We are fortunate that our watershed offers many opportunities for recreation whether you like to hike, paddle, bike, or ski. There are wonderful places for birding, fishing, riding a horse, walking your dog, or just sitting to enjoy a view or paint a picture. We would like to give you a glimpse of some of those spots through the eyes of residents in each of our watershed communities. Please note that each of the locations mentioned are open to public access. We ask that you determine and follow all local rules for usage of these sites.

Ashburnham

Lincoln Pond

Lincoln Pond has been described as Core Habitat in MA Natural Heritage and Endangered Species program's BioMap and Livings Water's Report on Ashburnham. The pond, approximately 40 acres in size, likely lacks fish. It is an unusual, naturally acidic pond of moderate depth surrounded by a Spruce-Tamarack Bog: an acidic, Shrub Fen natural plant community that to me is reminiscent of the Maine interior. As you gaze out picking blueberries in summer you can easily picture a moose munching away in the foggy dawn. Little Watatic Mountain completes the picture in the background. The Department of Conservation and Recreation purchased the only remaining private portion of the pond, the undeveloped eastern shore, a few years ago and added the acreage to Ashburnham State Forest thus serving as a further buffer of protection for a very large area centered around Little Watatic Mountain. -Al Futterman, NRWA Land Programs and Outreach Director

Directions: Travel west on Rt. 119, through Townsend and Ashby. Approximately 3 miles west of the center of Ashby, take a left onto Rt. 101 south, Ashby Road. Travel about 3 miles further and take a sharp right on Stowell Road. Lincoln Pond is another 1.2 miles ahead.

Ashby

Trap Falls, Willard Brook State Forest

Trap Falls is a pristine, natural waterfall created as Trapfall Brook tumbles down about 40 feet over bedrock and boulders into the clear green pools below. A wooden footbridge at the base of the falls allows a full view of the falls from both sides of the brook. The flow over the falls is particularly spectacular during spring runoff or after abundant rainfall. Trapfall Brook flows through a mixed hardwood and conifer forest providing an ideal spot for a family picnic. Picnic tables and grills are available; restrooms are open seasonally. The walk into the falls is only a couple of hundred yards from the parking area. -Martha Morgan, NRWA Water Resources Advisor and resident of Ashby, MA

Directions: Trap Falls is located on the north side of Route 119 in Ashby. Traveling on Route 119 from the east, look for the Trap Falls sign on the right about ½ mile after entering Willard Brook State Park.

Ayer

Pine Meadow Conservation Trust Land

Last spring a new trail was created at Pine Meadow by the newly formed Ayer Greenway Committee working with the Smith family, who created a Conservation Restriction to make the trail possible. A short hike in from the road will bring you to one of the most marvelous places in Ayer. A series of cascading beaver dams has created a pond wetland area that is home to a heron rookery. This year we had a pair of nesting Osprey. Other sightings have included King Fishers and a variety of hawks, ducks, woodpeckers, geese, porcupine dens, and, of course, beaver. A large ledge outcropping has a vista point at the top which looks out across a wooded expanse. People in the region do not think of Ayer as a place they would go to hike. We believe this beautiful and quiet place will change their minds. - Patrick Hughes, Ayer, MA

Directions: The Pine Meadow Conservation Trust Land is located on Groton-Harvard Road in Ayer near the Ayer Transfer Station.

Bolton

Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge

The Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge encompasses over 1,700 acres along 8 miles of the Nashua River. From the parking area at Still River, visitors can choose to either paddle the Nashua River through the Oxbow or hike the trail, which will lead them through five types of habitat (an interpretive guide is available at the kiosk). Educational programs, including guided walks, are offered by the Friends of the Oxbow NWR It’s a fantastic spot for cross-country skiing, photography, and birding, with sightings of wading birds, waterfowl, raptors, shorebirds, and passerines. The conserved fields uphill from the Oxbow are attracting grassland birds such as the Savannah sparrow and the Bobolink. In mid-August and into September, the Nighthawk migration along the river is a stirring sight. It’s so tranquil…it really is food for the soul. -Rona Balco, Bolton, MA

Directions: From Massachusetts Route 2, take Exit 38 (Route 110/111) south toward Harvard; bear right to stay on Route 110 at Harvard Center; and, turn right onto Still River Depot Road at the Still River Post Office. The refuge parking area is at the end of Still River Depot Road, past the railroad tracks.

