CHAPTER 4 Outdoor Recreation Resources here are many outstanding outdoor recreational resources located along the eastern section of the Mohawk Trail Scenic Byway. The Connecticut and the Millers Rivers Tas well as the mountainous terrain located within close proximity to the Byway provide unique recreational opportunities. The diverse outdoor recreational activities include camping, hiking, mountain biking, river related activities, horseback riding, hunting, fishing, golfing, rock climbing, cross-country skiing, canoeing, kayaking, road bicycling, swimming, bird watching and snowmobiling. This chapter of the Corridor Management Plan provides an inventory of these facilities by type of activity, identifies issues related to the existing and potential increase in the use of the recreational facilities, and recommends future actions to ensure that the recreational resources remain an asset to the region’s economy and quality of life. While this Corridor Management Plan primarily focuses on resources within a half-mile radius of the Byway (Route 2 and Route 2A), the recreational resources section of the report does include attractions that are located outside of this project area boundary, but within the towns along the Byway. Recreational resources that are primarily accessible from the Byway route and within a short drive have also been included. Wendell State Forest State Forests Wendell State Forest is located The Erving State Forest and the south of the Millers River. It in- Wendell State Forest are located in cludes 7,566 acres of rolling the project area. The forested hills, streams, ponds, and Massachusetts Department of trails. There are 50 miles of trails Conservation and Recreation within the state forest. The land (DCR) owns and manages both of was purchased in the 1920s. The these facilities. These facilities in- area was heavily burned during the clude almost 10,000 acres with early 1900s. Some of the park and multiple use trails for hiking, most of the road systems were con- mountain biking, horseback riding, structed by the Civilian cross-country skiing, snowmobi- Conservation Corps in the 1930s. ling, camping, swimming, picnick- Ruggles Pond is the main day-use ing, fishing, hunting and wildlife area. This 10-acre pond offers viewing. A brief description of the crystal clear water for swimming facility and a summary of the and fishing. There are also picnic activities available at each of these sites and a ball field with a pavil- sites are also included below. ion located near the pond. There is a small boat launching ramp located at the Northern end of Wickett Pond. The Metacomet Monadnock Mattabesett Trail 46 MOHAWK TRAIL SCENIC BYWAY Eastern Section — Athol to Greenfield (MMM Trail) traverses the forest and includes a small Adirondack Other Recreation shelter for trail users. The facili- ties and activities available at the Areas and Parks State Forest include: hiking, pic- nicking, fishing, hunting, mountain Athol biking, cross-country skiing, boat Alan E. Rich Environmental launch access and snowmobiling. Park Website:http://www.mass.gov/dcr/ The Alan E. Rich Environmental parks/central/wndl.htm Park is located at the west end of Athol center. The park has car-top Erving State Forest access to the Millers River and Erving State Forest is located to trails through Cass Meadow the north of Route 2 in the Town Wildlife Management Area. The of Erving. This recreational area facilities and activities available provides a wide variety of include: picnicking, hiking, cross- activities including, boating, country skiing,, swimming and fishing at Laurel canoeing/kayaking, boating, and Lake with its beautiful brick-lined wildlife viewing. Website: lakeshore, camping, picnicking, www.athol-ma.gov/parks.html hunting, horseback riding and winter sports. There are 8 miles of Bearsden Conservation Area forest roads, and numerous trails The Town of Athol’s Bearsden that lead to points of scenic interest Conservation Area includes ten throughout the forest. The Erving miles of trails crisscrossing 1,000 State Forest has overnight acres of forest. The trails provide accommodations, toilet facilities diverse exploration options includ- and showers. The affordable ing views of the Millers River, accommodation and facilities nearby mountains, the Millers provided at the state park River, stone walls and a cut campsites are popular with various through rock ledge. A strenuous groups, and are often sold out on climb leads to Round Top, which weekends. The facilities and is Athol’s second highest hill at activities available at the State 1,278 feet, and to Warren’s Vista. Forest include: hiking, boating, Both locations have a panoramic camping (including shower view of the surrounding valleys. facilities), picnicking, mountain There are also trails that lead to biking, hunting, fishing, cross- the Newton Reservoir, formerly a country skiing and snowmobiling. water supply; Duck Pond, a haven Website: for waterfowl; the Ox Bow, a http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/ce curve in the river and a popular ntral/ervf.htm picnic spot; and