Many water sources along the trail flow through inhabited areas or swamps and may be contaminated. Except during the winter, trap rock ridges tend to be dry, leaving long stretches of trail with no dependable water source. Various portions along the trail are road walks due to private ownership; contacting the AMC will provide the latest updates. Hikers seeking 'on the ground', current information regarding the status of the M&M trail should read hiker journals available on the Internet, such as Trail Journals.com