Boylston

Tower Hill Botanic Garden

The Worcester County Horticultural Society operates Tower Hill Botanic Garden on 132 acres in Boylston. At Tower Hill, you can stroll the gardens and woodland trails to explore nature, enjoy the tremendous views of water and mountains, take a contemplative break, or share quality time with your family. Bring a picnic or have a light lunch at Twigs Café. Some of the many gardens to explore at Tower Hill include the Systemic Garden, with plants organized by botanic family, the Davenport Collection of 119 varieties of heirloom apples, the Wildlife Refuge Pond and network of woodland trails, plus my favorite, the Orangerie, which is filled with tropical plants all winter. It’s like going to the tropics without the airfare! -Frank Streeter, former Tower Hill board member

Directions: Take the Massachusetts Turnpike to Exit 11A for Route 495. Take Route 495 north to Exit 25B for Route 290 west. Follow toward Worcester. Take Exit 24, Church Street, Northborough/Boylston. Follow to Boylston 3 miles. Entrance to Tower Hill on right; dark red sign designates entrance.

Brookline

Brookline Town Beach

Brookline Town Beach on Lake Potanipo is a popular spot for water activities. -Valerie Maurer, Brookline, NH

Directions:

Clinton

Wachusett Reservoir

The Wachusett Reservoir is the second largest body of water in the Commonwealth, an impoundment of the Nashua River by the Wachusett Dam to provide drinking water for metropolitan Boston. Access is carefully regulated but visitors will find a network of beautiful trails and excellent fishing for brown trout, landlocked salmon, smallmouth bass and white perch. -MA Department of Conservation and Recreation

Directions: Wachusett Reservoir is located in central Massachusetts, northeast of Worcester. It is west of Interstate 495, halfway between Interstate 290 and 190 in West Boylston, Sterling and Clinton, and is virtually surrounded by Rte. 110 on the east and north, Rt. 70 on the south, Rte. 140 running diagonally from northeast to southwest and Rte. 12 bisecting the northern third.

Devens Enterprise Zone

Mirror Lake Recreation Area

Mirror Lake is a lovely example of a kettle hole, a deep pond left by the melting of the last glacier covering New England. The pond is continuously filled by fresh water from the high yield aquifer underlying the lake, a factor which has led to the preservation of the property under a Conservation Restriction held by The Trustees of Reservations. Visitors can enjoy waterfront activities including swimming at the sandy beach, swim lessons, non-motorized boating (there is a boat ramp), and fishing. There are also hiking trails and picnic tables. Mirror Lake is a wonderful recreation area for individuals, families, and even your dog, on leash. - Kathy Wieberg, Devens, MA

Directions: Mirror Lake is easily accessible from Rt. 2. From Rt. 2, take Exit 37B and head north on Jackson Road. Take the first right onto Patton road. Go straight .8 miles. Parking for Mirror Lake will be on your right.

Dunstable

Dunstable Rural Land Trust Wildlife Preserve

The Dunstable Rural Land Trust (DRLT) Wildlife Preserve, nearly 400 acres, provides trails through old-growth forest, along very active beaver ponds and open meadows. It is a link for Dunstable to the Nashua River Rail Trail—you can hike, bike, ski, or ride your horse from DRLT to Ayer without travel on a roadway! Canoe access to the Nashua River is handy at the abutting New Hampshire state line on land preserved by the Nashua Conservation Commission. Winterfest, held on the property at the end of January each year, brings out the snow bunnies for a day of skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, and horse drawn sleigh rides. - Judy Larter, Dunstable, MA

Directions: The DRLT Wildlife Preserve is located at 1076 Main Street in Dunstable.

Fitchburg

Flat Rock Sanctuary

Although it borders a medium-sized city, Mass Audubon’s Flat Rock Sanctuary gives you a sense of solitude and wilderness you wouldn’t expect to find in Fitchburg. At over 350 acres of mostly wooded habitat, it only takes 5 minutes of walking or snowshoeing in on Main Path, Flat Rock Road, or Scott Road, for you to feel yourself surrounded by a wilderness that connects into southern New Hampshire. It is this undeveloped corridor of land that allows users of the sanctuary to find themselves surrounded by woodland forest birds such as the scarlet tanager and the ovenbird in the spring and summer and by the footprints of medium-sized wild mammals like bobcats and fishers in the wintertime. This beautiful sanctuary is a peaceful oasis and a connection to larger wild lands, only minutes away from downtown Fitchburg. -Cynthia Menard, NRWA Monoosnoc Brook Greenway Project Coordinator

