Roosevelt Campobello International Park: West Trails (Blog Hike #766)

Trails: Trails #7, 5, and 6

Hike Location: Roosevelt Campobello International Park

Geographic Location: on Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada (44.86279, -66.97436)

Length: 6.1 kilometers (or 3.8 miles)

Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)

Date Hiked: July 2019

Overview: A lollipop loop on the west side of Campobello Island.

Park Information: https://www.rooseveltcampobello.org/

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=759920

Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: This hike starts at the Campobello Island Tourist Information Centre located on the east side of the FDR Memorial Bridge linking New Brunswick’s Campobello Island and Lubec, Maine.  Note that although this park is called an international park, it technically lies in Canada.  Thus, Americans coming over the bridge from Lubec will need a passport to get to the park.

The hike: Located at the entrance to Passamaquoddy Bay just east of the United States-Canada border, Campobello Island is best known as the summer retreat of American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  Roosevelt’s family started coming to Campobello Island in 1883 when he was 1 year old.  After he grew up, Roosevelt continued bringing his own family to this island, and he bought a 34-room cottage that he visited on occasional summers until 1939.  Roosevelt’s cottage still stands on the northwest corner of the island near the park’s Visitor Centre (NOT the Tourist Information Centre at this hike’s start), and the cottage is open for tours daily during the summer.  Admission to the cottage is free, and I found the cottage surprisingly accessible and interactive when I toured it after my hike.

Roosevelt's Cottage

            Roosevelt Campobello International Park was established in 1964, and Roosevelt’s cottage still forms the park’s centerpiece.  Nevertheless, the park contains 2800 acres of natural areas laced with 11 hiking trails totaling nearly 14 kilometers.  The park’s best trails lie on its eastern side, which features rocky cliffs along the Atlantic Ocean.  I had done a rocky coastal hike the previous day at Maine’s Quoddy Head State Park just across the bay from here, so I chose to explore the park’s lesser-used trails on Campobello’s western side.  I had an excellent hike, and I only saw 2 other people on these trails.

Trailhead at Tourist Information Centre

            The signed trailhead at the Tourist Information Centre is located downhill from the Centre in the grassy area between the Centre and the road.  The mowed-grass trail heads downhill and to the west through a meadow area that features some nice wildflowers in the summer.  The trail map calls this route Trail #7, but no signs on the ground indicate such.

            At 0.4 kilometers, you reach the coast of Cobscook Bay at an area called Deep Cove.  The trail curves left to begin paralleling the bay through a moist environment that features many birch and pine trees.  Some two-plank boardwalk carries you over the softest ground, but the planks are old.  Some of the planks snapped under my substantial weight, and this boardwalk will need to be rebuilt in the near future.

Two-plank boardwalk

            The trail meanders through several steep ravines and crosses the creeks on wooden footbridges.  Unlike the boardwalk, the bridges seemed brand new: they were probably built the same year I came here.  At 1.5 kilometers, a gradual climb brings you to a meadow area called Fox Farm, the end of Trail #7, and an intersection with a paved park road.  Some restrooms and picnic tables stand at Fox Farm.

Entering Fox Farm

            Fox Farm marks the beginning of the loop portion of this hike.  I intended to continue straight on a wide gravel trail the park map calls Trail #5, thus hiking the loop clockwise.  Unfortunately, Trail #5 was closed for construction on my visit, so I had to walk to the other (south) end of Trail #5 on the park road.  From what I have read, Trail #5 offers a fairly easy woodland walk that also passes along a wetland area for part of its route.

            The south end of Trail #5 comes out at the park road near the parking lot for the Duck Islands Trail.  This short, narrow spur trail leads to a bench that offers a fantastic view of Duck Island, a tiny, rocky, pine tree-covered island that separates Duck Pond from the main waters of Cobscook Bay.  This bench makes a great place to sit, rest, and have a trail snack near the midpoint of this hike.

Duck Island

            Continuing west on the park road, you pass a picnic table at Cranberry Point before reaching the signed start of the return trail to Fox Farm.  Exit the road to the left to begin this trail, which the park map calls Trail #6.  Trail #6 offers a fairly flat and easy course that stays close to the shore of Cobscook Bay.  Views of the FDR Memorial Bridge and Lubec, Maine on its other side appear across the bay.

Looking across Cobscook Bay

            At 4.3 kilometers, the trail comes out at a small picnic area.  Walk the gravel picnic area access road uphill to reach the paved park road, then turn left on the paved park road to return to Fox Farm and close the loop.  Retrace your steps along Trail #7 to return to the Tourist Information Centre and complete the hike.  Alternatively, you could walk back on the paved park road, which sees very little traffic.  Make sure you stop by the park’s Visitor Centre to tour the cottage after your hike if you did not do so before.

