| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Quabbin Hill, MA |
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 | Trails: |
Webster Road, yellow-blazed path, Shoreline Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, May 28, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I came in by Monson Turnpike. There IS a gate here but, unlike all the other gates, I did NOT see a sign on this one saying that it closed at 7:30pm. That said, given the signs everywhere saying that all gates close at 7:30pm, I’d still be cautious. Roads are paved and in good shape. Some of the parking lots may have been dirt but we’re also in very good shape. No parking in front of gated but room for just a few cars off to the side of Webster Rd and at other trailheads. There was one other car at Webster Rd when I arrived at 5:15pm and I was the last one there at 7:15pm. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Trivial |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
I don’t believe Webster Rd was blazed but of course is trivial to follow. The yellow blazed (or marked, often with yellow disks) path is a footpath and could maybe be trimmed back along the ferns but is also very easy to follow. Signs present at major jcts but not down low along Shoreline Path which had some yellow blaze AND blue disks. I don’t recall any blowdowns beyond trivial stepovers. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
No dogs allowed in the park. |
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 | Bugs: |
Slightly annoying with bug spray but not too bad. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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 | Comments: |
4th redline of the day after Laughing Brook Sanctuary Trails, Silvio O Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refige: Fannie Stebbins Unit, and Holland Glen on my second full day staying in Monson MA. I followed the loop as described in the guidebook with an OAB to the summit and views, and a bunch of loopdiloops and OABs at the very end due to some “redliners ambiguity”.
Webster Rd was not overgrown and was a pleasant, easy walk. I enjoyed looking up at all the ferns on the mountain! Brough back some fun bushwhacking memories! The yellow trail which I think is unnamed was quite nice. Pretty easy grades and a nice footpath weaving through ferns down low, and other brush up higher. It dumps you out at the parking lot near the summit. Continue straight across the parking lot to reach the true summit and views but the true trail turns right, passes a bench with a restricted outlook, then turns right into the woods. This yellow blazed trail is again very nice as it descends very, very gently along the north ridge of the summit to the auto road at Enfield Outlook. I walked a few dozen yards or so to the right along the road to Enfield Outlook. The gate that the yellow blazed trail comes to just before reaching the road was gate 17, not 18 like the guidebook says but then I realized the gate OPPOSITE is gate 18. I descended along this road/Shoreline Trail to the shore of Quabbin Reservoir. Nice views along the shore. The trail generally contours or rises gently from here back to Hank’s Meadow.
Shortly before Hank’s Meadow, ambiguity arose. At a large tree, the trail seemed to split. A footpath marked with blue disks continued closer to the shore through trees (not very well defined) and another path turned right to enter a field just a little firther away from the water. From the path to the right looking back at the large tree, you could see a large yellow arrow directing you so it seemed the yellow blazed path was to the right so I took this path back up to the access road to Hank’s Meadow. Not satisfied, I then returned and followed the blue trail through the woods as well. This continues along Shoreline Trail and marches the road/trail shown on Gaia. The two lines/trails shown on Gaia in a north-south direction emanate from this (the path I took before to the access road was like a third parallel line to the west). I took both these paths, the west moat being a road in the woods, the eastern one being a grassy path, back to the access road. Based on the guidebook’s description, I’m pretty sure it intends for you to follow close to the shore until the path ends and a grassy track turns right and winds up through the grass. Just like the guidebook says, it crosses a brook shortly before this. Just beware that you’ll be following blue disks rather than yellow blaze/disks here.
Beyond the end there, following the Loop described was pretty straightforward. Hope my description to anyone redlining helps. Trails were mostly dry. Gaia had me at 5.2mi, 550ft of gain, 2hrs. A lot was added between my exploring the true summit, and all my OABs and loop-Dee-loops at the end to make sure I redlined what the guidebook described. |
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 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
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 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-05-28 |
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 | 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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