Directions: Take Rt. 2 to exit 28 (Rt. 31 north). Follow Rt. 31 north to the stop sign (intersection of Rt. 31 and Rt. 2A). Follow Rt. 31 north/Rt. 2A east 1.1 miles to another stop sign. Bear right onto Rt. 31 north/Rt. 2A east/Rt. 12 north towards Fitchburg Center. Follow that .4 miles and bear left up the hill (this is Wallace Rd.) Follow Wallace Road for .4 miles take a left onto West Street. Take the second left onto Ashburnham Hill Road. The sanctuary is 1 mile ahead on the right hand side at the Mass Audubon sign.

Gardner

High Ridge Wildlife Management Area

High Ridge Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is a more than 2,000 acre habitat for wildlife designated as a Watchable Wildlife Viewing Area. This WMA includes extensive open meadows with potential for threatened grassland nesting bird habitat. Wetlands within this area provide habitat for state-endangered American bitterns. The expanse of undisturbed habitat provides range for large mammals, such as moose and bear. -Al Futterman, NRWA Land Programs and Outreach Director

Directions:From Rt.2 westbound, take Exit 24 to Rt. 140 north. Approximately ¾ to 1 mile after exiting from Rt. 2, make a right turn when you see a Wildlife Viewing Area sign on the right side of the road.

Greenville

Unmarked trail

There is an unmarked trail heading south from Greenville Road, just west of the Greenville/Mason town line. Local folks may know it as the place where the snow plows turn around. It is a nice, quiet place to go for a walk in any season. -Marshall Buttrick, Greenville, NH

Directions:

Groton

Groton Place

Groton Place, a 54-acre property owned and managed by the New England Forestry Foundation, is a former estate featuring open fields and river vistas. A massive old brick and granite entrance gateway with graceful iron gates bears a carved granite sign proclaiming this to be a “Wild Life Sanctuary for The Benefit and Pleasure of the People of Groton”. In fact, it is open to anyone. Numerous wide trails allow the visitor to choose walks lasting 10 minutes to 2 hours. A short distance past the entrance, the view opens to an 11-acre field with a “pine island” in the middle. This is where dog walkers love to let their dogs have a good run or meet as play groups. At the far end of the field are stone benches, where one can view the Nashua River as it flows by. In the spring and fall, Groton School students practice and compete in rowing events on this section of the river. A five minute walk on level ground brings one to the memorial to Frederick Dumaine and the grave stone of his favorite horse, Rooney. Here one can sit in a grove of hemlocks and look down on the river again. A few minutes farther along the trail, and one is on the hilly and curving “Rhododendron Trail”. The plants put on a spectacular display in July each year. - Richard Muehlke, NRWA Land Programs and Outreach Assistant and resident of Groton, MA

Directions: Groton Place is located on the south side of Route 225 on the east side of the Nashua River in Groton.

Harvard

The Williams Land

For sledding in Harvard, you can’t beat the Williams Land, 62 acres of fields and woods which the Town purchased for conservation in 1982. The centerpiece of this land is a drumlin that offers a wide and fast trip for snow tubes, toboggans and, when well-packed, sleds. There is the added challenge of the small brook that runs along its base: either to stop before reaching it or to jump if you can maintain your speed. And, fortunately, it’s shallow enough that in the event of failure (so you land in it) you risk only a slight dunking! For those who prefer the more sedate sport of cross country skiing, the balance of the Williams Land offers an interesting mix of open fields (which surround the drumlin), woods and a trail along the Williams Pond. On a crisp, sunny winter’s day, when the snow conditions are right – the Williams Land is the place to bring out your inner child and let it fly down the hill! - Lucy Wallace, Harvard, MA

Directions:

Holden

Eagle Lake Sanctuary

The trails at Eagle Lake Sanctuary, a Mass Audubon property, are relatively new, having been opened for the public in the past few years. The property, once farmed, is mature woodland habitat, with stone walls evidencing its history. It has a figure eight loop trail which skirts Asneburnskit Brook. Several combinations of walks can be done on the trail system. One trail segment runs high along an esker, allowing a great overhead view of the top of the tree canopy. It’s a lovely, quiet place where we’ve seen a variety of birds, otter tracks and moose droppings. -Ida Nystrom, Holden, MA

Directions: The sanctuary is located on Causeway Street off Route 122A in the village of Jefferson. Visitors may park in a pull-off at the trailhead.