Quoddy Head State Park (Blog Hike #765)

Trails: Coastal, Thompson, Bog, Inland, and Coast Guard Trails

Hike Location: Quoddy Head State Park

Geographic Location: south of Lubec, ME (44.81380, -66.95257)

Length: 4.7 miles

Difficulty: 8/10 (Moderate/Difficult)

Date Hiked: July 2019

Overview: A rugged loop above the cliffs of Quoddy Head followed by a fairly flat loop near Quoddy Head Lighthouse.

Park Information: https://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/doc/parksearch/details.pl?park_id=10

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=941471

Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: Take SR 189 to South Lubec Road; this intersection is located 1.2 miles west of the Lubec town center.  Go south on South Lubec Rd., which deadends at the park.  Where the road forks at the park entrance, choose the right fork to park in the hiker parking lot as opposed to the lighthouse parking lot.

The hike: When I turned off of SR 189 onto South Lubec Road around noon on a Saturday in late July, the thermometer in my car read 78 degrees under sunny skies.  As I drove the last few miles out to Quoddy Head, the thermometer in my car slowly dropped, and at the trailhead it read 65 degrees still under mostly sunny skies.  After my hike, the thermometer in my car read 62 degrees as I drove into Lubec through a thick bank of fog.  That evening in downtown Lubec I watched a beautiful sunset across Johnson Bay with temperatures in the mid 70’s.  My experience reflects two things any knowledgeable local will tell you: 1) Quoddy Head’s extreme oceanic climate can be quite dramatic, and 2) fog can be your worst weather enemy here, especially during the summer.

            Quoddy Head has the distinction of occupying the easternmost point in the contiguous 48 states.  Thus, for a few weeks around the equinoxes each year the first rays of sunlight to strike the United States in the morning land here.  The name Quoddy Head comes from a Passamaquoddy word that means “fertile and beautiful place,” although the rocky land seems more foreboding than fertile.

The 561 acres that comprise Quoddy Head State Park were purchased by the State of Maine in 1962.  In terms of structures, the park’s centerpiece is its West Quoddy Head Lighthouse.  A lighthouse has stood on Quoddy Head since 1808, and the present-day structure dates to 1858.

            While most visitors to Quoddy Head congregate at the lighthouse, the park protects an excellent rock/cliff-lined stretch of coast that features a picnic area and several scenic views of the Atlantic Ocean.  For hikers, 5.5 miles of hiking trails traverse the coast and points inland.  This hike forms a double loop that explores most of those trails, and it offers a grand tour of all Quoddy Head has to offer.

Start of the Coastal Trail

            Two trails leave the west side of the hiker parking lot: the Coastal Trail on the left near the rocky coast and the Inland Trail to the right near the restroom building.  To do the hardest part of the hike first, this route goes out on the Coastal Trail and returns on the Inland Trail. The gravel Coastal Trail heads west through a dense spruce forest with the rocky coast to the left.  Soon you reach the first of many ocean views.  This view features appropriately named Sail Rock to the east.

            At 0.2 miles, the Coastal and Inland Trails briefly come together again before parting ways for good.  Angle left to stay on the Coastal Trail.  Henceforth the Coastal Trail becomes more rugged: the smooth gravel trail surface is replaced by steep hills, rough rocks, and roots.  Some muddy areas will also need to be negotiated.  To compensate for the difficulty, the clifftop ocean views are spectacular, and the scenery encourages you to take your time on this trail.

Cliffs at Quoddy Head

            Soon you pass Gulliver’s Hole, a narrow gap in the cliff line that the ocean laps into.  Next comes appropriately-named High Ledge, the highest point on the Coastal Trail.  As you would expect, the view from High Ledge’s bare gabbro rock outcrop is spectacular.  Just past High Ledge, a spur trail exits right to form a short loop with the Inland Trail.  This spur trail is your last chance to turn back and avoid the hardest part of the Coastal Trail.

Gulliver's Hole

High Ledge

At 0.9 miles, you pass Green Point, a rugged jumble of rocks that extrudes out into the ocean.  Green Point is the last named landform on the coast, but the fantastic ocean and cliff views continue for the balance of the Coastal Trail.  Eventually the coast and trail start curving right, and the view shifts from the vast Atlantic Ocean to a narrow inlet called Carrying Place Cove.  This cove gets its name because it leads to a narrow boggy isthmus that ancient people used as a canoe portage.  The portage avoids dangerous currents between Quoddy Head and Canada’s Campobello Island; these currents form the largest whirlpool in the Western Hemisphere.

