Peaks and Eats

📍Adams, MA

⸻

🚗 Scenic Route

Up and over the rolling farm hills of western MA — so pretty! 🌾 Some of those dips had us feeling like we were on a roller coaster! 🎢

⸻

🚘 Parking

Small lot at the trailhead, but you can park along the road if needed. 

⸻

🚻 Restrooms & Amenities

Plenty at the top! You’ll find bathrooms, a cafeteria, and even bunk accommodations for AT thru-hikers — or whoever happens to wander in 🤷‍♀️.

⸻

📍 AllTrails

Gould Trail to Mt. Greylock Summit

AllTrails Link

⸻

⏱️ Time

It took us just over 3 hours. We were a little sluggish for various reasons (no judgment 😅), but we saw others struggling too — so we weren’t alone!

⸻

🟡 Trail Marker

Yellow blaze the whole way!

⸻

🥾 The Hike

We finally got into some real elevation! 🏔️ This 3,800’ trail felt totally doable — no scrambles, and good footing throughout. But let’s be honest, that steady incline still had us huffing and puffing! 😮‍💨

The trail winds its way up and crosses two roads near the summit:

• At the first crossing, you’ll pop out at a small turnaround. Head to the road — take the path on the right (AT is to the left).

• At the second crossing, you’ll emerge right in front of the iconic tower, with the lodge, café, and restrooms to your right.

💡 Pro tip: Don’t miss the view behind the tower — a sweeping scene over western MA! And if you’ve got any leg power left, climb the tower for an even better vantage point. 👀

⸻

🌬️ Feature Highlight: Sky Show!

We got the coolest surprise at the summit — a group of long-sit paragliders launching right off the mountain! 🪂 It was absolutely breathtaking and totally unexpected.

⸻

⚠️ Watch Out

The trail connects to the Appalachian Trail, so keep an eye on the signage. Thankfully, it’s well marked! ✅

⸻

🌮 Post-Hike Eats

Posada’s Tavern – Greenfield, MA

Posada’s Tavern

Mexican & Salvadoran Grill with an awesome vibe and flavor-packed dishes!

🍹Drinks

🍽️ For the table

🌮 Main dishes

⸻

⭐ Final Thoughts

This trail is a solid workout with huge summit rewards — paragliders, tower views, and a cozy café! Add in tacos after, and it’s basically a perfect day.

🥾 Hike Rating: 8.5/10

🌮 Food Rating: 9/10

——-

Stay hungry, stay adventurous, and stay tuned! ⏳🥾🍽️

We’ll be serving up fresh hikes and tasty bites every Wednesday at 7 PM EST—because midweek deserves a little adventure too! Set your alarms, grab a snack, and join us for the next trail and treat. See you then! 👀✨ #PeaksAndEats

Please like and subscribe 🖤🥾

📍 Ashburnham, MA

⸻

🚗 Drive:

Took the scenic hills on Route 119. Don’t ask Bre how much further because she’ll tell you it’s a mile down the road for about ten miles 😂🤪. All good though, can’t beat those rolling New England vibes! 🛣️

🚘 Parking:

Tiny lot, but don’t stress! You can park across the main road on a side street (right side only). 🚙

🚻 Restrooms:

None here—and it’s a popular hike. Let’s just say, if nature calls, you’re stepping off trail for a bit of privacy. 😉🌲

📍 AllTrails Link:

Mount Watatic Trail on AllTrails

⏱️ Time:

About 1 hour and 15 minutes—plus extra time for photos and soaking in that summit magic. 📷✨

🔵⚪ Trail Markers:

White & blue blazes

⸻

🥾 The Trek:

Once again, the weather had other plans, so we kept it short—but Mt. Watatic delivered! 💯

The hike kicks off with a peaceful bog crossing on wooden planks (love when nature meets convenience 🙌).

We detoured right early on for the more direct summit trail. You can stay straight to stretch it out if you’re in the mood.

Watch for trail markers! There are a few spots where old paths split off—easy to follow the wrong one if you’re not paying attention. That said, they all may to lead to the same destination 🌄. Not 💯 sure.

There is a false summit with a carin. Don’t be fooled by “Karen,” and keep going to the left. The true summit opens to just over 180° of gorgeous views. On a clear day, you can even spot the Boston skyline—we did! 🏙️👀

We found a little perch for our signature silly photos, despite the busy trail. Yes, we had an audience. No, we didn’t care. Yes, we were awesome. 😎📸

Just as we wrapped up, the rain finally arrived. Great timing, Mother Nature. 🌧️

⭐ Hike Rating: 7/10

Quick and easy with a big view payoff!

