Purgatory Chasm Loop Trail Hiking Guide
Purgatory Chasm, in Sutton south of Worcester, is a narrow slot in the granite roughly a quarter mile long and about 70 feet deep, filled with fallen boulders. The blue-blazed Chasm Loop Trail runs straight through it and then climbs out to circle back along the rim past rock formations with 19th-century tourist names. It is short, but you will use your hands.
Permit: DCR charges a daily parking fee at Purgatory Chasm from May 9 to October 26 (2026 season): $5 for vehicles with Massachusetts plates, $20 for out-of-state plates.
Through the Chasm and Around
DCR's self-guided Rocky Memories hike follows the blue blazes for about half a mile over moderate terrain. It begins at a bronze plaque just inside the chasm, and the first few hundred feet are a scramble over boulders on the chasm floor. You pass His Majesty's Cave, Lover's Leap and the Devil's Coffin before the trail turns left out of the chasm and loops back along the top past Fat Man's Misery, the Devil's Corn Crib and the Glacier Chair. AllTrails maps a slightly longer version, the Chasm Loop with a walk along Purgatory Brook, at 1.3 miles out and back with about 120 feet of gain.
Fat Man's Misery and Other Squeezes
Fat Man's Misery is a slot between two rocks about 20 feet deep and only a foot and a half wide, close to a ledge, so DCR asks for care there. If it looks too tight, follow the blazes to the Devil's Corn Crib, a smaller squeeze about 5 feet deep. Most of these names were invented in the 1800s to draw tourists. The chasm's first recorded fatality was in 1876 at Lover's Leap, and DCR's rules are blunt: keep clear of the edges and do not climb the chasm walls.
Winter Closure and Wet Rock
DCR closes the Chasm Trail itself during the winter season because of icy, slippery conditions; the reservation's other trails stay open. Even in summer, the agency warns that the rocks are slippery when wet and asks hikers to avoid the chasm during or soon after rain. Rubber-soled shoes or hiking boots are the minimum. Small children will need a hand on the boulders.
Fee, Hours and Facilities
The reservation is at 198 Purgatory Road in Sutton and is open sunrise to sunset. From May 9 through October 26 this season, DCR collects a daily parking fee: $5 per car registered in Massachusetts, $20 per car registered anywhere else. There are restrooms, a visitor center, picnic areas and a playground near the pavilion. The park is carry in, carry out, so take your trash home.
Dogs in the Chasm
Dogs are allowed and must be kept on a leash, according to the park's trail map, and DCR's statewide rule limits leashes to 10 feet. Think honestly about whether your dog can handle the boulder scramble at the start; there are big gaps between rocks, and you will need both hands at times. If the chasm floor is too much, the reservation's other trails, about 2 miles in all, skip the boulder pile.
Hiking tips for Purgatory Chasm Loop Trail
- Wear rubber-soled shoes; the granite is slick even when it looks dry.
- Skip the chasm during and right after rain, as DCR advises.
- Visit outside winter; the Chasm Trail closes in icy conditions.
- Expect a parking charge from May 9 through October 26, higher for non-Massachusetts plates.
- Stay back from the rim and off the chasm walls.
Nearby trails to explore
- Mount Wachusett Mountain House and Pine Hill Loop
- Noanet Peak Loop
- Walden Pond Path
Hike this trail with TrailMates
A quarter mile of boulders is more fun with a crew. Use TrailMates to find Boston hikers heading to Purgatory Chasm. Download the TrailMates app to connect.