Hollis

Tudor Richards Natural History and Forestry Trail

The Tudor Richards Natural History and Forestry Trail is a great self-guiding educational tour. The trail is named for Tudor Richards, an avid conservationist and dedicated member (and past president) of the New Hampshire Audubon Society. - Pete Smith, Hollis, NH

Lancaster

Lancaster Conservation Properties

It would be difficult to choose a favorite amongst Lancaster’s many conservation areas which have been preserved by the Lancaster Land Trust, the Lancaster Conservation Commission, the state, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife. Paddling opportunities abound with multiple boat launch sites in Lancaster. It is here that the South Nashua has its confluence with the North Nashua forming the mainstem of the Nashua River. For those who prefer to stay on land, there are hundreds of acres to explore including the Cook Conservation Area, Lancaster State Forest, and Bolton Flats Management Area. Dexter Drumlin, a 35-acre property owned by The Trustees of Reservations, formed by glacial deposit 12,000 years ago, provides scenic hiking year round and great sledding and cross-country skiing in the winter. The kite flying is great at the top of the hill. - Phyllis Farnsworth and Jean Lidstone, Lancaster, MA

Leominster

Monoosnoc Ridge Trail

The 10-mile Monoosnoc Ridge Trail, whose creation was spear-headed by the Leominster Land Trust, runs from the Leominster-Fitchburg city line, south to the Leominster-Sterling town boundary. The main trail is an old cart path making it user friendly. Hikers can observe the flora and fauna of the area, an old granite quarry, a stand of American beech, and will pass by several of Leominster’s historic homes. Along the trail there is a spectacular vista point where one can see Mt. Monadnock to the north and Mt. Wachusett to the west with a vast expanse of open space all the way to Princeton. - Peter Angelini and Ed Himlan, Leominster, MA

Lunenburg

Henry E. Cowdrey Nature Center

I am drawn to Mulpus Brook after it leaves Hickory Hills Lake. Lunenburg’s conservation land in this area is known locally as the “Henry E. Cowdrey Nature Center.” Although there are several pleasant woodland trails to choose among, in late summer I will always select the Muskrat Swamp Trail and connect to the Beaver Trail. My poodle looks for an exhilarating glimpse of brown fur, while I look for a dazzling streamside grouping of native Cardinal Flowers—Lobelia cardinalis—struck by late afternoon sun, absolutely breathtaking. - Elizabeth Ainsley Campbell, Lunenburg, MA

Mason

Mason-Greenville Railroad Trail

One of the most outstanding recreational features in Mason is the Railroad Trail which runs 6.7 miles across the center of town from the state line north of Townsend State Forest through Russell Abbott State Forest in the northwest corner of Mason. It passes right by Pratt Pond in that state forest, a very peaceful scenic spot. Travelers on the trail will glimpse a bit of Mason’s history from old quarry sites to the 1849 Jackson Road trestle to Wolf Rock, inscribed for a traveling preacher who spent a winter night on its top besieged by wolves. - Liz Fletcher, Mason, NH

Milford

Mitchell Brook Trail

The Mitchell Brook Trail in Mile Slip Town Forest is a wonderful trail to explore. This is a brand new trail created as an Eagle Scout project. -Rita Carroll, Milford, NH

Nashua

Trestle/Pedestrian Bridge Over the Nashua River

One of several places I enjoy on the Nashua River is the train trestle/pedestrian bridge over the river in Nashua just upstream from the confluence with the Merrimack River. I discovered this crossing one afternoon in late spring when the river was following madly, carrying large logs and ice flows on to its larger destination. The active railroad bridge carries a separate side with no tracks that can be safely walked over, assuming you don’t mind looking down between the boards into the active river below. Standing on the bridge with the water rushing off to meet the Merrimack and ultimately the ocean gives you a sense of the connectivity of rivers. This coming together of waters is a special place and it’s easy to imagine Native Americans and early explorers experiencing the strength and beauty of the rivers here. The other remarkable part of this crossing is the metal bridge itself. The structure beckons from a time when railroads were the industrial force in the northeast—sturdy angular steel carrying trains and people over rushing water. The Nashua River is in the final stretch here, transporting energy from its headwaters to the larger river that will carry on from here. This place of transition makes of an exciting place to experience the River. - Kathryn Nelson, NRWA Water Monitoring Coordinator and resident of Nashua, NH

