In our travels this summer, we came across a fun section of paved trail in Maryland. While staying at https://jellystonemaryland.com Yogi Bear Jellystone campground in Williamsport MD, I was looking for something to do with my older son. Google maps showed a bike trail-head with a parking lot within biking distance from the campground. Off we went to find an old C&O Canal rail trail. Once there it became apparent that the site was a US National Park and in conjunction with Maryland civil war trails. Although we only went about 5 miles or so up the trail, it was fun and interesting. Heavy vegetation, old infrastructure, paved trail, and even primitive camping spots can be found along the route.
This easy walk starts out from a parking lot on 325 New Boston Rd. and meanders easterly towards The Bogs and Tripps Mill. As the Buzzards Bay Coalition website describes, this land is part of the Mattapoisett River Reserve. The day I walked, I turned back at the sign (shown below) the sun was getting lower and temps were falling.
You will find this sign at (0.7 mi) in from the New Boston parking area.
Hamlin Crossing, as described by the Buzzard’s Bay Coalition, is a former orchard and farm offering easy walking trails. Start to finish, it took my Dad and myself about 25 minutes to complete the short walk. Consider boots in the spring as some spots will be muddy. There is a small parking lot just across the street from the trail head.
Image from Google Maps
I had some exposure issues with the first battery of shots, I am thinking the shutter speed was set too high. I made some adjustments and exposure quality increased.
Whites Factory – You will find Whites Factory just a stones throw from Hamlin Crossing. As the Buzzards Bay Coalition describes, this factory was once a cotton and saw mill. Check out the semicircular stone arch, that design principle goes way way back in time.
As always, get outside! and thank you for reading.
Before I venture out camping, backpacking, or hiking, especially where risk is higher, I use a checklists. Instead of reinventing the wheel, REI Co-op has great online printable checklists. Additionally, I have also included a link to the Philmont Scout Ranch 10 essentials.
Before a significant trip, I print up the list and start staging gear in a pile. When to start this process depends on the complexity of your outing. Sometimes completing the checklist the night before is okay, while other times will require more plan-ahead actions. I do find that as the number of people involved increases, the more complex the planning becomes.
One more thought – I can say that there is a value to packing some items kinda’ last minute. For example, if you check your tooth brush off the list, then use again and leave it at the sink, you may forget it. This can apply to all types of things you need while outdoors, yet also use on a daily basis at home. My advice is to only check the item off the list once it has actually made it to the packing area. In a future post about a recent NH winter hike, I left my 1 qt. essentials bag in my truck console, in my mind it was packed. I think it comes down to practice and habits. What do you think?
Professional writer and scouter Mark Cordeiro details “The 10 essentials for hiking at Philmont“. During a visit to Philmont in July of 2018, I purchased a few of these water proof checklists, they were just inside the store door at the Tooth of Time Trading Post and were about $1.00 each. Although I did not see them for sale in the online store, you may be able to call and order copies. Thanks for reading…get outside. Andrew
Couple your next stressful shopping trip to Wareham Crossing with a calming visit to this dormant cranberry bog and beautiful wooded conservation area. The trailhead address is located at 29 Papermill Rd. Wareham, MA 02576. You can learn more about Douglas Westgate’s impressive and important legacy to Wareham conservation by reading the one page article posted on the information kiosk. Also check out the site description and downloadable map from the Buzzard’s Bay Coalition’s website here: Douglas S. Westgate Conservation Area
With many stops for photography, the full loop of about 1.75 miles total took my dog Autumn and myself about 50 minutes to complete. You could easily complete the entire loop in less time and or pick a shorter loop, there are options. I think my favorite part was walking along the flowing Weweantic river. Sorry for the shaky video, I need to invest in a gimbal. As always, get outside.
Tinkhamtown Woodlands in Mattapoisett MA – This Buzzards Bay Coalition trailhead is located at 29 Long Plain Road, is easily accessible and has a small dirt parking lot. We made the long 0.8 mile trek to Tinkham Pond from Long Plain Rd. in about 25 minutes. The well trafficked and marked trail has essentially no elevation gain, making this trail a good choice for a less arduous walk . There are a few spur trails, but they are overgrown and not maintained, it was fairly easy to pick to correct path. Total walk time round trip: about 1 hour.
My daughter Hadley counted 10 friendship rocks along the way. Theses painted rocks can be located on the trail on the Tinkham Pond side of the power line access road.We did not make it to the Vernal Pool, spring-summer is the best time to catch these seasonal pools.
Classic New England Rock Wall
Old rock walls make up the fabric of New England. These walls were built by farmers and land owners to delineate property lines. They say that when these walls were built, much of the land was cleared for farming purposes.
The Sawmill in Acushnet MA. This 19 acre site at Mill Pond is part of the Buzzards Bay Coalition, offers easy walking, and there is a nice parking lot adjacent to the trail head. I was looking to try out this BB Coalition site for a while and I am glad I did. Many of the Coalition walks are nestled in a very rural setting and can require some planning like a trail map and walking essentials. This site not far from New Bedford and just North of Main Street is quick to find, easy to walk, and ready to offer you a little peace of mind. Although you may want to wear boots and bring a snack, you will not need a GPS for this one, enjoy.
auspicious-outdoors.com 