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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Prospect Hill, MA
Trails
Trails: Bay Circuit Trail, connecting trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, September 22, 2024
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: We parked at the pullout/roadside parking for Bald Hill Reservation, then got an Uber from the base of Prospect Hill back to here for 20 something bucks. Room for several cars between the two sides of the street by Bal Hill. I think there may have been just one other when we arrived shortly past 10am.  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Bridged or insignificant I think.  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: There were probably blowdowns/widowmakers but I think all or mostly small/insignificant. I think there were some portions of the trail that were a bit overgrown as well, namely in descending Prospect Hill. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Good trail for dogs.  
Bugs
Bugs: None 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: None 
 
Comments
Comments: Bay Circuit Trail is marked with little markers tacked to trees with its name on them. Keep a close eye out for these at jcts and when you think you're going the right way lol. A few signed trail jcts but not always.

A redline of section 2 of the Bay Circuit Trail. Nice and easy trail with some interesting forests and scenic areas and I personally enjoy the occasional walk through neighborhoods as well and such, but man are trails like this difficult to follow/map out. For example, even though the Bay Circuit Trail maps show the trail up Prospect to be the trail to the west, we followed the trail down to the east (accidentally at first) but it had markers for the BCT the whole way down so I didn't worry too much about it in the moment. Also, 4.4mi from the northern terminus by Prospect Hill, there is a 0.5mi connecting trail described as a spur and also described in section 3. We accidentally followed it and a runner we met got very far away from his car because he did the same. Basically, however you arrive at this jct, there are BCT markers going two different ways, but one of the turns is not at all obvious so you'll automatically follow the one, even though it's not necessarily the section of trail you want. There were several other turns we missed and had to go back for (check Gaia and for trail markers frequently!). Trails were a bit wet from recent rain but I don't recall any real mud. It was rather interesting to walk right through a fair in the middle of a hike...most people probably can't say that they've done that, lol! Note that you do walk along some rather busy roads here. Gaia had us at 20.75mi, about 600ft of gain, 8hr41min.  
Name
Name: Liam Cooney and Lil Young  
E-Mail
E-Mail: liamcooney96@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2024-10-06 
Link
Link: https:// 
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