I have previously done the Southern New England Trunkline Trail (SNETT) one-way eastbound (i.e. start at CT/MA border, end in Franklin MA) several times and got the idea stuck in my brain to do a solo out/back. I attempted the out/back early in summer 2024 but it had just been way too hot/humid(90s for both!) that day, I got 'cooked' and ran out of water. So I planned-ahead a little better this time, got slightly better weather, and on July 20, 2024, yay I successfully did the full out/back of the Southern New England Trunkline Trail (SNETT), about 46 miles total. This is by NO means a fast time, I'm just not very fast, and it was a hot humid day, and I'm just not very fast. But I guess I'm first or at least the first to post, so I guess I'll own the FKT for at least a little while.
Started at the trailhead in Franklin(MA) with turnaround at the CT/MA border. I ran with a 2L hydration pack and 2 bottles, had dropped water for myself at miles 13/33ish and 22/24ish the night before, and made use of convenience stores at miles 38ish and 39ish. The weather was great considering late July in New England, but was still warm (ranged 70F-mid80s) and humid (ranged ~70% - ~50%).
A brief ~walkthrough of the trails from Franklin to the CT/MA border: the first 4miles from Franklin are "improved" version of SNETT, a hardpack railtrail surface. After mile4 (tunnel underneath South Main Street in Bellingham, MA) it becomes moreso flat(ish) single-track(ish) with gravel, some sandy-spots and some motorcycle-induced whoopty-whoos. Hard to keep your feet dry in this part in the springtime. Mile 5ish you go past a fenced-off landfill approaching Farm Street in Blackstone MA, and you cross the street to a section that eventually dumps you onto pavement on Castle Hill Way in Blackstone MA. Mile 6.3ish there’s a CVS store and you're on a stretch of roads until you get to where the SNETT coexists with the Blackstone River Greenway (BRG). Mile 7ish is the start of the BRG/SNETT and its paved and there is a convenience store right ~on the SNETT/BRG at approx mile 7.3. The BRG/SNETT section lasts a total of about 3.5miles before you have to do another short section of roads to cross 146A, work your way underneath 146, and then get back onto trail at about mile 11.5ish. You then hit my least favorite portion at miles 11.8ish and 12ish -- best described as sand traps. But by mile 12.3ish you've done a little climb to get across Aldrich street and are onto a "better"(ish) section of trail embedded with ballast rock, typically involves navigating around various puddles and in Spring you probably cant keep your feet dry. Route gradually becomes nicer and nicer and eventually goes through Douglas State Forest and you past some ponds and even beaver huts and before you know it, you’re at mile 20.5ish passing under a very beautiful high stone archway supporting Lake Wallum Road above. The turnaround is at mile 23ish at the CT/MA state line which is easy to identify from the "tri-state-marker" trail sign -- there's a historic stone CT/MA border marker near that sign and 0.3 miles down the tristate trail there's a cool historic stone CT/MA/RI border marker if you wish to add a short detour. I did not add that detour on my FKT day, but I've done it a couple of my one-way efforts. For anyone that has done the midstate massive trail ultra, this final part of the SNETT near the CT/MA border should look familiar because the ‘midstate massive trail race’ brings you past both this MA/CT marker and the MA/CT/RI border markers to eventually have you end at lake Wallum! :)
But anyways back to the FKT --- I was/am very happy to have gotten this done, it took me about 5hrs to do the trek to CT/MA border and about another 7hrs to get back to the Franklin eastern terminus, with lots of walking involved in the final hours. Appreciative nods to Steve Levandosky (his FKT of SNETT one-way had been very helpful with my initial explorations of SNETT several years ago) and Ilya Bass (his FKT posting of Warner Trail out/back inspired me to go ahead and post my adventure). I’ve thought about doing this again on a cooler day to improve my time and hopefully do less walking, but we’ll see, so many different places to explore.