| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
North Monoosnoc Hill, MA |
|
 | Trails: |
Monoosnoc Trail, unnamed trails |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, November 20, 2015 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Large parking area and kiosk at the end of West Street in Leominster. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Leaves - Significant/Slippery |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
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|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
All trails in great shape. Trails are not signed but are clearly blazed; MT in blue and all other connecting and side trails in yellow. Lots of wet leaves after last night's rain. Some of the ledges along the trail are very smooth and slippery. Trail junctions are not signed, but are marked with numbers. Trail maps are available at http://leominstertrailstewards.org |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Fine for dogs! |
|
 | Bugs: |
Nope. |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
Nothing. |
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|
 | Comments: |
Hike 1/3:
After living less than a half hour from the Monoosnocs for over 20 years, I finally decided to check out these small hills in Leominster. The start of the MT follows Monoosnoc Brook, which has some really nice cascades. If this weren't mere feet from the busy traffic of Route 2, it would be a nice place to relax for a while.
From there the trail climbs an access road and passes a water tower then finally gets into the woods, climbing the north end of the ridge, never steeply. I took an unnamed and unmarked side trail to a communications antenna on the way up. The trail description says this is a beacon for Fitchburg Airport, but the signage on the structure says it's a radio tower for the Leominster Fire Dept. Back on the MT, the route leads to a wide, ledgy outlook facing east. From the outlook, the trail winds up over some rocky outcrops to near the summit, which is reached by a short side trail. The summit (985') has a very restricted view over to Mt. Monadnock. Leaving the summit, the MT leads to a woods road which I used as a loop for descent.
Overall, not a bad hike for an urban area. The easy grades and wide trails/woods roads would be great for snowshoeing. I will have to come back over the winter. |
|
 | Name: |
KenM |
|
 | E-Mail: |
kmacgray@gmail.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2015-11-20 |
|
 | Link: |
 https:// |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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