Carrying Place Cove

Near 2 miles into the hike, you reach a signed trail intersection that overlooks the best view of Carrying Place Cove.  The Coastal Trail continues straight through this intersection and soon comes out at South Lubec Road.  Our loop turns right on the Thompson Trail to begin its return route and its journey to the lighthouse.

The Thompson Trail climbs on a gradual to moderate grade as it heads through the center of Quoddy Head and over some of the highest land on this peninsula.  Some more wet areas will need to be negotiated, but a nice double-plank boardwalk carries you over the wettest areas.  The forest is very dense with a combination of spruce and birch trees.

Hiking the Thompson Trail

At 3.2 miles, you reach the signed east end of the Thompson Trail where the Inland Trail goes right and the Bog Trail goes left.  We will eventually take the Inland Trail back to the hiker parking lot, but first turn left to hike the short Bog Trail.  A large number of ferns crowd the understory in this area.

Quickly you reach the wooden boardwalk that forms a short loop through the sunny bog.  You might be surprised to find a peat bog at 130 feet of elevation in the middle of a rocky peninsula surrounded by ocean, but this bog is a special place.  Only plants that can tolerate subarctic and acidic conditions live here, and the collection includes black spruce, leatherleaf, sheep laurel, Labrador tea, pitcher plant, and black crowberry.  Interpretive signs help you identify the unusual array of plants that live in the bog.

Bog boardwalk

After completing the short loop through the bog, head east on the Inland Trail.  Where the Coastal and Inland Trails briefly come together, make your steps easier by staying on the Inland Trail unless you want to experience the Coastal Trail’s views again.  At 3.8 miles, you return to the parking lot to close the first loop.

To continue this hike, walk across the parking lot and pick up the gravel trail that heads east to the lighthouse.  Only a few hundred feet later, you reach West Quoddy Head Light.  The brick red and white striped tower stands 49 feet high, and wooden structures that were the former keeper’s quarters, oil house, and service building stand adjacent to the tower.  The tower is closed to visitors, but the location and history make this area a very interesting spot.

West Quoddy Head Light

The second of the two loops that make up this hike consists of the Coast Guard Trail, and its signed trailhead is located on the right side of the lighthouse access road just uphill from the light.  Unlike the trails you hiked on the first loop, the Coast Guard Trail has a smooth gravel treadway and only gradual to moderate grades.  The fantastic ocean views are replaced by fantastic views across the Quoddy Narrows to Canada’s Campobello Island.

View across Cobscook Bay

At 4.3 miles, you reach a developed viewpoint that looks north and northeast.  The town of Lubec appears across Cobscook Bay, as does the FDR Memorial Bridge that connects Lubec and Campobello Island.  Continuing around the Coast Guard Trail brings you out at the main entrance road.  Walk down the road to the hiker parking lot to complete this hike.  The night after my hike, I had a great night’s stay in Lubec at the Inn on the Wharf, an old sardine factory that now experiences a second life as an inn.  My room had a great northward view over Johnson Bay, and I enjoyed a beautiful sunset from a lounge chair outside my room.

Sunset over Johnson Bay

Moose Point State Park (Blog Hike #764)

Trails: Big Spruce, Moose, and Meadow Trails

Hike Location: Moose Point State Park

Geographic Location: north of Belfast, ME (44.43239, -68.94273)

Length: 1.2 miles

Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: July 2019

Overview: A nearly flat loop around Moose Point.

Park Information: https://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/doc/parksearch/details.pl?park_id=19

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=759620

Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From Belfast, take US 1 north 4.4 miles to the signed entrance for Moose Point State Park on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, pay the small entrance fee, and park in the large oceanside parking lot at the main park road’s end.

The hike: Consisting of 146 acres on the shore of Penobscot Bay, Moose Point State Park began its developed life in 1859 as a dairy farm owned by the family of Captain George A. Carver.  The Carver family operated the farm for over 60 years until most of the buildings burned down in 1927.  The land was offered to the State of Maine as a park in 1952, and the park officially opened in 1963.

            The park is solely a day-use park, and it is a popular local destination for picnics and weddings.  The park features only a picnic area and a playground for amenities, but the park’s trails form a nearly flat loop around the entire property.  This hike makes a great short, easy family outing, or it could be hiked as an add-on destination before or after visiting nearby Camden Hills State Park, which offers a plethora of fantastic hiking options.

