forested areas. However, it can be rugged in some sections with thru hikers experiencing a net gain of just over 30,000 ft. The highest elevation is Mount Grace, at 1617 ft and the lowest elevation is the Long Island Sound, 0ft. New England has varied and ex-
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treme weather, please choose the timing of your hike appropriately. Although the trail could be hiked year round, many choose to hike in the spring and fall, as summers tend to be humid and buggy and winters are cold and icy. The Trail primarily follows the Metacomet Ridge and water sources are very limited, particularly in the Summer and Fall. Some overnight sites do not have a reliable water source. You will
