Hiking the Warner Trail: Sharon, MA - Cumberland, RI

Hiking the Warner Trail from Sharon, MA - Cumberland RI is something that I would never have considered, even if done bit by bit. But when we discovered how close we were located to this remarkable southeast New England trail the more interested we became in checking what it has to offer.

Hiking the Warner Trail was made possible by the conscientious efforts of two Appalachian Mountain Club members, John Hudson and Charles Warner from whom the trail takes its name. Along with a supportive group of local mountain club members the two began before World War II to set about the considerable task of laying out a trail that would eventually link Sharon, MA, a suburb of Boston, with Cumberland, RI.

Bit by bit the designers attempted to link existing bits of public land and gain permission to pass across unavoidable segments of private land to create a trail for nature seekers to walk in peace along a path that begins not an hour from downtown Boston. Their success is marked by the fact that the Warner trail is with us still in the 21st century and in all covers some thirty miles connecting Sharon, MA to Cumberland, RI.

Hiking today's Warner Trail from Sharon-Cumberland is probably not something many would want to take on in a single day. Fortunately the trail does break down into somewhat more manageable chunks. Best of all there are lots of spots where you can jump on to the trail, venture out as far as you choose, storing away enough energy to make the return walk pleasant and possible.

Not surprisingly two favorite parts of the hike for many people are found at the northern and southern ends of the trail. To the north in Sharon the Warner Trail passes through part of what is the Massachusetts Audubon's oldest sanctuary and one of its largest at Moose Hill. There seasoned hikers can enjoy visiting Moose Hill Bluff . There you can enjoy vistas of the almost 2,000 acres that make up the sanctuary and the many diverse habitats which it includes. Moose Hill is a wonderful place to view bird and animal life. If hiking the Warner Trail only takes you as far as sites in Sharon you will have a memorable walk

At the southernmost end of the Warner Trail you will find Diamond Hill Park in Cumberland, RI. You may even be familiar with the Diamond Hill site as it once hosted a downhill ski run. Today it is under local care and activities include cross country skiing, hiking and picnicking. It can be a nice place to finish up a hike of that end of the trail as it does provide excellent picnic areas .

What we really like about the Warner Trail is the fun we have had in exploring parts of local towns like Foxboro, Sharon and Wrentham in a whole new way. It is possible to be quite familiar with locations such as the Premium Outlet Mall in Wrentham without having a clue about how to find the Warner Trail and yet the two are not really far from one another. Searching for the various local entry spots to the trail is like a scavenger hunt that the whole family can enjoy. And what a kick you will get out of spying the identifying trail markers and knowing that indeed you have discovered another possible entry spot by which one can quickly access the Warner Trail.

If you enjoy the outdoors and are looking for a new hiking area you might choose to check out the website for the Warner Trail listed below.

Sources: www.warnertrail.org