New Ipswich

Hoar Pond on the Nussdorfer Nature Area

This area, consisting of the Bronson Potter Property and the Kenney Easement, includes diverse natural communities—at its highest elevations, it has red and white oak, beech, poplar, and hemlock trees; on the steep slopes around Hoar Pond are dense thickets of mountain laurel; around the pond is a stand of tamarack; and the area includes marshes, and a bog. The Hoar Pond Nature Trail (approx. 2 miles round-trip) is an ideal trail for family hiking, beginning with a short, steep climb which becomes an easy walk as it passes through a mixed stand of white oak and conifers. It skirts some cliffs, then continues through a dense stand of hemlocks before entering a grove of American beech. As the trail continues, it slopes gently down to a lookout over Hoar Pond. During the month of June, the mountain laurel surrounding the pond is stunning. Leaving the lookout, the trail descends to the level of the Hoar Pond, entering a thick stand of hemlocks before arriving at a "beaver box" and a bridge across the Hoar Pond outlet stream. The beavers’ lodge can be seen across the pond. After crossing the bridge, the trail follows the shore of the pond, winding through mountain laurel and hemlock before arriving at an elevated bog walk which offers a fine view of the bog and the pond. The trail loop returns to the lookout, allowing you to retrace your steps back to the trail’s beginning. - Bob Boynton, New Ipswich, NH

Directions: Country Club Road (look for brown & white signs). South on Route 124, 1 mile from Route 123 (Highbridge Road), on the right. North on Route 124, 1 mile from Route 31, on the left. Parking is on the left of Old Country Rd at the "CONSERVATION LAND" sign.

Paxton

Moore State Park

Moore State Park has beautiful hiking trails which are well-marked and well-kept. It’s a great place for bird watching and fabulous for rhododendron “peeping”. -Deidre Malone, Paxton, MA

Directions: Moore State Park is located in mid-central Massachusetts. From Worcester: Rte 122 west, Rte. 31 south. Park is on the right.

Pepperell

Pepperell Springs

The 265-acre Pepperell Springs property has often been referred to as a “jewel”. The property is part of a 3,000 acre wildlife corridor that extends into southern New Hampshire and the numerous well-marked trails are suitable for hiking, cross-country skiing, showshoeing, bird watching, and mountain biking, and some are even used by horseback riders. It is a true escape where you can experience the quietness that allows you to hear the many resident birds and the chorus of amphibians in the spring and observe a diversity of flora and fauna not common in this area. - Paula Terrasi, Pepperell, MA

Princeton

Biking

This bike ride is for people who have a “cross training” bike (with a bike that does well on paved and unpaved roads). The ride winds through undeveloped land and many sanctuaries and passes by clean streams, ponds, and wetlands. The ride begins on Thompson Road where it crosses Mountain Road. Riding along this unpaved road you will see the beautiful cliffs of Little Wachusett Mountain on your right. The Beech trees here are splendid in autumn. As you travel up the road, you will see Mount Wachusett in the distance. Further down the road you will travel through Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary. You can stop and take a break near Black Pond, which is so clear you can see through it as if you were looking at an aquarium. Continue down Thompson, through beautiful forest land, until you see Rhodes Road on your right. Take Rhodes Road (paved), a gentle downhill ride. You will come to a bridge that crosses West Wachusett Brook, a clean flowing stream where you can pause for a break. The road becomes unpaved as it winds through wetland forest that seems to be the perfect place for a moose. Take a right on Greene Road, which travels along the base of Mount Wachusett. You will see trail heads along the way if you want to take a quick hike up the mountain. Green Road becomes Westminster Road, so continue straight as you pass the famous windmill site of Princeton. Just before you get to Mountain Road, Minns Wildlife Sanctuary is on your right. Turn right on Mountain Road and you will return to your starting point on Thompson Road. -Mary Marro, NRWA Education Director and resident of Princeton, MA

Rutland

Overlook Farm

Overlook Farm, a 270-acre working farm, is a Heifer Project International (HPI) education center. Heifer is a non-profit organization focused on sharing food and agricultural skills with those living in poverty throughout the world. The farm sits atop the rolling hills of Rutland with a scenic view of Mt. Wachusett and Boston. You can hike the trails of the farm, visit with the farm animals that are native to various parts of the world, and learn about agriculture in other countries and Heifer’s work to end world hunger. Overlook Farm’s fall Harvest Festival and spring International Fair are great experiences for the whole family. -Wynne Treanor-Kvenvold, NRWA Communications Manager

