| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Buck Hill, Moose Hill, MA |
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 | Trails: |
Midstate Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, May 4, 2025 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I parked at Barre Falls Dam which has plenty of parking and is open dawn till dusk. Coldbrook Rd is paved. I ended on Rt 9 across from Spencer Driving Range and Spencer County Inn where I had a Lyft pick me up. Expect to pay $20-30.
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Major crossings were bridged but there’s some smaller ones that are swollen and are not. Still rock hopable though. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The Midstate Trail is marked with yellow triangles tacked to trees and some older yellow blazed triangles, some of which are now very faded. It’s usually marked pretty frequently. Skinny little widowmaker a bit above head height near the northern end of Blood Swamp. A much larger one about 10min later. Easy step over and a couple of leaners not long after. Easy step over just north of the Mass Central Rail Trail. Mid-sized leaner just south of 122 that you’ve got to either duck under in trail or straddle just off trail. Mid-sized step over and some debris about 10min later. Some small debris that could be cleared in the clear it area shortly after the power line swath but nothing too bad. Mid-sized blowdown trapping some small trees you had to finagle your way through just south of Sampson’s Pebble. I was able to free one of them. There’s a snowmobile bridge that’s falling apart and you’ve got to walk over just before reaching Brown Pond Rd. Easy but large step over on the section just north of Browing Pond Rd, quickly followed by a small stopover and a leaner. Mid-sized stopover about 10min south of North Spencer/Rt 31 followed by a large widowmaker 5-10min later. Small but messy blowdown obscuring the entrance to the trail around someone’s property just north of Bond St I believe. A large widowmaker about 10min later. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Sure |
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 | Bugs: |
Mix of black flies and mosquitos but not all that bad or numerous. I found one tick on me afterward. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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 | Comments: |
The first redline of the day was a traverse of sections 6, 7, and 8 of the Midstate Trail. I found this hike more pleasant than the hike I did of Sections 4&5 I did a week before. The trails and brush were wet (I’m sure they’re way worse now!!)but it didn’t really rain on me at all and the sun even poked its head out several times midday. It was an absolute delight to see all the green again and hear the birds which were quite plentiful! Despite all the rain, the trails were mostly just wet and not terribly muddy. The exceptions were parts of the trail that coincided with roads which could be very muddy (saw this more on the southern portion of the trail) and the southernmost portion of the trail between Bond St and Rt 9. The guidebook says that there’s great views from Moose Hill but they’re basically all grown in now so not much in the way of views. Many other parts of the trail that I’d call scenic though. Not many people out. There’s a section of trail that, while not marked, goes across the edge of TWO backyards. Just before coming to Bond St, the trail turns left into the woods before coming into someone’s back yard but a blowdown obscures where the trail enters so watch out for this. Gaia had me at 19.7mi, 1400ft of gain, 7.5hrs |
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 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
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 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2025-05-04 |
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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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