Start of Big Spruce Trail

             Two trails leave the south side of the parking area: a two-track service road and the wide single-track Big Spruce Trail.  You could use either of these trails to start a clockwise tour of the park, but the Big Spruce Trail is more scenic because it stays closer to the ocean.  After passing through a cluster of picnic tables, you reach a bench that offers the first of several Atlantic Ocean views.  Moose Point lacks the sheer cliffs that make other parts of Maine’s coast so spectacular, and the ocean is less than 15 feet below you.  Nevertheless, the view across Penobscot Bay’s blue waters is fantastic and worth pausing to take in.

View across Penobscot Bay

            As you continue around the tip of Moose Point, you soon learn why this trail is called the Big Spruce Trail.  Numerous large white spruce trees grow here, including one giant that has a 31 inch diameter trunk, stands 69 feet tall, and is over 100 years old.  After passing one final ocean view just shy of 0.4 miles, the trail curves right to head inland away from the ocean.  More large spruce trees grow here including one that seems to have 5 trunks.

Large spruce tree

Tree with 5 trunks?

            At 0.5 miles, the Big Spruce Trail ends at a junction with the Moose Trail, which goes straight and right.  Continue straight as the Moose Trail heads north paralleling the park’s west boundary.  The Moose Trail climbs on a gradual grade and curves right as traffic noise from US 1 comes within earshot from the left.  The difference between the highest and lowest elevations on this hike is only 55 feet, so all elevation changes here are easy to handle.

            Just past 0.8 miles, you reach the end of the Moose Trail where it intersects the park road near the park’s gatehouse.  To find our return route, turn left and walk a short distance along the park road to reach the start of the Meadow Trail, which is located on the right.  A grave marker-looking rock marks the start of the Meadow Trail.

Start of Meadow Trail

Gazebo

            True to its name, the Meadow Trail descends on a mowed-grass treadway through the meadow in the eastern part of the park.  Where side trails exit right to reach some picnic areas, stay left to remain near the park’s eastern boundary.  Just shy of 1.1 miles, you reach the park’s gazebo, which was surrounded by orange lilies in bloom on my late July visit.  The gazebo stands within sight of the ocean, but some wooden steps leading down to the water provide a closer look.  Ships near Searsport Harbor can be seen up the bay in the distance.  When you have finished viewing the ocean, walk across the mowed-grass area to the parking lot to complete the hike.

Camden Hills State Park: Mount Battie via Carriage Road Loop (Blog Hike #763)

Trail: Carriage Road, Tablelands, and Carriage Trails

Hike Location: Camden Hills State Park

Geographic Location: north of Camden, ME (44.22648, -69.07846)

Length: 3.2 miles

Difficulty: 7/10 (Moderate/Difficult)

Date Hiked: July 2019

Overview: A loop hike up the back side of Mount Battie.

Park Information: https://www.maine.gov/dacf/parks/trail_activities/camden_trail_conditions.shtml

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=759619

Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of US 1 and SR 52 in Camden, take SR 52 west 1.2 miles to the signed Old Carriage Road Trailhead on the right.  There is no parking lot, but enough roadside parking is available on either side of the road to accommodate a couple dozen cars.

The hike: Constructed in the 1930’s under the direction of the National Park Service, 5710-acre Camden Hills State Park is one of the largest and most scenic state parks in Maine.  The young men of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp at Camden Hills worked from June 1935 through September 1941 to build the roads, trails, and buildings that make this park the spectacular destination that it is.  The land was transferred to the State of Maine in 1947.

            Perhaps the park’s most famous feature is the Mount Battie Auto Road, which provides motorists a narrow and winding route to the top of its namesake mountain.  Though only 780 feet in elevation, Mount Battie’s location as the first mountain west of the Atlantic Ocean makes the ocean views from its summit fantastic.  Thus, Mount Battie is Camden Hills’ version of Acadia National Park’s famous Cadillac Mountain.  The park also features a campground, a playground, a group picnic shelter, and a swimming area and boat launch on the Atlantic Ocean.

            Camden Hills State Park is a top-tier hiking destination because it offers 20 trails totaling 26 miles, some of which are also open to horses, mountain bikes, and cross-country skiers.  The park offers many fantastic hikes, and I had the misfortune of only having time to do one of them.  To take in the park’s most famous views while avoiding the worst of the crowds, I chose to climb Mount Battie’s back (north) side by forming a loop partly consisting of old carriage roads.  In addition to less traffic, this hike also has the advantage of being less rocky and less steep than the shorter and more popular Mount Battie Trail up the mountain’s front side.

