Wachusett East Loop

HIKE NAME: Wachusett East               DISTANCE: 3.5 miles    DIFFICULTY: Difficult 

Restrictions: Dogs must be  leashed. No horses or bikes.

Trailhead:  Echo Lake Road Parking area on Mountain Road in Princeton  https://goo.gl/maps/WSivGSCgKU8cEArd8

Hike Description: This is a hike up to the summit of Wachusett Mountain and back around the east side of the mountain. Highlights of the hike are the summit area, the Harlow Outlook, and the Visitor’s Center. 700 feet of elevation gain.

Links: Full Wachusett Mountain Map

Hike Details:

From the parking area, walk up Echo Lake Road to the lake, and then take a right on High Meadow trail up to High Meadow. The high meadow trail can be wet and is rocky at the start, then it is a brief steep climb up to the open meadow, a great spot for wildflowers. Continue on High Meadow Trail up a rock outcrop to the Jack Frost Trail.

Turn right on Jack Frost and follow it through a pine forest up to the Mountain House Trail. Turn left on Mountain House and climb to the mountain summit. Enjoy the views from the summit and the informational kiosks. Note that photos on the tower structure identify all of the surrounding hills.

To complete the loop, descend the Pine Hill trail to the paved ‘Down’ road.Turn left on the paved ‘Down’ Road and stop at the Harlow Outlook, a stone shelter with nice views. Continue down the road, turning right at the intersection with the ‘Up’ Road. There are some nice views along this route, down the ski trails. Follow the paved road to the Visitor Center and stop in to learn more about the history, geology, plants and wildlife associated with the mountain. Wachusett Mountain also offers many educational programs that are presented at the Visitor’s Center.

From the Visitor’s Center, take Pine Hill to start and before the steep ascent of Pine Hill turn left onto Bicentennial Trail,a rocky traverse that takes you back to Mountain House Trail. Take a left turn to return to the parking lot.

This hike is rated difficult because of the rocky Bicentennial Trail.

Other Options to Consider

Several options can be considered to shorten or lengthen the hike. Some are:

For a shorter but steeper descent, use the Pine Hill Trail, which cuts directly down to the Bicentennial Trail. At the intersection with Bicentennial, you can go left to visit the Visitor Center or right on Bicentennial to complete the loop (Purple on Map).

You can also start and end at the Mountain House trailhead on Mountain Road. This is a quicker and more gradual way to the summit but it misses High Meadow.

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The Harlow Outlook is a great place to watch the sunrise or moonrise, with a nice view to the east to Boston