| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Crow Hill (Leominster State Forest), MA |
|
 | Trails: |
Emergency Access Road, Ledges Trail, On Belay Trail, Crow Hill Trail, Route 31 |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, May 4, 2025 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I parked on the west side of Fitchburg Rd/Rt 31 in a mid-sized dirt parking lot with room for over a dozen cars I believe. Signs remind you to not leave valuables in the car and to lock them...I think I was the only car there at 4:45pm and 6pm. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
|
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Ledges Trail is blazed in red and I believe frequently so. I do not recall the blazing on On Belay Trail (faded white/blueish??) or Crow Hill Trail. Trail jcts are well signed and I do not recall any blowdowns. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Dogs are allowed on leashes no longer than 6ft. Non-hiking dogs may struggle with the roughness of some trails. I'd also be careful with them on parts of On Belay Trail where the trail can be a footpath along a narrow cliff with a bit of a dropoff at times. |
|
 | Bugs: |
I don't think there were quite out yet at the time. |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
None |
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
Third redline of the day after redlining sections 6, 7, and 8 of the Midstate Trail and the trails at Wachusett Meadows. I hiked the trails as described in the guidebook but found the description (or perhaps just the area) a bit ambiguous in terms of redlining. For starters, I think the guidebook intends for you to hike a 1/3mi along the emergency access road to the footpath, but the footpath (signed as Ledges Trail not Crow Hill Trail) actually begins right behind the gate and just meets the access road again at 1/3mi. I hiked both trails and both are gradual but the footpath goes up and over a small rise for a minor PUD. From here, the footpath/Ledges Trail, climbs a little more moderately a very short ways to the jct with a trail on the right (I don't have a photo of it unfortunately but this may have been the end of Crow Hill Trail). The trail then continues more steeply and roughly to the base of the ledges where there's a picnic table or two. Just to the left, is a short and steep climb to the Midstate Trail (the climb to the top of the ledges the guidebook talks about) and to the right is On Belay Trail (the trail the guidebook says leads along the base of the cliff, then loops over the top). That being said, I suppose the jct the guidebook talks about is the first one mentioned above with what I think is Crow Hill Trail but that would make less sense. After the very short OAB to Midstate Trail, I followed On Belay Trail toward Midstate Trail further north along the ridge. The path braids a bit and Crow Hill Trail/the trail Ledges Trail intersected earlier joins it. I did an OAB on this as well. The trail then loops at the end and between this and the braiding it's a redliners/OCD nightmare. I then followed Crow Hill Trail down to Rt 31 and walked the road back to my car.
The trail's were very wet with recent rain but I'm not sure if they were all that muddy. Rocks were not all that slick thought very wet so not an awful hike to do in light rain if comfortable. Steep and rough at times but not all that bad. Cliffs were cool and there was one very narrow ledge/no-fall zone along On-Belay Trail (around where the loop is I think). Let me know if you'd like my track. Gaia had me at 2mi, 350ft of gain, 1hr. |
|
 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
|
 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2025-05-15 |
|
 | Link: |
 https:// |
|
|
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. |
|