Old Carriage Road Trailhead

            Begin by following the old carriage road as it leaves the Old Carriage Road Trailhead on SR 52.  All of the trails at Camden Hills are marked with blue rectangular paint blazes, and all of the trails on this hike are wide and easy to follow.  The initial segment is almost flat, and the two-track carriage road makes a nice treadway.

            At 0.3 miles, you reach the trail intersection that forms the loop portion of this hike.  To get to the summit more quickly, this description turns right and uses the trail going straight as our return route, thus hiking the loop counterclockwise.  The trail climbs on a moderate but persistent grade through nice forest that contains a mixture of broadleaf and pine trees.  Several switchbacks are used, and while the trail uses the old carriage road part of the time, at other times it climbs via stone steps built to avoid particularly eroded sections of the old road.

Climbing on the old carriage road

            1 mile into the hike, you reach the top of the Carriage Road Trail where it comes out at the Mount Battie Auto Road.  Angle right and walk the auto road less than 500 feet (watching carefully for cars) to reach the parking lot for Mount Battie’s summit.  A short distance further brings you to the stone observation tower that stands atop the mountain.  From either the base or top of the tower, spectacular views unfold to the east that feature the Town of Camden, Camden Harbor, and Penobscot Bay from near to far.  If you climb to the top of the tower, rocky Mount Megunticook, the highest point in Camden Hills, can be seen rising to the west.  Mount Battie provides the best views in this area, so take some time to see what you can see.

Observation Tower on Mt. Battie

Penobscot Bay, as seen from Mt. Battie

Camden and Camden Harbor, as seen from Mt. Battie

            When you are finished at the tower, walk east around the parking lot loop to reach a second more east-facing viewpoint.  Then continue around the parking lot loop to find the signed start of the Tablelands Trail, which exits the parking area to the north.  The Tablelands Trail starts easy enough, but quickly you find yourself scrambling down some rock ledges that form the hardest part of this hike.  More hiking injuries occur while descending than ascending, so take your time and make sure you have secure footing on these ledges.

Descending rocky ledges

            At 1.7 miles, you cross the Mount Battie Auto Road and reenter the forest on the other side.  After some minor ups and downs, the Nature Trail exits right to descend to the state park’s campground.  Continue straight to remain on the Tablelands Trail.

            2 miles into the hike, you reach the signed intersection for the Carriage Trail just before the Tablelands Trail’s climb up Mount Megunticook begins in earnest.  Turn left to leave the Tablelands Trail and begin the Carriage Trail.  The somewhat rocky and rooty Carriage Trail offers a very interesting return route: it passes beneath a cliff line and crosses a creek several times all while descending on a moderate grade.

Cliff along Carriage Trail

After finally levelling out at the bottom of a ravine, you close the loop at 2.9 miles.  0.3 miles of fairly level hiking return you to the roadside trailhead and complete the hike.  Camden Hills State Park offers many more excellent hiking options including moderate climbs to Maiden Cliff and Bald Rock Mountain, both of which offer excellent views.

Maudslay State Park: Pasture/Merrimack River Loop (Blog Hike #762)

Trails: Pasture and Merrimack River Trails

Hike Location: Maudslay State Park

Geographic Location: west side of Newburyport, MA (42.82153, -70.92623)

Length: 2 miles

Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: July 2019

Overview: A loop hike through the former Maudslay estate featuring good Merrimack River views.

Park Information: https://www.mass.gov/locations/maudslay-state-park

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=762415

Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: On the north side of Boston, take I-95 to SR 113 (exit 57).  Exit and go west on SR 113.  Drive SR 113 west 0.6 miles to Hoyts Lane and turn right on Hoyts Ln.  Drive narrow Hoyts Ln. 0.6 miles to the entrance for Maudslay State Park.  At the end of Hoyts Ln., turn right onto Curzon Mill Road, then quickly turn right again to park in the large blacktop parking lot.

The hike: Consisting of 480 acres on the south bank of the Merrimack River, Maudslay State Park protects the former estate of Frederick Strong Moseley.  (Moseley and Maudslay are variants of the same surname.)  A Boston broker and director of Shawmut Bank, Moseley built the estate between 1895 and 1910, although some buildings were added later.  The estate’s privacy was compromised in the 1950’s when the construction of I-95 and I-495 sliced across the property, and the family became less enamored with the estate.  The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management acquired the property in 1985 to form the park we enjoy today.