Pro tip~ this is a great sunset hike because it’s an easy and quick descent in the dark! It’s Bre’s favorite sunset hike 🌅! 

⸻

🍽️ Post-Hike Eats: The Tavern on Central

View Menu

Bre:

🍢 Teriyaki Beef + Fried Brussels Sprouts (Apps)

The teriyaki was a bit salty, but those Brussels? 💯

KK:

🍕 Fig & Gorgonzola Flatbread on Cauliflower Crust

Flavor combo was unique—tasty but a little unexpected. 🤔

⭐ Food Rating: 7/10

⸻

🔚 Final Thoughts:

Mt. Watatic is the perfect quickie hike for big views with minimal effort—wooden planks, skyline spotting, and silly summit selfies included. Add in a bite at a local tavern, and you’ve got yourself a full-on adventure snack pack. 🥾🌄🍽️

⸻

Stay hungry, stay adventurous, and stay tuned! ⏳🥾🍽️

We’ll be serving up fresh hikes and tasty bites every Wednesday at 7 PM EST—because midweek deserves a little adventure too! Set your alarms, grab a snack, and join us for the next trail and treat. See you then! 👀

📍 Warwick, MA

🚙 Drive – Off Rt 78… pretty and peaceful.

🚘 Parking – Huge lot at Ohlson Field 👌

🚻 Restrooms – One trusty porta-john 💩

📲 AllTrails –

Mount Grace Long Loop on AllTrails

⏰ Time – Just over 2 hours

📏 Distance – 4 miles

🧭 Trail Markers – White and blue. If you are thru hiking the New England Trail, formerly known as Monadnock- Metacomet Trail, you will end up here!

⸻

🥾 The Trek

A fairly easy loop to stretch the legs when Mother Nature is being moody again 🌧️. We went counterclockwise, but you can always do an out-and-back sticking to the gravel road — player’s choice!

We started at the gate, slogged thru the mildly flooded field. You’ll want to wear waterproof boots until nature dries out a bit. We walked parallel to the road for a bit, then looped up to the tower. All the rain has the woods a beautiful green fern haven right now! Be aware of the multiple blow downs, although they are easy to manage right now. The only real view is from the tower itself (if you are brave enough to climb it), but it’s a good one — you’ll spot Mt. Monadnock, Kearsarge, and a few others in the distance. ⛰️👀 There are a few cool “things” you’ll find along the trail… and old abandoned ski lift and a shelter for the New England Trail thru hikers. We had fun taking pictures at both spots 📸

The return trip from the tower heads back towards the trail you just took, but splits right before it. We followed the gravel road down most of the way. Look for one of the Olsen Field paths on the left side of the road to land back at the parking lot, (we took the second turn off for that).

⚠️ Highly recommend downloading the AllTrails map or studying the route beforehand. Some sneaky turns and offshoot trails can lead you way off course — possibly onto the road 🚶‍♀️🚗 . Bre has gotten lost out there before 🥴 (But hey, this time AllTrails came through for us!).

⸻

🍽️ Post-Hike Eats – 110 Grill (Athol, MA)

110 Grill Website

👍 Allergy-Friendly? Absolutely. They were on it! 10/10 ⭐️

For the table:

🥒 Calamari & Pickle Chips (GF/VG) – crispy and delish!

Appetizers: 🔥🔥 Solid! 9.5/10 ⭐️

🍹 Drinks: Raspberry lemonade and Strawberry Lemon sparkler (which was the winner). 

Mains:

🥪 Bre – Pulled Pork Sandwich + Brussels Sprouts

🥗 KK – Spring Berry Salad + Grilled Chicken

Main Dish Rating: 6.5/10 ⭐️ – Not bad, but the apps were the stars!

———

💭 Overall- 

It’s not a hike to drive out of the way for, but if you’re nearby and itching to get outside, it’s an easy dose of nature therapy.

⭐️ Hike Rating – 6/10

———

Stay hungry, stay adventurous, and stay tuned! ⏳🥾🍽️

We’ll be serving up fresh hikes and tasty bites every Wednesday at 7 PM EST—because midweek deserves a little adventure too! Set your alarms, grab a snack, and join us for the next trail and treat. See you then! 👀✨ #PeaksAndEats

Please like and subscribe 🖤🥾

📍 Royalston, MA

⸻

🚗 Drive-

Just over the NH/MA border off Route 32, this one’s a quick escape into the woods.

