| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
None, MA |
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 | Trails: |
Reservation Trail, Claus Dengler Trail, Vale Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, October 20, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I found the guidebook's descriptions confusing here. there are three possible places to start this hike. 1) the north end where Claus Dengler Trail (almost) begins: park on Abbott Bridge Dr at its intersection with Central St, 2) for the official start of Vale Trail, park at the commuter rail parking lot just EAST of Dale St (the guidebook says south), 3) for the south end of Claus Dengler Trail park at the end of Dale St which the guidebook calls the reservation parking area. This may have involved a dirt road or a rough paved road to get here but everything else is very easy to access. I parked at 1) and a few other cars at Abbot St that were hiking or kayaking I believe. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
I don't recall any blowdowns. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Sure |
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 | Bugs: |
None |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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|
 | Comments: |
I think there may have been occasional white blazing on some of the trails. Claus Dengler Trail is signed at or near its start but I'm not sure if it was signed elsewhere. The trails were easy to follow but a bit hard to determine which one you were on. See my notes below about the trail descriptions being a bit confusing.
Third and final hike of the day. From Abbott Bridge Drive, I walked west on Central St for a couple hundred feet (passing under the bridge), then turning left (south) onto what I believe is what the guidebook calls "the reservation trail". I hiked this south all the way to the commuter rail parking lot. Although there was no signage, I guess at 0.5mi from the commuter lot, it becomes Vale Trail. I then walked along the road to Andover St, turned left (east), then almost immediately left (north) again to walk Dale St to the start of (unsigned) Claus Dengler Trail. At the various jcts where it's unsigned and you aren't entirely sure which Claus Dengler Trail is, bear right. A sign at the northern end confirms this. If hiking the loop from the same starting point but wanting to go the opposite direction, make sure to turn left in a meadow shortly after crossing a wooden bridge. As the trail comes to the rver ad turns right, look for a sign on a tree for Claus Dengler Trail.
The trails were flat, dry, and pleasant. The octopus tree was very cool. Make sure to bear right here if heading north and not take the more obvious path to the left. I saw several others out walking or running. Gaia had me at 4.1mi, about 40ft of gain, 1hr35min. |
|
 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
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 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-11-03 |
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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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