            Outdoor activities take center stage at Maudslay State Park.  The park features only some picnic areas and restrooms for amenities, and it offers many miles of trails open to hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and wintertime skiing.  Many routes through the park’s trail system are possible.  The route described here takes you through the developed areas of the former estate and to the park’s most scenic area: its blufftop views of the Merrimack River.

Crossing Curzon Mill Road

            None of the trails at Maudslay State Park are marked, so I recommend grabbing a trail map from the information board near the large parking lot before heading out.  From the parking lot, walk across Curzon Mill Road using the marked crosswalk and pick up the Pasture Trail as it heads northeast through an open meadow.  The Pasture Trail is also open to horses and mountain bikes, but the only other trail users on the Thursday morning that I hiked here were some families having picnic lunches in the meadow.

Large estate trees

            The trail curves left and descends gradually as the estate’s former Christmas tree grove can be seen to the right.  Some very large oak and pine trees live in this area, a testament to the magnificence of this estate.  When the park’s Flowering Pond comes into view, angle right to cross the pond on an old stone bridge, still following a wide two-track trail.  This pond gets its name from the large amount of rhododendron and mountain laurel that grows along its banks, and hikers here in the early summer will find a trail lined with flowering shrubs in bloom.

Flowering Pond

            At 0.65 miles, turn left to cross the dam that forms Flowering Pond.  At the next trail intersection, turn right to begin hiking atop the bluffs that overlook the Merrimack River.  This hike follows these bluffs for the next 0.5 miles, and broad views appear across the Merrimack River some 60 feet below.

Merrimack River view

            Near 1 mile into the hike, angle right to walk around a chain link fence and begin the hiker-only Merrimack River Trail.  Next comes the toughest part of the hike: the trail narrows and goes up and down through two steep ravines.  If this trail is too hard for you, the wide and flat Main Road Trail lies uphill to the left and parallels this trail.  The last Merrimack River viewpoint is passed at 1.2 miles after you top a steep but low hill.

Main house site

            Just past the last river view, you reach the main house site from the former Maudslay estate.  Once consisting of 72 rooms, the main house was demolished in 1955, and only a partial foundation remains.  Past the main house site, angle left to reach the estate’s well, which is well-preserved with its own shelter.  A small old cemetery in this area is partially responsible for legends that this site is haunted.

The estate's well

            Ignore the Swamp Trail that exits right and continue east into the estate’s greenhouse and vegetable garden area while passing the highest elevation on this hike.  At the estate’s peak, 40 staff members worked in these areas to keep the estate’s grounds well-manicured.  Walk through the garden area and angle left to reach another partial foundation, which is all that remains of Helen Moseley’s house.  Helen Moseley was Frederick’s younger daughter, and her house was built between 1939 and 1941.  Helen Moseley’s house burned down in 1978.

Helen Moseley house site

            The estate tour ends at Helen Moseley’s house, and the hike concludes by walking out Hedge Drive, which was Helen Moseley’s former driveway.  Hedge Drive comes out on Curzon Mill Road near its intersection with Hoyt Lane.  Turning left and walking along the road takes you past the Visitor Center to the main parking lot, thus concluding the hike.

Great Woods Conservation Area (Blog Hike #761)

Trails: Scott/Goyea, Schoolmaster’s Bridle, Chase’s, and Codding Farm Trails

Hike Location: Great Woods Conservation Area

Geographic Location: south side of Mansfield, MA (41.98792, -71.23495)

Length: 2.1 miles

Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: July 2019

Overview: A flat loop through old farm fields reverted to wet forest.

Area Information: https://nrtma.org/trails/great-woods/

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=759394

Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: On the south side of Boston, take I-495 to SR 140 (exit 12).  Exit and go north on SR 140.  Drive SR 140 north 1.3 miles to School Street and turn left on School St.  School St. becomes Elm Street after passing under I-495.  Drive a total of 2.7 miles from SR 140 to Oak Street and turn left on Oak St.  The signed parking lot for Great Woods Conservation Area is 0.3 miles ahead on the left.

The hike: When you look at the suburban area south of Boston on Google Maps, you see a patchwork of white developed areas and green park areas.  While some of the green areas are state parks, many of the green areas are properties owned by town-linked trusts such as the Natural Resources Trust of Mansfield.  The Natural Resources Trust of Mansfield was established in 1971 for the purposes of preserving open space and protecting land from development.  Today the Trust protects 7 tracts of land around the Town of Mansfield.