⸻

🚘 Parking-

Tiny parking lot. 

🚻 Restrooms? Nature 🌲🌳

⸻

🥾 Trail Details

• ⏱️ Time: Just under 1.5 hours

• 🔄 Out & back

• 🎨 Blazes: White and yellow

• 🗺️ AllTrails link: Royalston Falls via Tully Trail

⸻

🌲 The Hike

Rule #1: Don’t even think about skipping the bug spray! 🦟

We probably would’ve bailed if we hadn’t packed the bug nets. Gotta love spring in New England, right? 🤷‍♀️

The trail starts out as a nice stroll through the woods — nothing too challenging — before dipping downhill and leveling out by the brook. There’s a shelter up on the left bank, but it was too muggy (and buggy!) for us to explore.

After crossing the bridge, make sure to take a right and follow the brook downstream about 1/4 mile for the falls. If you accidentally go straight… well, say hello to New Hampshire. Not that we’d know from experience or anything… 😂🤦‍♀️

⸻

💦 Feature Highlight: Royalston Falls

The falls are tucked off a steep edge — but no worries , there are guide wires. The views aren’t as open now that the leaves are coming in, but we still found a solid spot with a peek at the cascade. Probably best visibility in early spring!

⸻

🌮 Post-Hike Eats: Los Agaves

📍 Athol, MA

Menu here

Not quite El Mirador in Bethlehem, NH, or Maiz in Portland, ME, but it did the trick. Looks like they have some fun drink options 🍹 but we didn’t partake. 

Starter: Chips, salsa, and cheese dip for the table 🧀🌶️

Bre: Picadillo tostada + beef enchiladas with beans and rice

KK: Asada Skirt Steak Bowl 🥩

⸻

⭐ Final Thoughts

Hike Rating: 6.5/10⭐️

✅ Peaceful, easy, quick

❌ Spring bugs were a lot — and the falls weren’t super visible with full foliage

Food Rating: 6.5/10⭐️

✅ Decent flavors and variety

❌ Just okay compared to some of our other favs

⸻

👉 When in doubt, follow the brook down stream(not the state line), pack your bug gear, and keep the snacks coming. 🥾🌯 See you on the trail!

👋 Until Next Time…

Stay hungry, stay adventurous, and stay tuned! ⏳🥾🍽️

We’ll be serving up fresh hikes and tasty bites every Wednesday at 7 PM EST—because midweek deserves a little adventure too! Set your alarms, grab a snack, and join us for the next trail and treat. See you then! 👀✨ #PeaksAndEats

Please like and subscribe 🖤🥾

Jaffrey, New Hampshire

⸻

📍 Scenic Route

Mt. Monadnock is nestled between Routes 101 and 124—easy to find, hard to forget!

⸻

🚗 Parking

🚫💸 Heads up! The main visitor parking area charges $15. Dublin Trailhead parking is free!!!

⸻

🚻 Trailhead Amenities

A solid Porta John situation (as Porta Johns go).

⸻

🥾 Trail Details

• Route: Mount Monadnock via Dublin Trail

• AllTrails Link: Mount Monadnock via Dublin Trail

• Time: 3.5–4 hours for us. Could be ~3 hrs if you’re hustling on a dry day (we were not 🐢💦)

• Trail Marker: White blaze 🖱️

*** No dogs allowed. They’ll have to stay home for this one. 

⸻

🥾 The Hike

Oh, Monadnock! We’ve trekked you countless times, and we still come back for more 🏞️💚

The hike begins with a nice, steady warm-up before the rocks start demanding a little scramble action. Compared to other Monadnock trails, Dublin Trail has less scrambling, but don’t get too comfy—there’s still plenty of climbing involved!

🎒 Bug spray is a must if it’s been rainy lately—those lower sections get buggy.

🌲 Part of the lower trail had been recently logged—not your usual woodland view, but keep climbing because the summit views always deliver!

🏞️ Jim’s Junction = False Summit

From there, look to the far right—you’ll spot the real summit (and a crowd of folks who made it from the other various trails). Just a bit more boulder-hopping and boom—you’re on top of this treasure! ⛰️🙌

⸻

🌟 Feature Highlight

The summit never disappoints—360° views, and the unbeatable feeling of standing above it all. Doesn’t matter how many times we go… the top is still so wonderful! 🫶✨

⸻

🍖 Post-Hike Eats

We couldn’t resist—Guerrilla Grill was calling our name again!

guerrillagrill.com

🥩 Brisket

🍠 Sweet Potato Fries

🍹 Sweet (but not too sweet) Tea

🔥 That brisket hits different after a long climb. Highly recommend!