Shirley

Longley Acres Conservation Area

The 70-acre Longley Acres Conservation Area is located near the historic old Town Center in Shirley. It includes a farmhouse where the Caretaker lives and a hay barn. Volunteers with the Shirley Conservation Commission harvest the hay from the fields and use the proceeds from its sale to maintain the property. The site is used by the Oak Meadow Montessori School for field work. Recently fields have been used to train border collies, and sheep will be grazing around the buildings. Two ponds are located on the property as well as some woods and, of course the hay fields. The property is open sunrise to sunset for hiking, cross-country skiing, but no motorized vehicles are allowed. -Anne Gagnon, Shirley Conservation Agent

Directions: The Longley Acres Conservation Area is located at 27 Whitney Road, near the historic old Town Center in Shirley.

Sterling

Allenwood/Wekepeke Reservation

There are places in Sterling that defy the tendrils of suburban expansion. One of my favorites is Tuttle Road as it winds its way toward Heywood Road, bisecting the two green farms which draw your eye over stonewalled fields toward the protected forest of the Wekepeke Reservation and the Sterling Land Trust’s Allenwood Tract. A trailhead on Heywood Road was established for Allenwood by the land trust and invites hikers to walk the back walls of these two rolling farms, as well as explore the inner woods of the Wekepeke Reservoir property which once serviced the Town of Clinton. It is breathtakingly peaceful. -James M. French, Sterling, MA

Directions: From Rt. 2 westbound, take Exit 33 onto Rt. 190 south toward Worcester. Take Exit 6, onto Rt. 12 south toward Sterling/Clinton. Turn left onto Rt. 12S, Leominster Road. At Rt. 12S intersection with Rt. 62, make a right turn onto Rt.12S/Rt. 62 to the center of Sterling. At the center of Sterling, make a right onto Meetinghouse Hill Road. After passing under Rt. 190, bear right onto Tuttle Road. Enjoy the drive to Heywood Road. Take a right on Heywood Road to reach the trailhead for the Allenwood Tract.

Townsend

Howard Park

A stone’s throw from Route 119, another world brings wonder into the center of Townsend. I’ve watched baby otters tumbling after each other in the Squannacook River, herons standing in the inlet to Hawthorne Brook, mallards leading their brood around the beaver pond. Sometimes brilliant scarlet cardinal flowers line the edge of the marsh there too, or true-blue forget-me-not spreads in the mud when the pond is low. Reliably, tiny bright green Canadian mayflower carpets the floor along my favorite path, and trailing arbutus hides its rare sweet scent among the pine needles. -Catherine Holmes Clark, Townsend, MA

West Boylston

Mass Central Rail Trail

A very popular recreational spot in West Boylston is the Mass Central Rail Trail which runs alongside the scenic Quinapoxet River in the area where the Quinapoxet meets the Stillwater River to form the south branch of the Nashua River. The trail passes under the dramatic I-190 bridge over the Quinapoxet and goes on to the historic Springdale Mill site in Holden, where you can take a self-guided tour of the mill ruins. -Charles Greenough, West Boylston, MA

Westminster

Wachusett Mountain State Reservation

Having lived in Westminster all my life, I have appreciated Wachusett Mountain State Reservation (WMSR) since I was a child. The WMSR provides great hiking, skiing, bird watching, and picnicking for the public. With the acknowledgement of some of the most significant ancient forest in the world, it is difficult to say what place on WMSR is more special to me. “The Bog” along the Sumuhenna Trail south is easily accessible from the road and contains a small grove of ancient hemlocks along with 200+ year old pitch pines no taller than myself shooting up from the bedrock. The diversity, sacredness, and serenity of this area on the mountain is one of my favorites. -Donna Brownell, Westminster, MA

Directions: From Route 2: Take Rt. 2 to Exit 25 (Rt. 140 south). Follow Rt. 140 south for 2 miles. Turn Right onto Mile Hill Road. Follow Mile Hill Road for 1/2 mile to split in road. Take Left Fork onto Mountain Road. Follow Mountain Road 1 1/4 miles to top of hill. Reservation entrance is on the Right. Visitor center entrance is immediately on the Left after entering Reservation.

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