Consisting of 2300 acres straddling the Mansfield/Norton town line, Great Woods Conservation Area is the largest tract of land owned and managed by the Natural Resources Trust of Mansfield.  The Great Woods consists entirely of reverting farmland, some of which began to be farmed as early as 1723.  Seven trails go through the Great Woods, and the loop described here provides a good sample of the hiking this area has to offer.  Be warned that about one-third of the Great Woods is wet enough to be classified as swamp, and therefore bugs will be very bad here during the warmer months.

Start of Scott/Goyea Trail

From the parking area, start on the orange-blazed Scott/Goyea Trail, which heads through a grassy area on an eastward course.  The post that marks the start of the Scott/Goyea Trail was somewhat obscured by grass and bushes on my visit, but the route on the ground was clear.  As I mentioned in the introduction, Great Woods consists of reverting farmland, and this trail passes through farmland previously owned by families named Scott and Goyea, hence the trail’s name.

Hiking through dense pines

The trail traces around a sunny grassy area before curving left to enter the woods.  The wooded areas on this tract of land feature dense pine trees, and the trail goes back and forth between sunny meadows and dark, dense woods.  Some rows of rocks can be seen along this trail: they were used to mark boundaries between fields back in this land’s farming days.

At 0.5 miles, the Scott/Goyea Trail ends at an intersection with the Schoolmaster’s Bridle Trail, which is marked in red and is the Great Woods’ main trail.  Turn right on the Schoolmaster’s Bridle Trail to continue the loop.  The Schoolmaster’s Bridle Trail gets its name from schoolmasters who used this route as a shortcut between Elm Street and South Main Street in the 1800’s.  None of the trails at Great Woods are open to horses, but hunters are allowed to use this land in season.  To avoid accidents, you should wear bright orange clothing when hiking here during hunting season.

Boardwalk near Blueberry Brook

The Schoolmaster’s Bridle Trail heads east and soon crosses a wetland along Blueberry Brook via a wooden boardwalk.  At 0.85 miles, this loop turns left to leave the Schoolmaster’s Bridle Trail and begin Chase’s Trail.  A white plastic diamond nailed to a tree marks the start of Chase’s Trail, but you need to be looking for the white plastic diamond in order to see it.  If you miss this turn, the Schoolmaster’s Bridle Trail leads to the performing arts center across the Great Woods’ eastern boundary, and you will need to backtrack.

Start of Chase's Trail

Chase’s Trail is the least trafficked and least maintained trail in the Great Woods, but there are enough white plastic diamond markers to keep you on track.  Even though wooden bridges carry you over the wettest areas, many roots and wet areas will still need to be negotiated.  The forest in this area consists mostly of maple, beech, and pine trees, and it includes some large beech trees estimated to be nearly 150 years old.

            After passing under some power lines, Chase’s Trail ends at an intersection with the wider Codding Farm Trail, which goes left and right.  Turn left to continue our loop.  Marked with lime green paint blazes, the Codding Farm Trail soon reaches the signed Old Codding Farm site, which can be accessed by a narrow spur trail to the left.  Very little of the Codding Farm remains today, and many ferns grow in the understory here.

Old farm equipment

            Just past the Old Codding Farm site, the Codding Farm Trail ends at a junction with the Schoolmaster’s Bridle Trail 1.8 miles into the hike.  Turn right on the Schoolmaster’s Bridle Trail to begin the final segment of our loop.  Some more wet areas will need to be negotiated, and an old rusty piece of farm equipment sitting beside the trail provides yet another reminder of this land’s agricultural past.  Traffic noise from Oak Street comes within earshot just before the trail comes out at Great Woods’ parking area, thus completing the hike.  While you are in the area, Great Woods’ has another trailhead on Judy’s Lane on the other side of I-495 with its own short trail system that waits your exploration.

Cape Cod National Seashore: Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail and Marconi Site (Blog Hike #760)

Trail: Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail

Hike Location: Cape Cod National Seashore

Geographic Location: south of Wellfleet, MA (41.91294, -69.97283)

Length: 1.3 miles

Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: July 2019

Overview: A short loop through a white cedar swamp culminating with dune-top views of the Atlantic Ocean at the historic Marconi Site.

Seashore Information: https://www.nps.gov/caco/index.htm

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=759519

Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: The entrance to Cape Cod National Seashore’s Marconi Site is located on the east side of US 6 7.9 miles north of the US 6/SR 28 traffic circle in Orleans.  There is a traffic light at the entrance to the Marconi Site.  Enter the Marconi Site, then bear left on Marconi Station Road where the road to Marconi Beach exits right.  The trailhead parking lot is 1 mile ahead at the end of Marconi Station Rd.