⸻

🏁 Final Thoughts

Monadnock is a classic for a reason. The Dublin Trail offers a quieter, slightly less scrambly route up one of New England’s most climbed peak, and it still brings those wow-factor views. Add in a killer brisket plate after? Yeah… that’s our kind of day.

⸻

⭐ Ratings

The Hike: 8.5/10 ⭐️— Scenic, steady climb with some fun bouldering and an epic summit. Loses half a point for those logged sections and bugs.

The Food: 9/10 ⭐️— That brisket is a must. Fries were crispy, tea was balanced, and we left happy and full.

⸻

Stay hungry, stay adventurous, and stay tuned! ⏳🥾🍽️

We’ll be serving up fresh hikes and tasty bites every Wednesday at 7 PM EST—because midweek deserves a little adventure too! Set your alarms, grab a snack, and join us for the next trail and treat. See you then! 👀✨ #PeaksAndEats

Please like and subscribe 🖤🥾

📍Wilmington, VT

⸻

🛣️ Scenic Route

Off Route 9—it’s a pretty drive up, down, around, and through rural VT. Once you’re off 9, directions to the trailhead are posted, making it easy to find.

⸻

🛑 Pit Stop

There are lots of little country stores to check out. We stopped at Hogback Mountain Country Store—it’s got history and a view!

Hogback Mountain Country Store

⸻

🚘 Parking

Park on the right-hand side of the road—well marked!

Total déjà vu for us… that’s when we 💯 knew we’d hiked this last year.

Guess it wanted its spot on the blog! 🖤🥾

⸻

🌲 Restrooms

Woods it is!

⸻

📍 Trail Details

AllTrails link: Haystack Mountain Trail on AllTrails

Time: 2 hrs 15 min

Distance: A pretty easy 4.1 miles

Trail Sign: 🔷

⸻

🥾 The Hike

It starts on a gravel access road. You’ll turn left into the woods at a well-marked sign. From there, it continues as a fairly wide, easy path.

Since it’s spring, there were some soggy-bottom areas we had to carefully get around. The bugs were out—but if we kept moving, it was manageable.

There’s a turn to the right to get to the summit. The area was blanketed in spruce needles knocked down from recent rain, and the smell was amazing!

We made it to the top just as the rain started (which wasn’t supposed to happen until later—rude!). But we had fun anyway, trying to snap pics under the refuge of some rock formations. Can’t keep us down!

Hike rating: 7/10 ⭐️

⸻

🍔 Post-Hike Eats

We tried The Maple Leaf Tavern—it’s a one-and-done for us.

Maple Leaf Tavern Menu

Bre ~ MLT Burger (no bun—dang egg allergy)

KK ~ Cali Club

🥓 The bacon was supposed to be maple glazed… we were unsure.

Unfortunately, the bacon, chicken, and beef were all overdone. The fries were even soggy. 😔 

Food rating: 2/10 ⭐️ 

⸻

Stay hungry, stay adventurous, and stay tuned! ⏳🥾🍽️

We’ll be serving up fresh hikes and tasty bites every Wednesday at 7 PM EST—because midweek deserves a little adventure too! Set your alarms, grab a snack, and join us for the next trail and treat. See you then! 👀✨ #PeaksAndEats

Please like and subscribe 🖤🥾

📍South Paris, ME

~ ~ ~

🚗 Drive — More classic New England towns — perfect for a scenic ride!

🚘 Parking — Pull off to the side of the road. It’s not marked, so we had to turn around to find it.

🚽 Restrooms — 🌲 (aka, pick a tree… but heads up: steep slope + wind = check the wind direction! 🤪)

AllTrails —

Trail Info Here!

⏰ Time — Just over 1 hour.

📍Trail Marker — Blue arrows on the rock slabs; otherwise, just follow the well-beaten trail.

~ ~ ~

🥾 The Trek —

Streaked Mountain gives off lovely Mt. Welch & Dickey vibes — although on a smaller scale!

You’re climbing a lot of slab exposed rock. It’s a bit of a thigh-burner, (but that’s great prep for bigger hikes!).

