Monadnock Sunapee Greenway Trail
The Monadnock Sunapee Greenway Trail (MSG) is a long-distance hiking route in southwestern New Hampshire linking Mount Monadnock (Jaffrey) to Mount Sunapee (Newbury). It’s typically done as a northbound point-to-point hike over about 3–4 days, following a maintained tread along dirt roads, forest roads, and footpaths with frequent transitions between wooded sections and open-country travel.
Route length is commonly cited around 48–50 miles, with roughly 10,000+ feet of total elevation gain/loss. The terrain is rolling to moderately challenging, but the overall effort is driven by repeated ups/downs and the steep, exposed-feeling final climbs associated with the Monadnock/Sunapee high points.
For navigation, the trail is marked with white rectangular blazes; junctions and directional changes are indicated with double blazes. Expect long stretches where you need to stay on the correct marked line—if you lose track, work forward from your last confirmed blaze and use a map/compass to re-acquire the route.
The trail crosses multiple notable zones and waypoints, including Andorra Forest, Pillsbury State Park area terrain, and the upland heath barrens on Pitcher Mountain and related highpoints. It also passes through the classic New England commons in Washington and Nelson, and includes Eliza Adams Gorge near the Howe Reservoir area.
Camping is available at established shelters and one designated tent campsite: lean-tos at Spiltoir, Crider, Washington, Max Israel, and Steve Galpin (Moose Lookout), plus a tent platform at Fox Brook. Camping is limited to designated areas; there are also park-side options accessible via side trails at the major state parks near the ends of the route.
Resupply is light-to-moderate depending on your plan: the Washington General Store in Washington is a commonly used stop for snacks and meals. Water is a known constraint—no water source should be treated as safe without sterilization, and early-season or unreliable sources can be completely dry, so plan to fill whenever you find decent, consistent water.
Seasonally, summer and fall are the most common choices. Early spring can be wet and muddy, and conditions on exposed summits (especially Mount Monadnock) can be harsher than lower elevations, with high winds and fast-changing weather risk.
Trail management and etiquette matter because much of the corridor runs over private land. Stay on the route and respect access rules, keep gates as you found them, and don’t start fires outside established fire rings in state park campgrounds; use a portable stove if cooking. For commitment-level prep, scout any planned shelters/campsite and water availability near your dates, and be ready to adjust when sources are unreliable in wet or dry weather.
More information: Wikipedia, Monadnock Sunapee Greenway - Primitive Pines, The Backpacking Trip You Need to Add to Your Bucketlist