The hike: Forming a giant hook that juts out from the southeast corner of Massachusetts, Cape Cod is one of the most popular and famous summer vacation destinations in New England.  The cape took its current form at the end of the last Ice Age: it represents a terminal moraine that marks the southeastern-most extent of glaciers in New England.  Nearby Long Island and Block Island have similar origins.  Today the cape is bordered on the west by Cape Cod Bay and on the east by the Atlantic Ocean.

            Like most vacation spots, most of Cape Cod has been developed by building resorts, restaurants, shops, and vacation homes.  Fortunately, in 1961 President John F. Kennedy, a Massachusetts native, created Cape Cod National Seashore to protect over 43,000 acres of the cape.  The protected areas allow visitors to explore the cape in its natural state, and they include 6 beaches in addition to ponds and woods.

            In terms of trails, the National Seashore offers several paved bike trails and numerous hiking trails.  However, most of the hiking trails are less than 1 mile in length, and very few trails lead to the Atlantic Ocean beaches that make Cape Cod so popular.  On point, the park’s longest hiking trail, an 8 mile jaunt around Great Island, is located on the bay side of the cape.  The Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail described here is one of the National Seashore’s longer trails, and it starts/ends at the historically important Marconi Site overlooking the ocean.  Thus, this hike packs some of the National Seashore’s best attractions into one small package.

            To save the best for last, I chose to hike to the swamp before visiting the Marconi Site.  To execute such a plan, start at the signed trailhead for the Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail, which is located at the southwest corner of the parking area.  Almost immediately the trail forks to form its loop.  For no particular reason, I chose the left option here and used the right option as my return route, thus hiking the loop clockwise.

            The white sandy-dirt trail descends gradually on a westward course through a dense forest of low coastal oaks.  The trees close to the ocean are stunted by wind and lack of good soil, but as you get further inland some larger oaks and pines appear.  Interpretive signs help you identify common plants in this forest.

Hiking toward the swamp

            At 0.4 miles, you cross an old road just before you reach the start of the swamp boardwalk.  Most of this “boardwalk” is actually made of synthetic plastic-like planks, and it forms a winding loop around the white cedar swamp.  I hiked here on a cool breezy afternoon after a small tornado had cut across the cape earlier that morning, and I appreciated the additional traction the synthetic planks give over real wood in wet conditions.

Boardwalk through white cedar swamp

            Where the boardwalk splits to form its loop, stay left to hike the longer portion of the loop.  Geologists believe this swamp was formed by a chunk of melting ice at the end of the last ice age.  The swamp features plenty of water and white cedar trees, and the moisture from the swamp allows the trees to grow taller here than in surrounding drier areas.  The swamp also features plenty of mosquitoes, so wear good bug spray in the warmer months.

            At the next boardwalk intersection, turn left to leave the boardwalk loop, then climb slightly to reach the end of the boardwalk and a major trail intersection.  To get back to the trailhead, take a soft right to begin a wide gravel trail.  For reasons to be seen later, this trail is called the Old Wireless Road.  The Old Wireless Road is dead straight for its entire distance, and it climbs on a gradual to moderate grade.  The difference between maximum and minimum elevation on this hike is only 90 feet, so the climb is very manageable.

Walking up to the Marconi Site

            At 1.1 miles, you return to the parking area to complete the Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail.  To also see the Marconi Site, walk across the parking area and walk up the asphalt switchbacking ADA-accessible ramp that leads up to an observation platform.  Near this site, in 1903 Guglielmo Marconi completed the first two-way wireless communication across the Atlantic from the United States to Europe.  Marconi erected a large transmitting array on four 210-foot wooden towers here, and the message was received by a similar array constructed in Cornwall, United Kingdom.  The apparatus was shut down in 1917 partly due to World War I and partly because the ocean had eroded the sand at the towers’ bases, thus making them unstable.  Interpretive signs tell you about the site and the forces of nature that still shape this land today.

View south from observation platform

            The observation platform also offers fantastic views down to the Atlantic Ocean.  When I came here on a seasonally cool and blustery afternoon, gusts of wind blew me around, and waves pounding against the shore serenaded my ears.  Although you can see the ocean some 90 feet below, there is no trail to take you down to the ocean.  Thus, after exploring the Marconi Site you will need to return to the parking lot to complete the hike.  If you really want to stand beside as opposed to above the ocean, the National Seashore’s Marconi Beach lies just south of here, but an entrance fee is required to access the beach.