Trail Regulations

Overview Hiking trails can be fragile. Regulations are intended to prolong the life of these trails while allowing a variety of appropriate uses. Trail Limitations and Usage While motorized vehicles are prohibited from all trails, the following trails or sections of trails are off limits to horses and mountain bikes because of seasonally wet conditions or fragile soils:

Eastman Brook	Elf Meadow
Norman Cousins - Kestrel Trust (Access trail    from Leverett Road)	Larch Hill & Larch Hill North
Upper & Lower Mill River	Hop Brook & Wentworth Farm
Podick & Katharine Cole	Brickyard - Northern link to Norwottuck Rail Trail
Mt. Castor Upper Fort River	Gralenski Farm, Houston & Gage Parcels - Shutesbury
Lower Fort River	Robert Frost Trail - Lawrence Swamp Section, Amherst   Woods Section, Echo Hill Section, Mill River Section, &   Eastman Brook Section
Plum Brook - North, Central & South	KC Trail - Amherst Woods Section, Mt. Castor Section, &     Shays Street to Middle Street Section
Cider Mill Pond & King's Reserve

 

The following trails or section of trails are open to horses and mountain bikes with the precaution that during wet conditions horses and mountain bikes stay off until trails are dry again:

Wildwood	Sweet Alice
Atkins Flats - Well No.4 Road and woods road   to Warren Wright Road	Fortier
Mt. Holyoke Range	Pulpit Hill
Amethyst Brook	Robert Frost Trail - Holyoke Range Section, Harkness Brook   Section, Amethyst Brook to Pratt Corner Road Section, Mt.   Toby Section, & Montague Wildlife Corridor Section
Plum Springs	KC Trail - Plum Springs Section and Mt. Holyoke Range   Section
	Brickyard - Southern link to Norwottuck Rail Trail

The following areas have no formal trails but are generally dry enough for horse or mountain bike use:

• Mt. Pollux
• Haskins Meadow
• Gull Pond

The following areas have no formal trails and are not appropriate for horse or mountain bike use because of wet conditions or other reasons:

Cushman Brook	Steigner
Hawley Swamp	Gulliver Meadow
Longley Swamp	Rolling Ridge
Salem	Cherry Lane (Robert K. Patterson Area)
Bayberry	High Point Drive (Cider Mill Pond)
Hart Farm	Applewood (Markert's Pond)
Simmons Farm

Additional Trail Notes

If you encounter a horse and rider on a trail, announce yourself by simply saying “hello” to the rider. This will ensure that the horse is aware of your presence. Do not pat a horse without first asking the rider’s permission.

We encourage trail users to call the Conservation Department at 259-3045 to report any trail maintenance needs they may encounter.