Thousand-Acre Swamp a magnificent wetland area. There are lots of opportuni- ties for bird-watching and other nature viewing. There is also lim- ited camping permitted by prior arrangement. The facilities and activities available include: picnicking, fishing, hiking, CHAPTER 4: Outdoor Recreation Resources 47 hunting, mountain biking, rock into the Millers River valley in the climbing, horseback riding, south; miles of frontage on the snowmobiling, cross-country river. A section of the Millers skiing, and wildlife viewing. River Wildlife Management Area Website: http://www. near downtown Athol spans both northquabbinwoods.org/ sides of the river. Moose, deer, entries/219 coyote, raccoon, snowshoe hare, grouse, turkey, and forest birds Cass Meadow Wildlife live within the area, and some Management Area pheasant are stocked. For anglers The Cass Meadow Wildlife this is a catch-and-release area. Management Area was once a The area is owned by the place where the Nipmucks planted Massachusetts Division of maize and European settlers raised Fisheries & Wildlife. The facili- hay. It was also the site of a toll ties and activities available road, chartered in 1799, linking include: Fishing, hiking, hunting, Boston to Brattleboro. Today, the and camping only by permit of area is being maintained as an ex- MDFW. Website: ample of early successional habitat http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/ with grasses and wildflowers that provide a home for butterflies, Skyfields Arboretum dragonflies, birds, and animals that The Mount Grace Land desire sun. The area includes 36 Conservation Trust is a private acres that are owned by the nonprofit organization that was Commonwealth of Massachusetts founded in 1986 and protects sig- and abuts eight acres that are nificant natural, agricultural and owned by the Town (Alan E. Rich scenic areas. The Trust encour- Environmental Park) both of which ages land stewardship in 23 cities are on the north shore of the and towns of North Central and Millers River. Future plans Western Massachusetts. The include the construction of a Trust's Skyfields headquarters in bridge linking Cass Meadow to the Athol offers trails showcasing Alan E. Rich Environmental Park native plants. The historic Willis on the south shore of the river. Farmstead at Skyfields has beauti- The facilities and activities ful stone walls and a showcase of available include: fishing, hiking, native plant species that serve the kayaking/canoeing, and cross- needs of wildlife. The area in- country skiing. Website: cludes ten acres of open fields http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/b laced with loop trails teeming with di/cassmeadows7c1.htm birds, butterflies, and dragonflies, and the woodland fringe connects Millers River Wildlife to the much larger (440-acre) Management Area Lawton State Forest, itself a treas- The Millers River Wildlife ure house of woodlands and ponds. Management Area includes exten- Across Old Keene Road, there are sive wetlands in the north which an additional 30 acres of Skyfields are fed by numerous brooks; a that serves as a demonstration of shrubby corridor along a power- the methods and values of forest line right-of-way; rugged and stewardship. The facilities and forested terrain with steep slopes activities available include: hiking, 48 MOHAWK TRAIL SCENIC BYWAY Eastern Section — Athol to Greenfield hunting, and cross-country skiing. but he carefully pruned every tree Websites: http://www. in his forest to five or six feet. Mr. mountgrace.org/ and http:// Battle also built a pond entirely by www.northquabbinwoods.org/ hand, moving the materials and entries/154 earth with his wheelbarrow. His infrequent trips to town were made Lake Ellis on foot or bicycle. In 1974 a fire Lake Ellis is a Town owned beach from his wood burning stove de- with swimming and boating activi- stroyed his cabin, so he sold the ties. It offers a great beach and property to his cousin and left for picnic area. Boaters and anglers Mexico. Elizabeth Dorrance, a enjoy the lake. Among the fish conservationist, made the gift to found here are bass, pickerel, blue- the New England Forestry gill and hornpout. The facilities Foundation to ensure the survival and activities available include: of this twentieth-century Walden picnicking, swimming, fishing and Pond. The facilities and activities boating. available include: hiking, horse- Websites: http://www. back-riding, hunting, mountain northquabbinwoods.org/ biking and cross-country skiing. entries/131 Website: http:// www.northquabbinwoods.org/ Silver Lake Park entries/153 Silver Lake Park is a town owned 15 acre park which has a spring- Fittz Family Memorial Forest fed, trout stocked pond. This park The 75-acre Fittz Family Memorial also has a large beach, bathhouse, Forest is adjacent to the Orange picnic area, ball fields and a skate- Town Forest and other protected board park. The facilities and ac- land. It provides a valuable link in tivities available include: picnick- the North Pond Ridge Trail and the ing, swimming, fishing, and larger Chestnut Hill Trail system.