Trail proposed

The Boston Globe editorial page in Sunday's edition talks about a new hiking trail proposed to extend from Mount Monadnock to Long Island Sound. HOME TO some of the most spectacular sections of the Appalachian Trail, New England could gain a new interstate hiking trail that is closer to the region's population centers. US Representative John Olver of Amherst filed a bill this month to create a New England National Scenic Trail that could one day stretch from Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire to the Long Island Sound at Guilford, Conn. For 190 miles of the 220-mile distance, the trail would roughly follow the route through the Connecticut River Valley of the existing Monadnock, Metacomet, and Mattabessett trail system in Massachusetts and Connecticut. The principal addition would be a 14-mile spur from the southern end of the Mattabessett in Connecticut to the shoreline in Guilford. .... The goal of planners is that the scenic trail will have a single trail blazing system, but with few through hikers, since overnight camping would be permitted in only a limited number of locations. Of course, decades ago planners of the Appalachian Trail did not envision through hikers for its 2,175-mile length, either. Congress should designate the path as a new national scenic trail and let the walking public decide how best to use it. I heartily endorse this concept. We once went to Mt Monadnock for a hike on a Sunday. We got a late start and were overdressed for the warm day. We ended up coming back before the peak vowing to return some day and complete the trail. We have yet to do so. I was fortunate to hike Mt Mansfield and see Mt Monadnock in the distance on the clear weather day we had. I will get back to Monadnock to do the peak. I would love to see the trail go all the way to the shore. If you hear of anything about this trail, talk up the positive. This would be a good thing for New England, and not just those of us who live here.