⚡ Pro tip: If it’s been rainy or looks slippery, come another day. You’ll want dry rock and clear skies to really enjoy it!

Even though you’re not in the Whites, you can see them — and it’s so worth it! Every time we turned around on the way up, the views were better.

At the top, you do have to share the summit with towers and power lines… but we found our own spot with the towers behind us and just soaked in the scenery.

In the distance, we spotted snow dusting the Presidentials, and Mt. Washington’s peak was tucked away in the clouds.

The combo of snow-capped mountains and lake made it easy to forget about the towers (mostly).

⭐️ Hike Rating — 7/10

(Fun workout + rewarding views, even with the towers!)

~ ~ ~

🍱 Post-Hike Eats —

We hit up Ninja Sushi — and trust us, don’t judge by the outside!

The building’s simple, but the inside was clean, stylish, and the food delivered.

Check out Ninja Sushi!

🍹Drinks ~ Iced Thai Tea for everyone!

🍱 Bre’s Picks ~ Veggie Roll + Sweet Potato Roll

🍣 KK’s Picks ~ Miso Soup + Summer Roll with Lobster and Tuna…Finally lobster in Maine! 🦞 Now that’s a GF lobster roll!)

⭐️ Restaurant Rating — 8/10

(Unexpectedly good sushi spot after a mountain climb!)

~ ~ ~

💭Final Thoughts —

Streaked Mountain is a hidden gem for a quick but satisfying climb.

Big views, a solid leg workout, and a peaceful moment to soak in the snowy White Mountains (if you angle yourself away from the towers!).

Top it off with some fresh sushi and iced tea — and you’ve got yourself a mini Maine adventure to remember!

~ ~ ~

Stay hungry, stay adventurous, and stay tuned! ⏳🥾🍽️

We’ll be serving up fresh hikes and tasty bites every Wednesday at 7 PM EST—because midweek deserves a little adventure too! Set your alarms, grab a snack, and join us for the next trail and treat. See you then! 👀✨ #PeaksAndEats

Please like and subscribe 🖤🥾

📍Raymond, ME

🚗 Drive — Enjoy small-town Maine as you head inland from the ocean.

🚘 Parking — Decent trailhead parking available.

🚽 Restrooms — 🌲 (nature’s facilities!)

~ ~ ~

AllTrails —

Check it out here!

⏰ Time — About an hour, a little more if you add the loop ridge trail at the top.

Trail marker — Pink and then Blue with a white dot.

🥾 The Trek —

Start to the right of the Loon Echo Land Trust sign. The trail crosses the road and heads up the small mountain. Leaves were still blanketing the path, giving it that classic New England look. There are some cool rocks along the way up the fairly easy 452’ elevation gain.

This hike is high reward with a view of a lake and mountains in the distance!

There’s a loop at the top along the ridge. We didn’t partake, as a local with their dog mentioned they thought they heard some very happy coyotes nearby. It was a windy day and hard to tell how far away they were… so, hard pass! Another time maybe. 

On a less active day, this could add a little extra time outside.

⭐️ Hike Rating — 7/10

(Raymond Forest = high reward for relatively little effort!)

~ ~ ~

🍽️ Post-Hike Eats —

Not much around Raymond, so we headed to Lewiston. (Yes, Italian — you don’t need us to find a seafood place in Maine!)

DaVinci’s Eatery

🍴Appetizer ~ Calamari

Shared for the table:

🥗~ Cranberry Walnut Salad (add chicken) with Maple Vinaigrette 🍁 (The dressing was on point!)

🍕~ Brick Oven Brie, Cranberry Pizza with GF crust — BEST pizza we’ve had in a long time… gluten-free or not!

⭐️ Restaurant Rating — 9/10

~ ~ ~

💭Final Thoughts

Pismire Bluff is the perfect little adventure when you want big views without a big hike! Cozy forest trails, rocky outcrops, and peaceful lakeside scenery made it a win — even with a surprise coyote story. Add in some unforgettable eats at DaVinci’s, and you’ve got yourself a classic Maine day well spent!

~ ~ ~

Stay hungry, stay adventurous, and stay tuned! ⏳🥾🍽️

We’ll be serving up fresh hikes and tasty bites every Wednesday at 7 PM EST—because midweek deserves a little adventure too! Set your alarms, grab a snack, and join us for the next trail and treat. See you then! 👀✨ #PeaksAndEats

Please like and subscribe 🖤🥾