Appalachian Trail: Sages Ravine, Mount Everett, and Jug End (Connecticut Line to Jug End Road)

Appalachian National Scenic Trail and Mount Everett State Reservation, southwestern Massachusetts (Mount Washington and Sheffield)

The southern end of the Massachusetts Appalachian Trail packs the state’s steepest ridge walking into its first 10 miles. From Sages Ravine at the Connecticut line, the trail climbs over Mount Race and Mount Everett, then rides the Mount Bushnell ridge to Jug End before dropping into the Housatonic Valley. Western Mass Hilltown Hikers called the Race Mountain ridge views “the BEST views in Western Mass!”

Camping here is only at designated shelters and campsites, and there are five within the section or just off it.

The hike

The section starts deep in the woods. The state line runs through Sages Ravine, which Backpacker describes as a ravine with waterfalls and a swimming hole, so you have to hike in from somewhere. You can come up from Connecticut on the Undermountain Trail and over Bear Mountain (see the Connecticut section to the south), or climb the Race Brook Falls Trail from Route 41 in Sheffield. Early Bird on the Trail puts the AT junction 2.0 miles up that trail, past a series of falls the trail crosses at 0.9 miles.

North of the ravine, AMC Western Massachusetts places the Laurel Ridge Campsite about 1.9 miles past Sages Ravine. Early Bird on the Trail describes a 0.6-mile stretch along Mount Race’s eastern escarpment ending at a summit overlook, then 1.0 mile more to the Race Brook Falls Trail. The Race Brook Campsite is 0.2 miles down that trail.

The AT then climbs Mount Everett, 2,602 feet by Backpacker’s count. The 2008 hiker whose trip report is hosted by Hampden-Sydney College noted a “muddy trail up Mt. Everett.” Past the summit, the trail passes Guilder Pond, which the DCR calls the second-highest pond in Massachusetts at 2,048 feet.

The Hemlocks Shelter and Glen Brook Shelter sit 0.1 mile apart, 3.5 and 3.4 miles south of Jug End Road per AMC Western Massachusetts. Backpacker remembers the Hemlocks for “pine trees, pine scent and cool shade.” SectionHiker’s Philip Werner, passing in 2009, found the Hemlocks “uncomfortably close to a road.”

From there the trail follows the Mount Bushnell ridge through scrub and pitch pine to Jug End. Werner describes the descent as very steep, with “wet leaves and slick rock,” and switchbacks that are rare on the AT in New England. The section ends at Jug End Road, 9.5 miles from the state line by the DCR map’s count.

One way to make this an overnight without a long car shuttle is to start at the Race Brook Falls trailhead, camp at Laurel Ridge or Race Brook, and come back the same way or continue to Jug End Road. Backpacker and AMC Outdoors describe a longer two-state point to point from CT 41 to Jug End Road (15.9 or 16.9 miles, depending on the source).

The next section north runs from Jug End to Upper Goose Pond.

Tips

Don’t plan to park overnight at Guilder Pond. The DCR’s Mount Everett page lists “No overnight parking.”
Watch the water. A May 2025 group found Bear Rock Falls waist-deep after rain.
Bring a padlock for the bear box at Laurel Ridge. A Dyrt reviewer reported that the box needed one.
Expect steep, rocky footing on Mount Race, Mount Everett, and Jug End, especially in the wet.
Have a fallback. New England Waterfalls suggests trying Glen Brook if the Hemlocks is full, and vice versa.

Camping

The ATC says camping in Massachusetts is restricted to designated sites, and AMC Western Massachusetts says “stealth” camping is not permitted. Sites are first come, first served. The DCR map limits camping groups to 10 people and stays to two consecutive nights at any site. Fire rules differ by source (see needs_review); the ATC says campfires are prohibited at Sages Ravine and Laurel Ridge.

AMC Western Massachusetts lists these sites, south to north:

Laurel Ridge Campsite: group site with 3 platforms and 2 pads, plus 6 tent pads on the upper trail; privy, 2 bear boxes; water at the south end. No campfires.
Race Brook Campsite: 3 platforms, 5 pads, group area; privy, bear box; water at the stream just east. Rare species are present, so stay on trails.
Hemlocks Shelter: sleeps 12; limited tenting, so tenters and groups use Glen Brook.
Glen Brook Shelter and Campsite: shelter sleeps 4, 2 platforms, large tenting area; privy, bear box.

Inside Intel: A Dyrt reviewer who hiked from Race Brook Falls over Mount Race in October called the overnight at Laurel Ridge, with its platforms, one of their favorite hiking and camping experiences, but warned that the climb isn’t easy. New England Waterfalls rates Race Brook (9 of 10) above Laurel Ridge and Sages Ravine (8 each) for scenery, though it expects moderate to high crowds at all three.

Trail facts

Distance: About 9.5 miles, Connecticut line to Jug End Road (DCR map)
Route type: Point to point; access from Connecticut or the Race Brook Falls Trail (about 2 miles to the AT)
Difficulty: Strenuous
Campsites: Laurel Ridge, Race Brook (0.2-mile side trail), Hemlocks Shelter, Glen Brook; Sages Ravine just over the line in Connecticut
Water: Streams and springs at each site; treat all water
Permits: None; first come, first served
Group size and stays: 10 people; two consecutive nights per site (DCR map)
Fires: Not at Laurel Ridge or Sages Ravine; check current rules elsewhere
Trailheads: Race Brook Falls lot on Route 41, Sheffield; Jug End Road; Undermountain Trail on CT 41
Last verified: October 17, 2026

The Lowdown

Slick rock on the Jug End descent:

Hikers report a muddy climb up Mount Everett and wet leaves and slick rock coming down Jug End. Is the Arc'teryx Beta SL worth it, or do two cheaper shells cover the trip?

See what testers found →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.